An Appeal to Manny Pacquiao
Manny Pacquiao has won the hearts of countless Filipinos for his victories in the boxing ring. Always, he wears the Philippine colors proudly. So this is an appeal to the Pacman to please, please, please stick to doing what you do best. Boxing. Endorsing products. Even singing. But please, please, please do the country a favor and never run for public office.
Already, I’ve heard news of Paquiao being courted to run for vice-mayor.
Please. Somebody stop him and those who would try to convince him to throw his hat into the political ring.
Manila Standard’s Jojo Robles writes the following, and I agree wholeheartedly:
Right now, nobody can question the “winnability” of Manny Pacquiao in any electoral contest. And in a political environment that is obsessed with the idea of an unbeatable candidate, regardless of the consequences, having the famous boxer in your corner in an election is like having a killer right hook…
But the analogy of politics as a boxing match should end there. Unless Pacquiao intends to use his fists to physically pummel and subdue his political rivals, there is no point in getting him into this new and infinitely more complicated ring….
The boxer already has fame and fortune. What’s wrong with adding political power to that?
Everything, actually. And Manny Pacquiao himself should realize that resisting the temptation to run for office could be the best thing that he could do for his country, now that he has brought glory to himself and his homeland by dispatching all of the challengers to his preeminence as a boxer.
…The siren song of politics may be very hard for Pacquiao to resist. But if he truly has the interest of his country at heart (as he never ceases to point out in all of his matches), perhaps he should think about remaining a national sports icon and an inspiration to his adoring countrymen.
So please, Manny, you can do so much more for the Philippines outside of public office. You can inspire your countrymen to reach for their goals, to choose leaders wisely, and to be proud of being Filipino. Don’t let yourself get mired in politics, where those who endorse you now are only after the popularity you have earned for yourself.
[Image: Target Boxing]
Tags: Manny Pacquiao, Philippine boxing, Philippine politics
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