WHAT is this I hear that Manny Pacquiao has not done anything concrete for the good of his constituents in Sarangani?
One thing I distinctly remember when he ran for congressman there in 2010, after losing in his first shot at it in his native GenSan the previous polls, one of his campaign promises was to build a hospital in Sarangani.
Has he fulfilled his vow?
He made the promise because, I was told, Sarangani has no government hospital at all. If true?and I surmise it is not?that?d be pathetic.
But promising to build a hospital or not when he ran for office?that should not have been a political ploy at all in order to win votes.
He?d still win anyways even without that promise, given Pacquiao?s enormous popularity.
As everybody knows, popularity usually matters in this country?s political derbies.
Also, even if Pacquiao did not become congressman of Sarangani, he could still have easily built that hospital?single-handedly even.
Sarangani not having a provincial hospital or not, Pacquiao can build the Manny Pacquiao Hospital anytime he wants to.
Always, another hospital would always prove to be a boon to the folk.
And with the enormous amount of money that he has earned thus far from his boxing exploits, Pacquiao would find it as mere chicken feed the construction cost for the hospital.
For, in the not-so-distant past, hasn?t Pacquiao virtually thrown away good money, a fortune practically, in his wild gambling sprees during his carefree, Bible-less years?
So that if he were really true and sincere today to his new calling as a brand-new Bible-bearer, the more reason that he should finish building that hospital. Now.
And if his job at Congress has really suffered, the reason for that isn?t hard to find: He needs to also spend time in boxing, his main area of responsibility as he has remained the world?s No. 1 draw in the sport despite his recent setbacks in the ring.
And since he appears ready to win a second term in Sarangani, Pacquiao may again find to his horror that serving two masters at the same is certainly a hell of a job. Sigh.
