Cabinet Reshuffle: President Appoints Former Boxer to Tackle Poverty

In a recent cabinet reshuffle, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has officially appointed legendary boxer Manny Pacquiao to the government on Tuesday (8/9/2026).

The 47-year-old, who also served as a former senator, will serve as the Head of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC). He has pledged to assist the Filipino people in facing hardships that are all too familiar to him.

“I come from poverty,” he stated, as quoted by Reuters. “I experienced sleeping on cardboard on the streets, drinking only water, having nothing to eat, and saving small coins just to help my family,” he added.

Pacquiao takes over the poverty alleviation agency as the Marcos administration strives to reduce the poverty rate to 8-9% by 2028. Government data indicates that the rate fell to 9.7% in 2025, equivalent to approximately 11.08 million Filipinos living below the poverty line.

Before becoming a boxer, Pacquiao worked as a stowaway on ships and fought on the streets during his childhood. He became the only boxer to win world titles in eight different weight divisions.

To this day, Pacquiao remains one of the most respected sporting figures in the Philippines. His greatest fights have attracted global attention, ranging from presidents and Hollywood stars to the general Filipino public.

This cabinet position marks the first such role in Pacquiao’s career since entering politics. In 2022, he ran an unsuccessful campaign for the presidency.