GENERAL SANTOS CITY — Manny Pacquiao says he plans to hang up his boxing gloves but is coy on whether he’s stepping into the political arena.
Placards declaring “Manny for President” were hoisted by jubilant fans that thronged Manila’s streets to welcome Pacquiao after his stunning demolition of Mexico’s Erik Morales in Las Vegas in January.
All he talked about in an interview with reporters on Wednesday was about running his businesses, especially Manny Pacquiao Promotions.
“It’s better to plan early for the future of our family,” said the former bakery hand from General Santos City who rose to the pinnacle of the World Boxing Council’s super featherweight division.
The 27-year-old boxing sensation said he did not wish to retire from the ring with physical or mental disabilities. He said he wanted to enjoy life after boxing.
Manila vice mayor?
But if politics was on his mind, the No. 1 endorser of San Miguel Corp. products wasn’t talking about it.
He declined to comment on speculations he would run for vice mayor of Manila.
Pacquiao said he had no plans of relocating from General Santos to Manila. He said his registering to vote in Manila’s sixth district did not necessarily mean he was leaving his birthplace.
“I will remain a resident of this city. I was born here and my family lives here,” he said.
In fact, he said, he bought two more houses at City Heights Village for his two sons.
“When my children grow up, they need not build their houses because they already have their own, each one of them,” he said in Filipino.
Pacquiao has a house at Labangal village, where he and his family stay. A multimillion-peso mansion is being constructed in nearby Lagao village. He said he still needed about P30 million to complete the house.
Businesses include a cock farm
His businesses include a pharmacy, a convenience store, a seven-hectare cock farm and a lotto outlet, among others.
Pacquiao said he wanted to buy more property in General Santos City but what raised eyebrows was his trip to the Commission on Elections headquarters on July 5 to file an application for transfer of registration records to Manila’s sixth district.
“He said he wanted to register so he could vote in Manila,” said election officer Villamor Igne. “I asked him in jest if he was eyeing a post but he merely said ‘no comment’.”
Igne said Pacquiao was accompanied by Arnold “Ali” Atienza, presidential adviser for youth and sports and chair of the Manila Sports Council, and son of Manila City Mayor Lito Atienza.
The ring idol, whose real name is Emmanuel Pacquiao, gave Block 2, Unit III, Residencia de Manila, Paco, as his address in the city.
A gift from Manila
In an interview over ABS-CBN’s “TV Patrol World” on Wednesday, Pacquiao, an adopted son of Manila, said that the property was given to him by the city government.
Igne added that Pacquiao’s application for transfer of registration records from his birth place would still have to go through a process, including approval by the election registration board, which will conduct a hearing on the case on Oct. 16.
“We first have to scrutinize his records to see if he is qualified, or if there are parties who would object to his application for transfer, things like that,” Igne said.
Political observers in Manila said Pacquiao could prove to be a strong political contender with his money, popularity and charisma.
