Pacquiao joins Marcos Cabinet as antipoverty czar

SECRETARY PACMAN President Marcos leads the oath-taking ceremony of Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao as lead convenor of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) in Malacañang on Sept. 8, 2026. —Photo from PCO MANILA, Philippines — Barely a year after he returned to the boxing ring, former Sen. Manny Pacquiao will have to shift his focus back to public service with his appointment as the government’s antipoverty czar. During a ceremony on Tuesday at Malacañang, President Marcos swore in the 47-year-old Pacquiao, the only eight-division world champion in boxing history, as lead convener of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC), with a rank of Cabinet secretary. He replaced Lope Santos III, who had served as NAPC lead convener since 2023. Malacañang did not say why it replaced Santos, who nevertheless congratulated his successor. Article continues after this advertisement Established through Republic Act No. 8425, the NAPC coordinates poverty reduction programs by national and local governments and ensures that marginalized sectors participate in government decision-making processes. It is chaired by Marcos, while Pacquiao, as lead convener, shall serve as head of the NAPC Secretariat to direct daily operations, interagency convergence and institutional engagement with the country’s 14 basic sectors. Pacquiao thanked Marcos for allowing him to help more Filipinos, saying his new government role was rooted in his experience. “I came from poverty … That is why my heart is truly with the poor,” he said. Pacquiao’s post is different from Secretary Larry Gadon’s, the presidential adviser for poverty alleviation. —Dexter Cabalza Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again. Your subscription has been successful.