MANILA, Philippines – For Sarangani Representative Manny Pacquiao, being absent in the House of Representatives is not an issue if he’s active in his district.
Making a rare appearance at the lower chamber Monday, the boxing icon part time actor, singer, lawmaker and basketball coach said he makes his time to go to the chamber when he is not busy helping his constituents in his district.
“Ginagawa naman natin kapag hindi tayo busy sa distrito natin. ‘Yun naman ang importante, ‘yung distrito natin,” Pacquiao said.
He said he was able to help several constituents in his district.
“Absent ako dito, pero present naman ako sa distrito natin. Marami naman tayong natutulungan,” Pacquiao added.
Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. had urged Pacquiao to be more active in Congress. The boxing champion was only able to meet four session days in 2014.
“I’m happy (with his win). But I wish he’d be more involved [in the House of Representatives],” Belmonte said.
Had Pacquiao been present, he would have been able to participate in congressional debates in the plenary as well as in committees over various issues.
Pacquiao would have also been able to participate in the hearings over the Bangsamoro basic bill, which would benefit the solon’s home province in Mindanao which has seen decades of conflict due to the secessionist Muslim movement in the region.
The bill seeks to implement the government peace deal with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), but the passage of the bill was stalled due to the MILF’ s involvement in the Mamasapano attack that left 44 Special Action Force cops dead.
Pacquiao begged off from commenting about the Bangsamoro bill because he has yet to read it.
“Mahirap gumawa ng comment kapag hindi mo pa nababasa ‘yun,” the boxing champion said.