Pacquiao concedes to frontrunner Bongbong Marcos

MANILA – Senator Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao has conceded the presidential race to election frontrunner Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. but promised to continue to serve poor Filipinos.

“Bilang isang boxer at atleta, marunong akong tumanggap ng pagkatalo. Sana lang kahit talo ako sa laban na ito, panalo pa rin yung mga kapwa ko Pilipino – iyong mga naghihirap. Huwag po kayong mawalan ng pag-asa dahil hinding-hindi po kayo pababayaan ng Panginoon (As a boxer and an athlete, I know how to accept defeat. I just hope that even if I lose this battle, my fellow Filipinos – those who are poor – would still win. Do not lose hope because the Lord will never abandon you),” he said in a video statement posted on Facebook late Tuesday.

The latest partial and unofficial count of the Commission on Elections showed Pacquiao garnered the third spot among preferred presidential candidates, trailing behind Marcos and Vice President Leni Robredo.

The boxer-turned-politician reiterated that his decision to bid for the highest government position was driven by his “utmost desire to serve the country and to uplift the lives of poor Filipinos.”

“The people have spoken. Tapos na ang halalan kaya bigyan naman natin ng pagkakataon ang pagkakaisa para sa kapayapaan at kaunlaran ang ating bansa (The election has ended so let us give unity a chance for peace and progress in our country),” Pacquiao said, as he prayed for the triumph of the next administration.

He also expressed his wish for Marcos to give attention to the needs of the poor.

Pacquiao said he would give time to himself and focus on his family after an exhausting three-month campaign but vowed to continue his mission of helping the poor through his Manny Pacquiao Foundation.

“Hinding-hindi ko tatalikuran ang pagseserbisyo para sa bayan at para sa mga kasama kong mahihirap. Patuloy po nating mahalin ang Pilipinas. Sama-sama po natin iangat ang dangal ng bawat Pilipino (I will never give up serving the people and my fellow poor Filipinos. Let us continue to love the Philippines. Together, let us uphold the dignity of every Filipino),” he said.

Other presidential candidates, Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, Senator Panfilo Lacson, and Partido Lakas ng Masa standard-bearer Leody de Guzman have also conceded defeat in the race.

Domagoso congratulated Marcos for being the top choice of the Filipino voters and for continuously leading the election by a wide margin.

He called on the people not to engage in any attempt of destabilization related to the elections.

“Hindi po magtatagumpay ang mga bagong halal ng bayan kung tayong mga mamamayan ay hindi makikiisa (The newly elected officials would not succeed if the people do not cooperate),” Domogoso said in his Facebook video post, as he urged the public to give the next administration a chance to govern the country.

De Guzman, meanwhile, is in high spirits after “breaking the exclusivity” after running for the highest national post as a labor leader, which he claimed only “the famous and billionaires” could join.

Lacson, who still has two months as senator, said he would be spending more time with his family.

Meanwhile, Robredo thanked all the volunteers and supporters who joined the campaign for her candidacy.

It is not yet clear if Robredo has conceded the race when she said, “Palinaw na nang palinaw ang tinig ng taumbayan (The voice of the people is getting clearer and clearer).”

“Walang nasayang, hindi tayo nabigo. Pinakamahalaga, hindi pa tayo tapos. Nagsisimula pa lang tayo. May landas na nagbukas, at hindi ito sasara kasabay ng mga presinto. May kilusang isinilang at hindi ito papanaw sa pagtatapos ng bilangan (Nothing was wasted, we did fail. What is most important is that we are not yet done. We have just begun. A path has opened and this will not end with the closing of polling precincts. A movement was born and it will not dissipate after the canvassing),” she said in a video statement on Tuesday.