Manny Pacquiao to run for president; 'PROMDI' among supporters

CEBU, Philippines —  Senator Manny Pacquiao has accepted the nomination of his faction in Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) to run for president in the 2022 elections.

"I am a fighter. I'm always a fighter inside and outside the ring," he said during the group’s national assembly on Sunday, September 19, 2021.

Along with this, three political groups, including the Probinsya Muna Development Initiative (PROMDI), which was founded by former Cebu governor Lito Osmeña, forged an alliance to support Pacquiao’s candidacy.

Forming the “MP3” alliance are PDP-Laban, PROMDI, and the People's Champ Movement.

“The purpose of the alliance is to support the presidential bid of Senator Pacquiao,” said PROMDI President Mariano “Mimo” Osmeña, the son of the former governor.

PROMDI will also field its own candidates in the local level. The group’s vice chairperson for the Visayas, Chris Tio, and its deputy secretary general for the Visayas, Neil Labrador, are finalizing the line-up.

“We will be filling up our own candidates from the national level to the local level and it will be made known this coming Sunday (September 26),” Osmeña told The Freeman.

Pacquiao will be in Cebu on that day.

Several have reportedly expressed interest to run under PROMDI.

“Yes, naay daghan gusto mahimong official candidates, ang uban mag-away na man gani,” said Osmeña.

Antonio Antogop, Jr., secretary general of the Manny Pacquiao for President Movement, said talks about the alliance started way back March 2021.

“Lito Osmeña pushed for it believing that Senator Manny Pacquiao deserves to be the next leader of the Philippines,” Antogop said in a Facebook post.

At that time, Lito reportedly asked his long time loyal ally, former Cebu vice governor Nanding Celeste (aka Fermin Celestial) to reach out to Pacquiao’s camp.

Antogop said Celeste gathered him, Lito, and Mimo on March 10 and it was in that meeting that the Osmeña father and son laid down what they would want to convey to the senator.

Lito passed away in July.

Mimo said he initially wanted to run for senator “but when my parents died in July, I decided nga dili na ko modagan for senator because I have to manage our estate.”

Pacquiao is leading his faction in PDP-Laban together with former senator Aquilino Pimentel III.

The other faction is led by President Rodrigo Duterte as chairman and Alfonso Cusi as president.

Pacquiao used to be the party president but he was replaced by Cusi during a national assembly held in August. The group endorsed Senator Bong Go and Duterte as candidates for president and vice president. — JMO (FREEMAN)