Pacquiao declines role with national chess federation

FORMER senator and boxing hero Manny Pacquiao is not joining the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP).

Pacquiao, who was recently appointed as lead convenor and secretary of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC), clarified that he has already declined his election as vice president for Mindanao of the NCFP last month.

While expressing gratitude to the trust and confidence given him by NCFP members after being elected in absentia, Pacquiao said he fully disagreed with the direction being taken by the local chess federation.

"Mahal natin ang sports, mahal natin ang kapwa ko mga atleta kaya naman laging nakahanda ako na gawin ang aking makakaya para makatulong (We love sports and we love our fellow athletes, which is why I am always ready to do my best to help)," said Pacquaio.

The 47-year-old boxing icon from Saranggani, who counts chess as among his favorite sports, cited several complaints he received from numerous individuals and chess clubs nationwide about mismanagement by certain officials.

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These actions have greatly affected the sport, he said.

Pacquiao also mentioned the recent 2026 Manny Pacquiao International Chess Championships in General Santos City, which attracted dozens of strong foreign players from Asia and Europe. The event was not sanctioned by the NCFP despite him paying the required sanctioning fee which was deposited directly to the NCFP bank account.

That would have allowed local players like Gian Carlo Arca to gain norms and tournament ratings by the world chess organization known by its French acronym FIDE.

Copies of the receipt deposited to the bank of the NCFP were distributed to media.

The NCFP, through its president and chairman Prospero Pichay Jr, had a disagreement with Pacquiao's Philippine Chess Association (PCA) after its executive Orly Ortega didn't accept conditions set by the long-standing NCFP head.

The NCFP pocketed the sanctioning fee and never gave the PCA a reimbursement. The well-loved sports patron admitted meeting a lot of chess officials and players all over the country and has heard their gripes.

He promised to help find a win-win solution to the long-standing problems in local chess and take the initiative in bringing positive changes in the leadership of the chess body.