Manny Pacquiao Launches Nationwide Pickleball League as Philippines Expands Coaching Program

Former boxing champion Manny Pacquiao unveiled the Maharlika Pilipinas Pickleball Tour, a nationwide league featuring 12 founding teams from regions such as General Santos City, Tacloban, Batangas, Pampanga, Bacoor and Abra. The league will begin its inaugural season on October 3‑4 in Angeles, Pampanga, with subsequent legs in November and a championship round in December.

In parallel, the Racket Professional Organization (RPO) APAC completed its Level 1 Coach Training Tour in the Philippines, certifying more than 110 coaches in Manila, Cebu and Davao. The program, led by global technical director Collin Johns, combined virtual learning, an online assessment and a practical workshop to establish consistent coaching standards across the country.

Both initiatives aim to accelerate the growth of pickleball in the Philippines by building a structured coaching pipeline and a competitive league that offers players a national platform.