Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III (left) swears in two new officers of PDP-Laban — House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco (center) as executive president and Sen.Manny Pacquiao as president. (Photo from Ron Munsayac, PDP-Laban executive director)
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Manny Pacquiao is urging members of the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) to shun all forms of corruption as he took over as president of the ruling party.
Speaking before members of the PDP-Laban in a “hybrid” fellowship night on Wednesday, Pacquiao described corruption as the “cancer that has tormented our government for generations.” Excerpts of his speech were shared with the media on Thursday.
“Galit na galit ako sa mga kurap na mga opisyales pati na rin sa mga kurap na government workers. Sila ang nagnanakaw ng pera ng bayan, pera na dapat ay para sa mga programa at proyekto na makakatulong sa ating mga naghihirap na kababayan,” the boxer-turned-senator said.
(I am really enraged with corrupt officials and government workers. They are the ones who steal from the money of the people that should have been used for programs and projects that would help the poor.)
“Kalaban natin ang mga kurakot. Ang ninanakaw nila ay inuutang pa natin. Nakakalungkot na milyon-milyong mga kababayan natin ang nagugutom, nagkakasakit at nawawalan na ng pag-asa habang ang bilyon-bilyon naman ay ninanakaw ng iilan sa gobyerno,” he added.
(The corrupt officials are our enemy. What they steal we even have as debt. It is saddening that millions of our countrymen are hungry, sick, and lose hope while billions are being stolen by some people in the government.)
Apart from leading the party against corruption, Pacquiao said the PDP-Laban will also focus on pushing for peace and economic development and will help craft “long-term goals” for the country.
Pacquiao replaced Senator Aquilino Pimentel III as president of the party. Pimentel will now serve as the party’s executive vice-chairman.
Meanwhile, House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco also took his oath as the PDP-Laban’s new executive president.
PDP-Laban, the party of President Rodrigo Duterte, currently has five senators, 58 congressmen, 43 governors, 22 vice-governors, 257 board members, 608 mayors, 541 vice mayors, 4,081 councilors, and 100,000 grassroots community leaders.