Pacquiao urged to attend more House sessions

MANILA, Philippines - Boxing icon and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao should improve his attendance record in the House of Representatives this year, a lawmaker-colleague said yesterday.

“I hope he attends more sessions,” Rep. Carol Jane Lopez of party-list group You Against Corruption and Poverty said.

“But I do not know his plans. We haven’t talked about this report (on his poor attendance in 2014) yet,” Lopez said.

Both Pacquiao and Lopez come from General Santos City.

The boxing champion is reportedly in the United States, where his camp is arranging a fight with undefeated American boxing icon Floyd Mayweather Jr. slated in May this year.

Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II, meanwhile, urged every House member to be more active in plenary and committee deliberations this year.

“2015 would be our last productive year before the life of the present Congress ends in June next year. It is the run-up to the 2016 elections,” Gonzales said.

According to a report by the House secretary general, Pacquiao and Negros Occidental Rep. Julio Ledesma IV were among the top absentees last year, showing up in only seven out of the 34 session days when the roll call was made.

The Sarangani congressman was busy promoting and training for his boxing matches. He is also a coach-player for the basketball team Kia. His wife Jinkee is vice governor of their province.

Former senator Rene Saguisag urged the House to suspend Pacquiao for the rest of his term, as he seems to treat his lawmaking job “as a hobby or sideline.”

Saguisag said Pacquiao should quit boxing if he plans to run for senator in the May 2016 elections.

The opposition United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) of Vice President Jejomar Binay is eyeing to draft him into its senatorial ticket.

UNA interim president and Navotas Rep. Tobias Tiangco said Pacquiao is able to serve his constituents even though he seldom shows up in House sessions.

Pacquiao’s province knew he is focused on boxing when they elected him their representative, Tiangco said.