Manny Pacquiao, one of the most celebrated boxers in history, was appointed on Tuesday as the lead convenor of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) in the Philippines, assuming a new role within President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Cabinet focused on poverty alleviation. The oath-taking ceremony took place at the presidential palace in Manila, marking Pacquiao’s first cabinet-level position following a long career in both sports and politics.
Pacquiao, 47, is widely admired in the Philippines not only for his unprecedented achievement of winning world titles in eight weight divisions but also for his rise from poverty to international stardom. He has often spoken about his difficult upbringing, recounting experiences of sleeping on cardboard boxes on the streets and surviving on minimal food. Reflecting on his new role, Pacquiao expressed a personal commitment to helping those facing similar hardships, emphasizing his longstanding efforts to support disadvantaged Filipinos, including building free homes for the poor.
Before his appointment to NAPC, Pacquiao served as a representative of Sarangani province from 2010 and as a senator from 2016 to 2022. During his tenure in the Senate, he advocated for initiatives focused on public housing, sports development, healthcare access, and job creation. His political career also included an unsuccessful bid for the presidency in 2022 and an attempt to return to the Senate in 2025 under the Marcos-backed political coalition.
The Philippines’ poverty rate was reported at 9.7 percent in 2025, with approximately 11.08 million people living below the poverty line. The Marcos administration has set a target to reduce this figure to between 8 and 9 percent by 2028. In his new capacity, Pacquiao will be responsible for coordinating government programs aimed at addressing poverty across national and regional levels to help achieve this goal.
Pacquiao’s appointment comes as the Philippines, a nation of 119 million people, continues to grapple with economic challenges exacerbated by global uncertainties. His leadership is seen by some as a symbolic and motivational step, leveraging his personal story and popularity to bring attention to poverty issues nationwide.
Despite stepping away from professional boxing in 2021, Pacquiao briefly returned to the ring in July 2025 to contest the WBC welterweight title. His legacy in sports was further cemented by his induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame the same year.
As the new NAPC head, Pacquiao will work alongside the Marcos administration to implement and enhance poverty-reduction initiatives, aiming to improve living conditions and opportunities for millions of Filipinos across the country.