Pacquiao busy with charity work, signs 50 checks every day

MANILA, Philippines - World boxing champion and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao said yesterday he is busy with his charity work and issues at least 50 checks a day.

“I sign no less than 50 checks every day for hospital bills. Just after a few days of absence, the checks I need to sign pile up,” he said.

Pacquiao said he was thankful that he had put up foundations to help the poor because the task of extending assistance has become more and more difficult.

“My home (in Sarangani) is always open, many come daily mostly to ask for help,” Pacquiao told the morning show Umagang Kay Ganda of ABS-CBN.

He said he regularly sponsors medical missions and continues to implement his scholarship programs.

The 36-year-old fighting congressman is listed as the richest lawmaker in the House of Representatives with a net worth of more than a billion pesos in 2014.

Pacquiao is the only fighter in boxing history to win world titles in eight weight classes.

Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares in 2012 filed a tax case against Pacquiao and threatened to seize his property as he allegedly owes P2.6 billion in taxes.

Pacquiao’s allies earlier said he felt the case was politically motivated as he has sided with the opposition and that President Aquino disliked him for no apparent reason.