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Manny Pacquiao Announces Bid For Philippines President

(Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images)

Brent Foster Contributor
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Boxing star Manny Pacquiao announced his candidacy for the president of the Philippines, the BBC reported Sunday.

In addition to his career as a boxer, Pacquiao currently serves as a senator in the Philippines parliament, according to the BBC. The superstar boxer was picked to run in the 2022 election cycle on behalf of the ruling PDP-Laban party, the outlet reported.

Current Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is running for vice-president on a rival party ticket, as the presidential position in the country is term-limited, according to the BBC. Christopher “Bong” Go, a long-time ally of Duterte’s, was originally tapped for the presidential spot on the ticket but eventually backed out, the BBC reported.

President Duterte in June teased supporting Pacquiao for president before deciding not to run for vice president on the PDP-Laban ticket.

The 2022 election cycle approaches as the U.S. recently reaffirmed that any Chinese attacks on the Philippines will draw a military response amid further tension in the South China Sea.

Pacquiao, trailing Duterte-Carpio in opinion polls, has promised to fight poverty and corruption in the country, according to the BBC. The victor of world titles in eight boxing weight divisions said he “will always be a fighter inside and outside the ring,” the BBC reported. (RELATED: Investigation Of Illicit Chinese Vaccines Underway After Philippines Official Admits To Taking Smuggled Injection)