Pacquiao tells voters to stop voting corrupt politicians

FILE PHOTO: Presidential candidate Manny Pacquiao. INQUIRER FILES

MANILA, Philippines — Presidential candidate Manny Pacquiao on Wednesday called on voters to stop electing corrupt politicians, who are to be blamed for the suffering of many Filipinos.

One of the core promises of Pacquiao in his presidential bid is to stamp out corruption and jail erring politicians.

“Imulat ang mga mata natin. Nagkaganito tayo hindi dahil sa kulang ang budget ng Pilipinas. Nagkaganito tayo because of corruption, nakawan sa ating gobyerno, kaya nagkakanda hirap ‘yung mga kababayan natin at ‘yung ekonomiya natin walang pag-uusad,” he said in a press briefing in Sarangani.

(Let’s open our eyes. We have come to this point not because our budget is lacking. We have come to this because of corruption, stealing in government, that’s why our people are mired in poverty and our economy does not progress.)

“Kailangan natin baguhin dahil sa pagnanakaw, corruption ang dahilan ng pagkalugmok ng bansa natin. Bakit pa natin iboboto ‘yung mga corrupt? Ang dahilan ng paghihirap ng sambayanang Pilipino dahil sa corruption, bakit tayo pipili ng mga corrupt? he added.

(We need to change because stealing, corruption is the reason why our country is falling apart. Why do we have to elect corrupt politicians? The reason why the Filipino people are poor is because of corruption, why do we vote those corrupt politicians?)

Pacquiao is currently in Alabel, Sarangani province to show one of the five “Pacman villages” he built to help homeless Filipinos have decent homes, including those who are still renting.

LOOK: Presidential candidate Manny Pacquiao gives senatorial candidates Raffy Tulfo and Lutgardo Barbo a tour of Pacman Village in Alabel town, Sarangani. The village is one of Pacquiao’s housing projects in General Santos City and Sarangani. @inquirerdotnet pic.twitter.com/qYdjUE16CR

— Neil Arwin Mercado (@NAMercadoINQ) February 9, 2022

He built 200 homes in Alabel town for homeless families, including those who were displaced by typhoon Yolanda in 2012.

Pacquiao said the area still has a lot of open spaces and he plans to build 1,000 houses just for this property.

The Pacman Village has its barangay center with its own worship center and a community center which also houses several sewing machines that he recently donated to provide the residents alternative means of livelihood.

There is a Pacman Village in General Santos City as well as in Malungan town, Glan town, and Maasin town.

Pacquaio said he had started purchasing lands to build these villages since 2004.

He said that if he wins the presidency, one of his core programs will be a massive housing project that aims to build at least 10 million houses within the six-year term.

These would provide free housing for the poor and provide jobs and livelihood for tens of thousands of Filipinos, he added.

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