CAMBODIA – Philippine boxing icon Sen. Manny Pacquiao has been tapped to help the Cambodian government in raising public awareness on traffic management and safety.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen made the “personal request” to Pacquiao in an apparent effort to reduce road traffic injuries in the country.
Pacquiao, widely popular among Cambodian boxing fans, is part of President Duterte’s official delegation to his two-day State visit to Cambodia. He was among those present in the President’s expanded bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister and his Cabinet ministers at the Peace Palace here.
“Part of the discussion is the personal request of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen for Sen. Manny Pacquiao to assist to the traffic information drive in Cambodia,” a statement from the Presidential Communications Office read.
The PCO did not provide other details about Pacquiao’s role in the traffic information campaign here.
Road safety has become a public issue in Cambodia amid concerns of rising traffic accidents. Many drivers in Cambodia reportedly violate traffic laws while drunk driving is supposedly common.
Duterte and his Cambodian counterpart discussed measures to enhance diplomatic, economic, and security relations between the two countries during their closed-door meeting at the Peace Palace.
The two leaders have agreed to increase trade volume between the Philippines and Cambodia, including the holding of a trade fair between the two countries.
Also discussed were the technology transfer from the International Rice Research Institute in Laguna to improve rice seeds as well as the construction of 100 percent Filipino-owned rice warehouses in Cambodia. (Genalyn D. Kabiling)