Filipino boxing great, Manny Pacquiao, was sworn in as a senator in the Philippines Senate on Thursday.
The 37-year-old retired boxer was among the 12 new senators elected by the Filipinos on May 9, finishing seventh with more than 16 million votes.
He was defeated in his first attempt at politics in 2007, but was elected to the Filipino House of Representatives for the first time in 2010 and re-elected in 2013.
Pacquiao released an official statement on Thursday before the start of his six-year term in the Philippines Senate, which reads: “Several months ago, we mounted a campaign to heed the call for help from the poor and downtrodden Filipino masses.
“We went out and joined them in their homes and places of work; we listened to their longings and assured them that a new beginning is coming.
“Over the past week, we heard those same voices strongly during the recent national electoral process.
“The message was very clear: Filipinos want their government back in the hands of the ordinary people. They want a new set of leaders who would stand up for their aspirations and share their goals.
“For that reason alone, I accept the challenge with utmost humility and gratitude. For the millions of common folks who believe in my capacity to put into words what they cannot express; to champion the causes closest to their hearts; and to serve them in a higher and greater platform, you have just won a seat in the Senate.
“My dearest Kababayans, the victory is really yours. I want to reiterate what I have been telling my countrymen from the mountain ranges in Luzon, to the coastal towns of Visayas, to the riverside settlements of Mindanao: I will not let you down. I will not steal from you. I will not fail you. Rest assured I do everything for God and our country.”
Pacquiao turned professional in 1995, just a month after his 16th birthday, ended his boxing career with a 58-6-2 mark and 38 knockouts.
The ‘Pacman’ as popularly called, may be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2022.
