Presidential hopeful Senator Emmanuel "Manny" Pacquiao rode the cheapest long-distance public transport to deliver his message of hope to the ordinary folks in his first sortie in Metro Manila since the start of the campaign period.

For the first time in his life, Pacquiao finally experienced riding in a train of the Philippine National Railways to attend a face-to-face forum with vendors in Sta. Mesa, Manila.

The Mindanaoan senator assured the vendors that if elected president, he will provide free decent homes for all homeless families and extend zero-to-low interest loans for those who want to set up small businesses.

During his ride from the PNR station in Buendia, Makati which is located near his home, Pacquiao visited train cars to talk with commuters who were thrilled to see him.

Together with PDP-Laban (Pimentel wing) senatorial bet Lutgardo "Lutz" Barbo, the PROMDI Party presidential bet consulted with vendors to know first hand their plight from extortionists and restrictive vending rules imposed on them.

Himself a former street vendor, Pacquiao said the hardships faced by the Manila sidewalk sellers were nearly the same to what he experienced in the past.

Altura Vendors Association president Rosita Ching said that life even got worse when the COVID-19 pandemic hit because they had to stop selling due to the quarantine lockdowns.

Mayen Regino, head of the PUP Vendors Association, on the other hand related that after 22 years as a vendor, she lost her only means of livelihood after she and her fellow vendors near the Polytechnic University of the Philippines were forcibly evicted by local government authorities.

Pacquiao told the vendors that he can fully relate with their hardships because before becoming one of the world’s highest paid athlete, he also used to sell flowers at the Quiapo and Baclaran church to augment his income as a construction worker so that he can support his family.

Aside from selling flowers, Pacquiao also repacked garlic and pepper which he sold to small sari-sari stores.

Pacquiao said the people’s hopelessness and the systemic corruption that is pushing the country to bankruptcy has forced him to run for the country’s highest office. He said he decided to take action because he has grown tired of hearing traditional politicians giving false hopes to Filipinos especially the poor.

He said that providing capital for vendors and other micro-small and medium enterprises will not only help provide livelihood for millions of jobless Filipinos and but would also trigger a domino effect to perk up the country’s economy.

Sharing his experience after taking the PNR, Pacquiao said President Duterte has a done good job in improving the country’s oldest train system.

Pacquiao said he would pursue President Duterte’s program to modernize the country’s rail and mass transport network.

If elected president, the senator said he would build another rail system on top of the existing one as part of his plan to decongest Metro Manila traffic. The old line will be used for containers and cargo while the elevated rail system will be for commuters.

"Railway is the most effective, cheapest, and most environmental friendly mode of moving goods and people. Bibigyan natin ng focus yan, “ Pacquiao said.