Senator Manny Pacquiao with broadcaster Raffy Tulfo in Balamban, Cebu.
MANILA, Philippines — Presidential aspirant and senatorial candidate Manny Pacquiao went all the day to Balamban, Cebu on Thursday to personally visit a centenarian woman and long-time supporter on her 101st birthday.
Pacquiao visited Dolores Go, who through senatorial candidate Raffy Tulfo’s television program, wrote a letter and requested to meet the boxing champion.
“Nandito po tayo sa Cebu para tuparin ang pangako natin kay Nanay Dolores. ‘Yung pangako kasi hindi lang ito isang salita. Commitment ito na dapat nating tuparin. Bilang isang lider, ito ang ibibigay ko sa taong-bayan, pangako na hindi mapapako,” said Pacquiao.
(We are here in Cebu to fulfill our promise to Nanay Dolores. A promise should not just be in words. It should be a commitment to fulfill. As a leader, this is what I will give to the people — a promise that will not be broken.)
Go said Pacquiao is her idol considering his experiences and sacrifices to get out of poverty.
“Pacquiao is a good man. He is my president. I will help him in his campaign. A good man and a true leader like him is good for the country,” said Go.
“I never expected that Senator Pacquaio will travel from Manila all the way here in Cebu. He fulfilled his promise. Hindi lang paasa. Talagang tinupad niya ang pangako niya (He fulfilled his word),” she added.
Pacquiao stressed that Filipinos have long been victims of false promises and that the time has come to give them what they deserve.
“Maraming pangako pero walang natutupad. Maraming mahihirap kasi ‘yung pangako na trabaho, kabuhayan at pabahay, hindi naman natupad. Sa liderato po ni Manny Pacquiao, hindi tayo mangangako na hindi natin tutuparin,” the senator said.
(There were many promises that were not fulfilled. Many are poor because the promised jobs, livelihood, and housing are not being provided. In the leadership of Manny Pacquiao, we will not make promises that we will not fulfill.)
“Handa po tayo na tuparin ang mga pangako natin sa taong-bayan (I am ready to fulfill my promises to the public),” he added.