CEBU CITY — For a Cebu-based political party, the country needs a leader like Senator Manny Pacquiao.
The Progressive Movement for the Devolution of Initiatives (Promdi) founded by the late former Cebu governor Emilio Mario "Lito" Osmeña, has thrown its support behind Pacquiao, who has announced his bid to run for president in next year’s election.
"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 Mimo Osmeña, president of Abag-Promdi.
Mimo is the son of Lito, who passed away last July.
In endorsing Pacquiao’s presidential run, the party named Pacquiao as its "honorary chairperson."
Pacquiao took his oath before Mimo when the party was relaunched as Abag-Promdi on Sunday at a hotel in North Reclamation Area, Cebu City.
Saying he experienced how to live being part of the society’s poorest of the poor, Pacquiao vowed to fight corruption.
"I want to address and prevent all of these. You want to know why I'm so angry at thieves working in the government? I came from nothing. I know how it feels like when the government itself steals your hard-earned money,” Pacquiao said mixed Cebuano and Tagalog.
Pacquiao said he is running for President “not for myself but for those who are direly affected."
Pacquaio likewise insisted that when he exposed the supposed massive corruption in the government, his intention was to make the public aware of the real situation and not fight President Rodrigo Duterte.
The “Pambansang Kamao” who will under the other faction of the warned that he will run after "opportunistic individuals and politicians."
"I am not attacking our President (Rodrigo Duterte). I am just saying the reality..what is happening in the government," Pacquiao said.
Pacquiao was still in Cebu on Monday and was scheduled to meet key political leaders in the province.