They’re running
WITH less than two weeks before the May 12 mid-term elections, several well-known personalities from the wonderful world of sports are again trying their hands in public service.
Of course, the biggest name of them all is eight-division boxing champion Manny Pacquiao, who is looking to regain his Senate seat under the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas of President Bongbong Marcos.
Pacquiao, who finished third behind Marcos and former Vice President Leni Robredo in the 2022 presidential elections, served in the Senate from 2016 to 2022.
The 45-year-old boxing legend is one of the 184 senatorial hopefuls seeking one of the 12 senate seats.
Joining Pacquiao in the senatorial race are former Sen. Tito Sotto, re-electionists Pia Cayetano and Francis Tolentino, who are included in the five-party Alyansa coalition; Sen.Christopher “Bong” Go; retired Philippine Marine officer Col. Ariel Querubin; and Valenzuela Second District Rep. Eric Martinez, who is running as an independent.
Sotto,who also placed third in the last vice presidential elections, was a World Cuo veteran and bronze medalist in bowling in the 1978 Asian Games; Cayetano played volleyball with the University of the Philippines Lady Maroons in the 1980s and a well-known physical fitness advocate; snd Tolentino serves as president of the Samahang Kickboxing Association and considered as the “Father of the ROTC Games.”
Go, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports, is noted for his support to sports development and legislative contributions, such as Republic Act No. 11470, which established the National Academy of Sports (NAS) in New Clark City, Capas, Tarlac.
Querubin, on the other hand, is currently director of the Federation of School Sports Association of the Philippines (FESSAP); while Martinez works as head coach of the Valenzuela Classic in the MPBL.
For the House of Representatives, sports personalities running for the elections include former Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Eric Buhain (Batangas), Philippine Fencing Association president Richard Gomez (Leyte), former boxing head Manny Lopez (Manila), multi-titled coach Franz Pumaren (Quezon City), and former badminton chief Albee Benitez (Becolod).
Also throwing their hats in the elections are Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, who is seeking reelection as Tagaytay City mayor; former La Salle Green Archer Francis Zamora, who is gunning for a third term as San Juan City mayor and PBA legend and Crispa great Philip Cezar, who is challenging Zamora; and former PBA MVP Vergel Meneses, who is looking for his third term as mayor of Bulakan, Bulacan.
Three notable sportsmen running for vice mayor are former Ginebra player Dodot Jaworski, who is seekingreelection in Pasig; Asian Games taekwondo bronze medalist Monsour del Rosario, who is running in Makati; and former PBA star Dondon Hontiveros, who is gunning for the vice mayoralty seat in Cebu City.
Former PBA MVP and now MPBL commissioner Kenneth “Captain Marbel” Duremdes is one of the nominees of partylist group Maharlikang Pilipino sa Bagong Lipunan (MPBL).
Converge team consultant Delta Pineda is also gunning for his third term as Pampanga governor, while Ilocos Norte governor and player-agent Matthew Manotoc will run unopposed as vice governor.
Paul “Mr. Excitement: Alvarez leads basketball stars seeking council seats. Alvarez, who grew up in Quiapo, is running as councilor in Manila Third District under the ticket of former Mayor Isko Moreno.
Among the other basketball stars running as councilors are two-time PBA MVP James Yap and Renren Ritualo (San Juan First District), Don Allado (San Juan Second District), Elvis Tolentino (Marikina Second District), two-time PBA MVP Danny Ildefonso (Urdaneta, Pangasinan), UAAP Executive Director Rebo Saguisag (Makati, First District), Bonel Balingit (Cebu City), former UST star Jeric Teng (Gumaca), former Arellano player Ian Alban (Manila, and Lyceum coach Gilbert Malabanan (San Pedro, Laguna).
NOTES — Happy birthday to my only daughter, Stephanie Marie, who celebrates on May 1.
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