Pacquiao joins other hopefuls in committing to inter-island bridge

By Joseph B.A. Marzan

Senator, presidential candidate, and boxing icon Manny Pacquiao on Wednesday joined other presidential hopefuls in committing to see through the construction of the Panay-Guimaras-Negros inter-island bridge.

Pacquiao spoke to reporters at his press conference at a restaurant in Mandurriao district after visiting several Christian denominations in Iloilo City and meeting with members and supporters of his PROMDI party Wednesday morning.

The press conference was originally scheduled at 12:30 p.m. but it started around 3:30 p.m.

The sportsman-turned-lawmaker said that he would push for the bridge as a continuation of President Rodrigo Duterte’s signature “Build Build Build” program.

“[The Panay-Guimaras-Negros Bridge] will push through because we will continue President Duterte’s Build Build Build program because it’s good for the country. Infrastructure development is part of national economic growth, that is why it is essential not just to Iloilo,” he said.

His rivals Manila Mayor Francisco Domagoso, former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and Vice President Leni Robredo have all previously vowed to get the inter-island bridge project started in their administration, should they be elected.

As to winning Iloilo, Pacquiao hopes that his and his party’s supporters, as well as the Christian faithful, would come out to campaign for him in a place that has been considered “Robredo country.”

“It has been a long time since I’ve been back. The brothers and sisters in Christ have been asking to meet them, and at the same time I hope that they would be helping me [to campaign] here [in Iloilo],” the senator said.

He said that he would attract a different crowd, taking implicit jabs at Marcos’ and Robredo’s respective rallies here by calling them “concerts with artists”.

“[My visit] is different. This is not a concert. Many people have been stuck at homes during the [height of the] pandemic, and they haven’t been out a lot, so they may have gotten excited to attend concerts with many different artists. Many will be coming to me, but we are here to campaign not to have concerts. For me, I want to be heard by Ilonggos especially the poor,” he said.

Today, March 31, Pacquiao is expected to visit other Christian community churches in the city and province of Iloilo, and to pay courtesy calls to Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas and Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr.