Pacquiao: Pinoys are poor because they elect the corrupt

Presidential candidate Sen. Manny Pacquiao on Friday said Filipinos are poor because people kept electing corrupt government officials.

In the continuation of his consultative campaign sorties in the province of Rizal, Pacquiao told members of the various groups of Tiangge vendors, textile workers and tricycle drivers in Brgy. San Juan and Brgy. Dolores in the town of Taytay that the country’s poverty is rooted on the systemic corruption that has pervaded in all levels of governance. 

Pacquiao said the Filipinos should wake up to the reality that the country is poor because they continue to elect leaders even if they are known to be corrupt and dishonest. 

"Gising. Gumising tayo para labanan ang katiwalian sa gobyerno. Naririnig natin ang magagandang plataporma pero wala namang nagyayari. Ito'y dahil sa korapsyon," he said.

Pacquiao listened to the stories of the vendors and tricycle drivers who have went through financial problems the past years. Their ordeal worsened when the pandemic struck.

"Ang taong nasa harapan ninyo ay nakaranas ng paghihirap tulad n'yo. Naranasan ko rin ang gutom at ang kawalan ng tirahan kaya prayoridad ko ang pabahay at pagkakaroon ng hanapbuhay para sa mahihirap," the senator said.

During the sortie, Pacquiao met 12-year-old “basahan” vendor Justin Puno. The retired boxer said he saw himself in the boy since he also started working at a very young age. 

He lamented that boys like Puno should be in school and still enjoying his life a child. 

"Noong kasing edad niya ako, nagbebenta din ako ng sari-saring paninda, tulad ng paminta, bawang, pandesal, kahit sampagita at mga bulaklak. Breadwinner kasi ako. Ang batang katulad ni Justin ay dapat nag-aaral pero dahil sa kahirapan ay napipilitang tumulong sa kanyang mga magulang," he said. 

The boxing icon decided to buy all the rags the boy was selling.

From Taytay, Pacquiao held a motorcade to the town of Cainta where he was welcomed by supporters led by Mayor Kit Nieto. 

From Cainta, Pacquiao and his team paid courtesy visits to the local government units of Binangonan and Morong before holding another consultative dialogue with various farmer organizations in Tanay.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/18/22/pacquiao-pinoys-are-poor-because-they-elect-the-corrupt