By Gareth A Davies, Telegraph.co.uk
Manny Pacquiao’s battle for election in the province of Sarangani, on the southern tip of The Philippines, is far tougher than any championship fight he has ever faced in the ring. Why ? The power base of the ruling political family, the Chiongbians, is both vast and established.
Pacquiao’s political rival for the single congressional seat is Roy Chiongbian, running for the first time, whose mother was a Governor, and whose father was its first Congressman.
Chiongbian, a US-educated businessman, launched his campaign by celebrating his 61st birthday at his family’s 2,718-acre plantation near Kiamba. Sarangani remains a family affair. The current congressman is his brother and the vice-governor his nephew.
The family owns Eastern Shipping Lines. They are old money, and have strong support from the indigenous people’s organisation in that province. They could be compared to the Kennedy family in the US.
The seven weight world champion Pacquiao has already lost in one campaign (2007) to Darlene Antonio-Custodio. In February 2007 Pacquiao had announced that he would run for congress under President Arroyo’s party. It caused widespread dismay from both his fans and the general public.
Arroyo had become president in 2004 in controversial circumstances, following vote-rigging allegations. These have contributed to the unrest in Mindanao where, in a 2008 survey, 58 per cent of citizens said they felt Arroyo had cheated in the election. On May 17 2007 Pacquiao was defeated in the congressional elections by Antonino-Custodio, running for the Nationalist People’s Coalition, who received 139,061 votes to Pacquiao’s 75,908. Pacquiao had funded his campaign with his own money. It has been claimed that much of the funds were siphoned off by his own supporters. Pacquiao’s support for a controversial president appeared to have cost him victory.
His campaign this time is being trumpeted as a success.
This time around, Pacquiao has the support of tycoon Senator Manny Villar, a presidential candidate.
Yet he faces fierce opposition, with its own loyal following.
The Legislative District of Sarangani has one seat in the Philippine House of Representatives. Sarangani was part of the representation of South Cotabato until 1995, when it was first granted its own representation. The province was created by Republic Act No. 7228 on March 16, 1992, penned by the late Congressman, James L. Chiongbian. His wife, Priscilla L. Chiongbian is the retired Governor of Sarangani. They are the parents of his rival.
While the Sarangani population (2007 census) was 475,514, the voting population (again, 2007 census) is just over 222,000. A look down the previous Congressional representatives is a clear indication of his battle with an immoveable object.
Reps: 1995-98 James L Chongbian
2001-2010 (3 terms) Erwin L Chongbian
Chongbian represents the Lakas Kampi CMD (Lakas-Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino-Christian Muslim Democrats), a centrist political party, and the current ruling party in the country. Pacquiao, supported by has set up the People’s Champ Movement.
Sarangani’s capital is Alabel and borders South Cotabato to the north and Davao del Sur to the east. Pacquiao lives in the heavily urbanized city of General Santos (in a walled compound with armed guards 24 hours a day).
Pacquiao sees poverty everywhere and finds it difficult to refuse queues of people handouts from his home.
He is currently funding 250 children through school in his neighbourhood, through a foundation set up several years ago. Some are orphans, others have parents who have requested his help. He has organised the export from the United States of 350 American-built hospital beds destined for wards around the General Santos region, a fire engine and an ambulance, and is overseeing the rebuilding of the L & M Gym in Manila into an apartment complex, incorporating a boxing gym in the basement. While his philanthropy continues, the area he seeks votes in is outside the remit of his generosity. His supporters say he is blessed, that he has been given the touch from above. He may need some of that if he is to win this election. Pacquiao is promising a “landslide win”, for God and country, yet most of his ardent fans really just want to see him get the better of another rival, Floyd Mayweather Jnr, in a boxing ring.
Facts about Sarangani:
Population Growth Rate 3.476 per cent per annum
Per Capita Income Php 15,350.00 (£225)
Literacy Rate 92 per cent
Labour Force 181,000 (54.1 per cent)
Minimum Daily Wage: £3.
Major Industries:
Agriculture: coconut, fruit and vegetable contract growing, rice and corn
Aquaculture: Prawn, Milkfish, Tilapia, Grouper, Sergeant fish
Natural Resources:
Commercial Deposits of gold, iron, ore,copper, marble, cement lime, limestone, guano, fishing ground, agricultural lands and mangrove eco-cultural sites.
Source: blogs.telegraph.co.uk
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