Senator Manny Pacquiao held a press briefing on the letters he sent to U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese Ambassador to the PH Huang Xilian and clarified that he only wanted that COVID-19 vaccines from the United States and China be sent to the Philippines faster.
It was known Pacquiao sent out a letter to Biden with regards to the request to expedite at least half of the 20 million Moderna COVID-19 vaccines that the country acquired.
In response, the U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines John Law acknowledged the legislator’s letter to Biden, but did not make any promises in terms of the request.
The lawmaker stated that he and Philippine Ambassador to the U.S. Jose Manuel Romualdez talked about the said letter.
“Yes, nag-usap naman kami. Sabi ko puwede sumulat din through you (Amb. Romualdez), sa US, sa White House, para idaan ko lang sa iyo. Siguro naman kilala din ako diyan sa US… We do our best na baka makatulong, mapagbigyan na mas mapaaga yung vaccines,” the senator said.
In line with this, his letter to Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines was also discussed.
This was about Pacquiao’s growing concern on the continuous stay of 220 Chinese vessels in the Julian Felipe Reef.
He confirmed that the Chinese ambassador replied through an informal text message to PDP Laban Director Ron Munsayac.
“Hoping that our differences will not affect our exchanges in cooperation,” Pacquiao said reading a portion of the ambassador’s message.
He made it clear that he just aims to claim what is rightfully ours.
“’Pag tayo’y inaapakan, hindi naman tayo natutulog sa pansitan na hindi na aalma.”
“Manindigan tayo kasi hindi naman [tayo] nangaapak ng ibang tao. Ang sa atin ay pakikipagkaibigan, hindi tayo naghahanap ng gulo. Pero ‘pag tayo’y inaapakan, hindi naman tayo natutulog sa pansitan na hindi na aalma,” Pacquiao stressed.
“Kaibigan ko yung China, mga Chinese people… Kaibigan natin yung Chinese ambassador… Gusto natin makipagkaibigan… Pero respetuhin [at igalang] din ang karapatan natin,” he added.
When asked if he was posturing himself as a president, Pacquiao replied: “Alam ninyo, hindi dapat politika ang pinag-uusapan ngayon dahil ang dami-dami ng problema sa bansa natin.”
Because he was trying to tap on international issues and trying to contact world leaders, Pacquiao was called out by his critics for positioning himself as the next president.
“’Yung sulat ko na lang sa US, bago sila nag-file sa Senate, nauna na ako sumulat sa ambassador dahil ginagawa ko na ‘yung dapat kong gawin as a public servant. ‘Yung effort ko hindi na dapat ipapaalam sa taong bayan na susulat ako. Ang gusto ko makatulong talaga sa ating bansa,” he explained.
When asked about his consideration to run for the country’s top post, Pacquiao stated that running for the position is always up to and is “anointed by God”.
“Ang pagiging presidente o pagtakbo, that is anointed by God.”
“Ang pagiging presidente o pagtakbo, that is anointed by God. Kung sino man ilalagay diyan sa posisyong ‘yan, iyon ang kagustuhan ng Panginoon,” he stressed.
“Kung ako ang ilalagay ng Panginoon diyan, gagampanan ko ang trabaho ko. Kung ako man ang ilalagay ng Panginoon diyan, maniwala kayo sa akin, tapos na ang maliligayang araw ng mga kawatan diyan sa gobyerno. Iyan ang itaga sa bato ng mga kawatan diyan,” Pacquiao concluded.