INTERNATIONAL: Boxing legend Manny Pacquiao may have signed up for his toughest fight yet in running for president of the Philippines, facing doubts about his leadership and commitment as a lawmaker that could dent his appeal and deal a big blow to his ambitions.
The 43-year-old announced his candidacy in September last year, declaring his readiness to "rise to the challenge of leadership" and battle poverty and corruption.
As an eight-division world champion, Pacquiao is a national treasure, but analysts say he faces a huge challenge to convince the electorate he can lead a nation beset by problems ranging from crime, graft, and natural disasters to Islamist extremism, outdated infrastructure, and bloated bureaucracy.
Pacquiao is no political neophyte having served as both congressman and senator, winning elections with ease due to his mass appeal as one of world boxing's all-time greats, and his rags-to-riches life story. His commitment to public service has also been questioned, with poor attendance in congress and lengthy disappearances as a senator while training for big-money fights abroad.
With the constitution only allowing a single term as president, Pacquiao will not have to take on popular incumbent Rodrigo Duterte, but he could face a formidable opponent in his daughter, Sara Duterte-Carpio, who looks to have inherited her father's cult-like following. Despite repeatedly saying she will not run, Duterte-Carpio, 43, has topped every opinion poll this year on preferred candidates.
As a senator, Pacquiao allied himself with Duterte, backing his bloody war on drugs and pushing to reintroduce the death penalty, but has sought to distance himself lately, complaining of government graft and criticizing Duterte's inaction against perceived Chinese aggression in the South China Sea.
Shrugging off his low rating in opinion polls, Pacquiao says his impoverished roots make him the best person to be president, as he warned voters to avoid corruption-tainted candidates.
Pacquiao questioned why people supported Ferdinand Marcos Jr, the current frontrunner for the May 9 vote, pointing to the plundering of the country's wealth during the harsh authoritarian rule of his late father and namesake.
Pacquiao is trailing in fourth place on 6% in the latest opinion poll held in early April, well behind Marcos, who is leading with 56%.
