Key facts
- Boxing icon Manny Pacquiao has joined President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s cabinet as head of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC).
- Pacquiao, a former senator, stated his appointment marks a new fight against poverty, drawing on his own impoverished background.
- The agency's goal is to coordinate government efforts to reduce poverty incidence.
- The Marcos administration aims to cut poverty to 8-9% by 2028.
- Recent government data indicates poverty incidence was 9.7% in 2025, affecting over 11 million Filipinos.
Boxing legend Manny Pacquiao has been appointed to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s cabinet as the head of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC). Pacquiao, a former senator, expressed his commitment to fighting poverty, drawing on his personal experiences of hardship. He aims to coordinate government initiatives to reduce the poverty rate, which stood at 9.7% in 2025, affecting over 11 million Filipinos. The administration's goal is to lower this figure to 8-9% by 2028. Pacquiao's appointment marks a significant shift from his boxing career to public service in addressing one of the Philippines' most persistent challenges.