October 13 ------ EIGHT-division boxing world champion Manny Pacquiao will head a banner field of active and retired sportsmen and women seeking public office in the national and local elections to be held on May 12, 2025.
Pacquiao, who placed third in the last presidential elections behind Bongbong Marcos Jr. and Leni Robredo, is looking to regain the senate seat he held before running for the highest position of the land. Pacquiao, 45, is running under the ticket of the present administration whose family he once criticized for declaring martial law and corruption. But by joining the ticket, Pacquiao has changed his tune, saying that during martial law, the country had a robust economy.
Pacquiao, who served in the Upper House from 2016 to 2022, will be one of the 184 senatorial hopefuls seeking one of the 12 senate seats. Also throwing their hats in the senatorial race are former Sen. Tito Sotto, who was a 1978 Asian Games bronze medalist in bowling and a World Cup veteran; re-electionist Sen. Pia Cayetano, a former volleyball player with the UP Lady Maroons in the 1980s; and Valenzuela Second District Rep. Eric Martinez, who is the Valenzuela Classic head coach in the MPBL.
Oddly, two former PBA stars who are incumbent councilors - Purefoods great Rey Evangelista in Ormoc, Leyte and former PBA MVP Renato 'Ato' Agustin - didn't file their candidacies for the midterm polls. "More time with my family and business," said Evangelista when asked why he is no longer seeking a second term as Ormoc councilor.
Former PBA MVP and current MPBL commissioner Kenneth Duremdes is the fourth nominee for Maharlikang Pilipino sa Bagong Lipunan (MPBL), which will be one of the 190 party list groups seeking a seat in the House of Representatives. San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora, a former La Salle Green Archer, will be gunning for reelection for his third term and will face off against Crispa great and ex-San Juan vice mayor Philip Cezar.
Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino is also seeking reelection as Tagaytay City mayor, while 1995 PBA MVP Vergel Meneses is gunning for his third term as mayor of Bulakan, Bulacan. Philippine Fencing Association president Richard Gomez is seeking a fresh mandate as Leyte Fourth District representative; decorated coach Franz Pumaren is running for reelection as representative of Quezon City's Third District; and former Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Eric Buhain aims to stay in his seat as the Batangas First District representative - a position he will contest against Senator Loren Legarda's son Leandro Leviste.
Also, former boxing chief Manny Lopez is looking to return to his post as the Manila First District representative, as former badminton head and Bacolod Mayor Albee Benitez will seek the Congress seat for the city’s lone district. Former Ginebra player Dodot Jaworski will also seek reelection for Pasig vice mayor, Asian Games bronze medalist and taekwondo jin Monsour del Rosario is seeking the vice mayoralty post in Makati, and Dondon Hontiveros is aiming for the vice mayoralty post in Cebu City after serving in an acting capacity back in May.
Converge team consultant and Pampanga Delta head coach Delta Pineda is also gunning for his third term as Pampanga governor, while Ilocos Norte governor and player agent Matthew Manotoc will slide down to the vice gubernatorial position and will run unopposed. Among the basketball figures running for council seats in May next year are two-time PBA MVP James Yap and Renren Ritualo (San Juan First District), two-time PBA MVP Danny Ildefonso (Urdaneta, Pangasinan), UAAP Executive Director Rebo Saguisag (Makati, First District), Don Allado (San Juan Second District), Bong Alvarez (Manila Third District), Elvis Tolentino (Marikina Second District), Bonel Balingit [Cebu City], Lyceum coach Gilbert Malabanan (San Pedro, Laguna), former UST star Jeric Teng (Gumaca), Arellano’s Ian Alban (Manila First District).
Source: spin.ph
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