Senator Manny Pacquiao. File photo / Cesar Tomambo / Senate PRIB
MANILA, Philippines — Presidential aspirant Senator Manny Pacquiao on Friday vowed to seek an end to the long and tedious process of putting up a business in the country in a bid to avoid under-the-table payments, which he admitted he had to resort to in the past.
“’Yan ang isa sa sugpuin natin: yung maraming proseso ng mga papeles para makapag-put up ng business,” Pacquiao said during a forum hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of the Philippine Islands.
“Nasubukan ko na ‘yan eh. Nagput-up ako ng maliit na business. Inabot ako ng ilang buwan bago natapos ‘yung mga papeles. Ang dami kong pinagdaanan. Tapos syempre ‘di maiiwasan, para mapabilis, may under-the-table,” he added.
“Nasubukan ko na…ang binayaran ko—kasalanan ko rin ‘yun—ang binayaran ko P700,000, pero ang may resibo P250 lang,” he further said.
Pacquiao stressed the need to eradicate corruption in the system to avoid similar situations from happening in the future.
“Sugpuin ang corruption. Corruption ‘yun eh,” the senator said.
Among the measures he is eyeing is to increase the salary of both government and private employees.
“Kasama ‘yan sa 22 rounds of priority agenda natin: ‘yung pagtaas ng sweldo, ‘yung salary standardization, private and government,” he added.
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