Congressman Manny Pacquiao (Pacman 2010)

When a man has everything in this country, what does he do?

He enters politics.

Boxing icon Manny Pacquiao is a billionaire (in peso terms) who can afford not to work for the rest of his life. He enjoys international fame and has reaped honors for his country. He has a solid family.

What more can a man who has accomplished so much at a young age want??

He wants to become a congressman in 2010.

Maybe Pacquiao doesn’t like being defeated in anything, and must prove that if he can be a world champion in the ring, he can also win big in another arena.

But just to make sure, he’s not going for a rematch with the Antonino clan of his native South Cotabato, where the youthful Darlene Antonino-Custodio trounced him in the race for a congressional seat in 2007.

Instead “Pacman” is relocating to neighboring Sarangani, where he has already bought property to satisfy the residency requirement for those running for a seat in the House of Representatives in May 2010.

His potential rivals in Sarangani are already preparing to portray him to voters as a carpetbagger.

Meanwhile, some of his fans are trying to dissuade him from entering the dirty world of Philippine politics.

These fans lament that the political hangers-on who accompany Pacquiao or watch all his matches diminish the celebration of his boxing victories.

But it’s a free country, and as Joseph Estrada likes to remind everyone since his absolute pardon, if he can vote, he can be voted upon.

The Commission on Elections has approved the registration of Pacquiao’s own political party.

Pacquiao is well within his right to run for the House, or even the Senate, where his critics believe he can increase membership in the committee on silence headed by former action star Lito Lapid.

The worst that can happen to Pacquiao is that he loses his bid for the second time, plus a great deal of money in the campaign. But if he can throw away a fortune in the casinos of Las Vegas, he can afford to throw away part of his substantial nest egg in a political campaign.

The size of that nest egg is already beyond the wildest dreams of the average resident of Sarangani, and Pacquiao still has a few more fights – and a few more million dollars in earnings – to go before he retires from boxing.

Even after three more fights, Pacquiao will be too young to enjoy retirement. He needs to do something. And never one to set his sights low, he’s aiming for political office.

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