Manny Pacquiao Takes Cabinet Post As Philippines' Anti-Poverty Chief, Urged To Lead With Faith In Manila

MANILA, Philippines — Boxing legend and former senator Manny Pacquiao returned to government service Tuesday, taking his oath as secretary and lead convenor of the Philippines' National Anti-Poverty Commission, a Cabinet-level post that places him at the center of the country's poverty-reduction efforts.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. administered Pacquiao's oath of office during a ceremony at Malacañang Palace on Sept. 8. Pacquiao succeeds Lope B. Santos III, who had served as NAPC secretary and lead convenor since January 2023. Cabinet Secretary Benhur Abalos was among those present at the ceremony.

The appointment carries real institutional weight. Under Republic Act No. 8425, the Social Reform and Poverty Alleviation Act, whoever serves as NAPC lead convenor automatically holds the rank of Cabinet secretary, formally placing Pacquiao within Marcos' Cabinet. Marcos chairs the commission in his capacity as head of state, while Pacquiao now oversees day-to-day leadership of the commission's secretariat.

The National Anti-Poverty Commission, established under the 1998 law, serves as the government's coordinating and advisory body for implementing its Social Reform Agenda. The commission works to strengthen anti-poverty policy advocacy, coordinate poverty-reduction programs across national and local governments, and ensure that marginalized sectors have meaningful participation in government decision-making. Pacquiao's appointment follows Executive Order No. 123, signed by Marcos, which transferred oversight of both the NAPC and the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor from the Department of Social Welfare and Development back to the Office of the President.

Marcos expressed confidence in Pacquiao's ability to lead the commission's efforts, according to the Presidential Communications Office.

"Together, we will bring government programs closer to our communities and give more Filipinos a fair shot at a better life," Marcos said in a social media post following the ceremony.

Malacañang cited Pacquiao's own lived experience with poverty as among the reasons for his appointment, along with his history of assisting marginalized Filipino communities even outside of formal government roles. Pacquiao spoke directly to that personal history during his remarks following the oath-taking ceremony.

"Sa kahirapan, doon ako galing. Naranasan ko matulog sa karton sa kalsada, uminom lang ng tubig, walang makain at mag-ipon ng barya para lang makatulong sa pamilya," Pacquiao said, which translates to: "I came from poverty. I experienced sleeping on cardboard on the streets, drinking only water, having nothing to eat and saving coins just to help my family."

Pacquiao emphasized that he viewed the role as public service rather than a political opportunity, and said he had continued supporting poor communities and building free homes even during periods when he did not hold elected office.

"Hindi ito pulitika. Ito ay totoong serbisyo publiko upang siguruhin na ang bawat programa ng gobyerno ay direktang mararamdaman ng 14 basic sectors at ng pinakamahirap nating mga kababayan," Pacquiao said, translating to: "This is not politics. This is genuine public service to ensure that every government program is directly felt by the 14 basic sectors and our poorest fellow Filipinos."

The appointment has drawn attention from Christian leaders in the Philippines given Pacquiao's own public testimony about his Christian faith in recent years. Bishop Noel Alba Pantoja, head of the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches, welcomed the appointment as an opportunity for Pacquiao to serve Filipinos who are "poor, vulnerable, and in need of hope and opportunity." Pantoja, who described Pacquiao as his "dear brother," cited Colossians 3:23-24, which calls believers to work wholeheartedly "as working for the Lord," and prayed that Pacquiao would receive "wisdom, strength, compassion, and integrity" in the new role. Pantoja also expressed hope that Pacquiao's leadership would help bring communities together and develop lasting solutions to poverty.

Pantoja's call for servant leadership echoed comments Pacquiao made earlier this year at the Arise Asia 2026 Congress in Manila, where he challenged roughly 4,000 Christian leaders and young people from more than 50 countries to make their faith visible through service and how they treat others. Pacquiao, who has spoken publicly about turning away from a past marked by drinking and gambling after what he has described as surrendering his life to Jesus Christ, urged believers at that event to read Scripture, pray and demonstrate their faith through concrete action.

Larry Gadon, who serves separately as Marcos' presidential adviser for poverty alleviation, a distinct position from Pacquiao's new role, welcomed the appointment in a statement.

"His appointment is very timely now that the administration is pushing for further reduction of poverty incidence and the NAPC with the right direction could help more to achieve the poverty reduction efforts," Gadon said.

Pacquiao's return to government marks a notable political turn given his history with Marcos. The two men were political rivals during the 2022 presidential election, when Pacquiao ran for the country's highest office and lost to Marcos. Pacquiao previously served as a member of the House of Representatives representing Sarangani from 2010 to 2016, then as a senator from 2016 to 2022. He later made an unsuccessful bid to reclaim a Senate seat in last year's midterm elections while running on a slate aligned with Marcos.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional boxers in history, Pacquiao remains the only fighter to have won world championships across eight different weight divisions during his boxing career.

With Pacquiao now formally leading the NAPC secretariat, his personal history of poverty and his publicly stated commitment to Christian service will face practical tests as the commission works to address food security, employment, education, housing and health concerns for the Philippines' poorest citizens under the country's Magna Carta of the Poor. For Pantoja and other Christian leaders who have welcomed the appointment, the role represents an opportunity for Pacquiao to translate his public statements of faith into tangible outcomes for millions of Filipinos still living below the poverty line, even as the practical challenges facing the commission remain substantial heading into his tenure.