Eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao, who was chosen as the captain of Team Philippines, surprised fans and fellow competitors when he departed from Netflix’s “Physical: Asia” in the fifth episode, which aired on November 4.
Pacquiao cited “obligations” in the Philippines as the reason for his sudden exit but did not provide further details.
“Gusto kong humingi ng paumanhin. Kailangan kong bumalik sa bansa ko, kasi may mga obligation ko for the country,” he said, apologizing to his teammates for leaving the competition.
The show, which was filmed in February, coincided with the 2025 senatorial campaign period. Pacquiao ran for a Senate seat in the midterm elections but placed 18th, missing the Senate Magic 12.
With Pacquiao’s exit, Team Philippines now includes Justin Hernandez (team captain and CrossFit athlete), Lara Liwanag (CrossFit), Mark Mugen (national Sambo athlete), Ray Jefferson Querubin (strongman), Justin Coveney (national rugby player), and Robyn Lauren Brown (national hurdler).
Since Pacquiao’s announcement as team captain, other teams have closely observed the Philippines’ representatives, noting his stature as a boxing legend.
According to the show’s creator, Jang Ho-gi, the production team visited Pacquiao at his home in the Philippines, where they watched him train and shared a home-cooked meal. Jang said Pacquiao immediately agreed to join the show after being briefed on its concept.
“Physical: Asia” is a spinoff of the South Korean sports show “Physical 100,” in which teams from different countries compete in physically demanding challenges for a prize of one billion Korean won (approximately P40.6 million).
