Promdi endorses Pacquiao for Presidential bid, becomes party’s “honorary chair”

By: Morexette Marie B. Erram - Multimedia Reporter - CDN Digital | September 26,2021 - 08:38 PM

Senator Manny Pacquiao is endorsed by the Abag-Promdi led by its president Mimo Osmeña at a hotel at the North Reclamation Area tonight, Sept. 26. | Morexette Marie B. Erram

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Senator Manny Pacquiao is now an “honorary chairperson” of the Progressive Movement for the Devolution of Initiatives (Promdi), the political party founded by the late Cebu Gov. Emilio Mario “Lito” Osmeña.

Pacquiao on September 26 took his oath as the newest member of Promdi, which was relaunched as Abag-Promdi, during a kickoff in a hotel in North Reclamation Area, Cebu City.

As a result, local officials and aspiring candidates for the May 2022 elections affiliated with and running under Abag-Promdi have sealed their support for Pacquiao’s presidential bid.

The senator and boxing legend took his oath before Abag-Promdi president Mimo Osmeña.

“What we need is a new type of leadership who understands his people, follows his heart, (a) champion who will fight for what is right,” said Osmeña in his speech.

In his acceptance speech, Pacquiao reiterated his vows to fight for the downtrodden and underprivileged, illustrating his rags-to-riches story as an example.

The senator, who is the official Presidential candidate of one faction of the now-divided Partido Demokratikong Pilipino – Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), also took a swipe at “opportunistic individuals and politicians” who used the pandemic for profit, and called them thieves.

“I am not attacking our President (Rodrigo Duterte) but sinasabi ko lang yung reality, yung nangyayari sa gobyerno,” Pacquiao said.

(I am not attacking our President (Rodrigo Duterte), but I am just saying what the reality is, what is happening the government at present.)

“I want to address and prevent all of these. You want to know why I’m so angry at thieves working at the government? I came from nothing. I know how it feels like when the government itself steals your hard-earned money… I am doing this (running for President) not for myself but for those who are direly affected,” he added in a mix of Cebuano and Tagalog.

Abag-Promdi’s kickoff event was held five days before the filing of candidacy for the May 2022 elections which will start this October 1.