MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – In advance of the opening of the 17th Philippine Congress on July 25, senators and congressmen are trying to outdo each other by filing their respective signature bills.

So far, senators and congressmen have filed bills ranging from giving President Rod Duterte emergency powers to deal with Metro Manila’s traffic woes to calling for a constitutional convention to consider the proposal for federalism.

Well, the No. 1 absentee congressman, now Senator Manny Pacquiao is out to prove that he is serious about being a national legislator. He has filed his first senate bill.

In a yet unnumbered bill, Pacquiao is proposing to change the capital of the Philippines from Manila to Davao City.

The champion boxer told The Adobo Chronicles  that since Duterte has chosen to establish a Malacañang (presidential palace) of the south in his hometown of Davao City, it just makes sense to also move the Philippine capital to Mindanao.  Duterte is the first-ever Philippine president from Mindanao.  “Besides,” Pacquiao said, “Manila is already too crowded and polluted and we need a capital that we can all be proud of — clean, peaceful and far from the madding crowd.”

Asked what his second bill might be, Pacquiao said he will also propose to change the Philippines’ national language from Pilipino (tagalog) to his and Duterte’s native Cebuano.

It’s going to be a very busy year for Senator Pacquiao. Or so it seems.