Filipino boxing champion Manny Pacquiao has lost support in his bid for a seat in the Philippine Senate in the wake of his anti-gay comments, according to a recent opinion poll.
The poll by Pulse Asia, one of three major survey companies in the Philippines, which was conducted in February and released on Friday, found that 34.8 percent of respondents were in favor of Pacquiao, compared to 46.9 percent in January, the Sun Star news site reports.
In a recent interview with a local television network, the 37-year-old boxing champion said same-sex couples were “worse than animals”.
He later apologized for the remarks, which had cost him an endorsement deal with sportswear giant Nike.
However, support for Pacquiao could still be seen in Manila today, with one man proudly displaying the candidate’s face on his bicycle sidecar.
More than 18,000 positions are up for grabs in the Philippines’ May 9 general elections, including national, regional and local posts.
