Notwithstanding his ‘buy Filipino’ advocacy, presidential aspirant Sen. Manny Pacquiao will not force wife, Jinky, to stop purchasing imported items, including designer handbags.
The PROMDI Party standard bearer will not force eldest son, Jimwell, from being a gay if he turns out to be one but vowed to persuade and counsel the boy about the teachings of God on the subject.
Asked to comment about his mother, Dionisia, Pacquiao said he is proud about her and thankful to God for being her son.
Appearing as guest on the “Bakit Ikaw?: The DZRH Presidential Job Interview on Saturday, Jan. 29, Pacquiao was asked questions on certain various national issues with members of his family sometimes being cited in hypothetical scenarios.
At one point, Pacquiao discussed how he would rescue the country from poverty, saying that aside from eliminating graft and corruption in government, he would strongly support the local small and medium scale enterprises.
“Kailangan i-promote natin ang mga produkto natin nang maipagmalaki ang sariling atin hanggang makapag-export na tayo,” he said.
When asked if this means he would stop wife, Jinky, from purchasing and patronizing imported items, Pacquiao said: “I-encourage natin (to buy local) pero hwag natin ipagbawal na bumili ng imported. (We will encourage but will not prohibit purchasing imported products)." Multi-awarded broadcast host Deo Macalma recalled how Pacquiao was heavily criticized by the LGBTQ community when Pacquiao aired his view on its members based on what learned from the Bible.
Macalma then asked what the boxing icon would do if hypothetically he finds son, Jimwell, one morning dressing up as a woman and then declares he is gay.
“Sakaling dumating man ang scenario na iyon, advise-an natin, pangaralan. Ang mga anak ko naman hindi nagkulang sa pangaral, bilang magulang hindi ako nagkulang. (Should that scenariio happen, we will advise and lecture him. My children are never lacking in counseling, as a parent I never was lacking in this),” Pacquiao said.
The Mindanaoan senator was also asked about his relationship to mother, Dionisia, who single-handedly raised him in most part of his youth.
“Mommy Di ko, proud ako na meron akong nanay na ganyan. Mahal na mahal ko ang nanay ko, biyaya siya ng panginoon dahil siya ang naging nanay ko. (I am proud of my Mommy Dy, that I have a mother like her. I truly love my mother, she is a gift from God because she became my mother.),” he said.
Pacquiao recounted that he and his brothers were raised well by Dionisia, saying that she would wake them up as early as 5 am then teach them lessons of becoming good children of God.
“Ang hindi ko nakakalimutan ang lagi niyang sinasabi sa amin - mga lalaki kayo hwag kayo manghingi. Lagi kayong magtrabaho at tumulong sa mga nangangailangan. (What I can’t forget is the way she always reminded us that as men we must not ask for anything. Instead we should work and help those in need.),” said Pacquiao.