1-Pacman Rep. Mikee Romero (left) with Manny Pacquiao. - Photo: Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
MANILA: Manny Pacquiao may be past his prime as a prizefighter, but the man they call Pacman believes he still has a lot of fight left in him.
This was the message of the boxing idol as he celebrated his 46th birthday on Tuesday (Dec 17), plotting his hopeful return to politics as a senator and a possible comeback fight that would stamp an exclamation point to his illustrious boxing career.
He will fight alongside a strong supporter, the 1-Pacman party list, whose advocacy of sports and youth development, and poverty alleviation he espouses.
Preparing for his senatorial comeback, his handlers say he is “ready to rumble” in a bid to restart a career that saw him win eight division championships and a coveted place in the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
Sean Gibbons, Pacquiao’s promoter, does not believe age has caught up with the boxing champion. He is arranging a fight against World Boxing Council welterweight champion Mario Barrios.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen after that. With Manny, he could be fighting until he’s 50,” Gibbons was quoted by the boxing website boxing-basement.com.
While nothing is definite yet, and boxing fans are divided on whether he should stay retired, there is no stopping Pacquiao’s comeback to politics via the senatorial race.
After a three-year hiatus following his 2022 bid for the presidency, Pacquiao seeks to regain his seat in the Senate. He will be riding on the back of the credible achievements of the party list that bears his nom de guerre.
Milka Romero, daughter of outgoing 1-Pacman Rep. Mikee Romero, is the party list’s first nominee, with Bobby Pacquiao, the boxing champion’s brother as the second. Shey Muhammad is the third nominee.
Mikee Romero’s record of 144 laws passed in three terms as party-list representative spurs the forthcoming congressional campaign to send all three 1-Pacman nominees to the House.
“We stand on our record of lawmaking and public service. Beyond our core advocacy of sports development, 1-Pacman has distinguished itself by passing laws that improved the lives of Filipinos everywhere,” said the elder Romero, chairman of the House committee on poverty alleviation, and former deputy speaker of the House.
He said he had passed the baton to his daughter, Milka, to continue the fight through the 1-Pacman party list.
“She, too, has the heart of a champion,” he said. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
