FALSE: Pacquiao did not pass any law in 11 years as legislator

At a glance:

• Claim: Senator Manny Pacquiao was not able to pass any law during his 11 years as a legislator. 
• Rating: FALSE
• The facts: Pacquiao has passed a total of 25 laws as a lawmaker from 2010 until the present. These include the Handbook for Overseas Filipino Workers Act of 2018, An Act Establishing the Sarangani Sports Center, and the National Bible Day Act, among others.
• Why we fact-checked this: The video containing the claim has garnered 120,040 views, 2,200 likes, and 335 comments, as of writing.

Complete details:

A video uploaded on July 8, 2021, by the YouTube channel “DUTERTE TV” falsely claimed that Senator Manny Pacquiao was not able to pass any law during his 11 years as a legislator.

The video with the claim was titled, “SI LITO LAPID 6 YRS AS SENATOR NAKAGAWA NG BATAS! SI PAKYAW 11 YRS NA HANGGANG NGAYON WALA PARIN!” (Lito Lapid was able to pass a law in his 6 years as a senator! Pacquiao has been there for 11 years but still has not passed any!)

The video featured a conversation between two bloggers, Rey Joseph “RJ” Nieto or Thinking Pinoy and Sass Rogando Sasot, which was livestreamed on Facebook on July 5, 2021.

“Si Pacquiao matatapos na ’yung term. Ano ba naipasa na ni Pacquiao na siya ang principal author?” Nieto asked during their live stream. (Pacquiao is about to finish his term. What laws have Pacquiao passed as the principal author?)

“So, ano ngayon ’yung ma-associate mo kay Manny Pacquiao na batas eh 11 years na siya dyan eh? (So what law can you associate with Manny Pacquiao when he has spent 11 years there?)” Sasot also asked, to which Nieto said “Boxing commission.”

Sasot then replied, “Eh hindi pa pumasa (But it has not been approved).” Nieto responded, “Wala (None).”

As of writing, the video has gained 120,040 views, 2,200 likes, and 335 comments.

The claim is false.

Pacquiao passed a total of 25 laws during his time as a lawmaker. 

During his terms as the representative of Sarangani from 2010 to 2016, Pacquiao passed a total of seven laws. Pacquiao principally authored one of them and co-authored the remaining six. As a senator from 2016 until present, Pacquiao has been able to pass 18 laws. He principally authored 12 of these and co-authored the other six.

Pacquiao’s official Facebook page and his Public Information System website list all the principally authored and co-authored bills he was able to pass in his 11 years as a legislator, starting from 2010.

The enacted bills principally authored and co-authored by Pacquiao during his terms as representative of Sarangani in the 15th to 16th Congress, from July 1, 2010, to June 30, 2016, can also be searched in the Legislative Information System (LEGIS) website of the House of Representatives.

Pacquiao principally authored one law as representative of Sarangani – Republic Act 10828, or An Act Establishing A Regular District Office of the Land Transportation Office in the Province of Sarangani and Appropriating Funds Therefor. It was passed on May 19, 2016.

Pacquiao also co-authored six laws in the House of Representatives. These include, among others:

• RA 10679 or the Youth Entrepreneurship Act – passed on August 27, 2015
• RA 10699 or the Sports Benefits and Incentives Act of 2001 – passed on November 13, 2015
• RA 10777 or An Act Declaring September 1 of Every Year a Special Working Holiday and No Class Day in Schools in the Province of North Cotabato in Commemoration of its Founding Anniversary – passed on May 3, 2016

Meanwhile, as can be seen on the Senate website, Pacquiao principally authored the following laws, among others: 

• RA 11163 or the National Bible Day Act – passed on December 20, 2018
• RA 11227 or the Handbook for OFWs Act of 2018 – passed on February 22, 2019
• RA 11224 or An Act Establishing the Sarangani Sports Center – passed on February 22, 2019

Pacquiao was also one of the principal authors of the following laws, among others, during his term as a senator: 

• RA 10929 or the Free Internet Access in Public Places Act – passed on August 2, 2017
• RA 11055 or the Philippine Identification System Act – passed on August 6, 2018
• RA 11210 or the 105-Day Expanded Maternity Leave Law – passed on February 20, 2019

As a senator, he was also the co-author of the following laws, among others:

• RA 11166 or Philippine HIV and AIDS Policy Act – passed on December 20, 2018
• RA 11223 or the Universal Health Care Act – passed on February 20, 2019
• RA 11215 or the National Integrated Cancer Control Act – passed on February 14, 2019

Nonetheless, Pacquiao was formerly considered the “top absentee” in the House of Representatives, incurring 22 absences in plenary sessions from July 27, 2015, to June 6, 2016. He was also considered the Senate’s top absentee from July 2018 to June 2019, with 12 absences in plenary sessions. – Nicole Anne Perez/Rappler.com

Nicole Anne Perez is a Rappler intern. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s internship program here.

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