Pacquiao files bid for presidency as Philippine race heats

Agencies | Manila

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Newly retired boxing star Manny Pacquiao filed his certificate of candidacy for the Philippine presidency Friday at the start of a weeklong registration period for candidates seeking to lead a Southeast Asian nation that has been hit hard by the pandemic and deep political conflicts.

Elections officials placed heavy restrictions to prevent the Oct. 1-8 registration period from drawing huge crowds of political supporters and becoming hotbeds for coronavirus infections.

Aside from the presidency and vice presidency, more than 18,000 national, local and congressional posts will be contested in the elections May 9, 2022.

Aspirants can bring only up to three companions when registering their candidacies to prevent past chaotic scenes of candidates showing up with movie stars, musical bands and rowdy mobs of followers.

Pacquiao, former national police chief Panfilo Lacson and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno have declared they will seek the presidency and others are expected. The Philippines has reported more than 2.5 million COVID-19 cases, with 38,164 deaths in the second-worst pandemic tolls in Southeast Asia after Indonesia.