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Philippines, 25 Apr 2024 |
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PACQUIAO HK PRESS TOUR A BIG HIT By Aquiles Z. Zonio PhilBoxing.com Wed, 29 Oct 2014  HONGKONG ? World eight-division boxing champion and Sarangani Representative Manny Pacquiao was overwhelmed by the warm welcome and royal treatment he got from the Chinese press and Filipino community in Hongkong. Arranged by Adriana Lucas, Event Manager of Sands China Ltd., Pacquiao appeared in Hongkong Central on Sunday accompanied by his wife Sarangani Vice Gov. Jinkee; Top Rank big boss Bob Arum; Head coach/trainer Freddie Roach; Canadian adviser Michael Koncz; and Assistant trainer Buboy Fernandez. Pacquiao?s appearance was part of the Hongkong-leg press tour to promote his Nov. 23 fight with undefeated American boxer Chris Algieri in Cotai Arena, Venetian Hotel in Macau, China. Pandemonium broke out? From Four Seasons Hotel, where Pacquiao entourage was billeted, the group was whisked by the three SUVs towards the Hongkong Central. Before reaching the park, Pacquiao and his group disembarked and decided to walk. OFWs spending their holiday along the roads leading to the park did not fail to notice Pacquiao and not long after, pandemonium broke out. His visit to the Central park created a brief traffic jam as OFWs and fans began swarming on him. The Pinoy boxing legend did not disappoint any of them. Right at the Central park, the boxer-lawmaker spent almost half an hour talking to, bantering with and accommodating OFW?s request for photo ops. ?I didn?t expect such a huge turnout of OFWs. I was really touched hearing their miseries and stories of sacrifices. I hope, time would come in our country when our fellow Filipinos don?t have to go abroad just to find work and support the needs of their families,? Pacquiao told the Philippine Daily Inquirer during interview. Pacquiao claimed he understands the agony of living and working away from a family as he, himself, had experienced this when he first traveled in early 2000 to the United States in search for the proverbial greener pasture. ?It?s not easy to be away from our family. Uncertainty and sadness would tear our heart apart. We need to be strong and we need to pray always to overcome the hardships of working abroad,? Pacquiao said. Noime Gadayus, an OFW for about six years here, was impressed by Pacquiao?s concern for OFWs. ?Despite his stature as a global sport icon, he (Pacquiao) reached out to us even if there?s no election yet. I hope, other government official would emulate his good example. I could feel his genuine concern for OFWs like us,? Gadayus said. In an interview, another OFW Digna Floreta bared that their working condition, especially how they are being treated by the Philippine labor officials abroad, is not getting any better. ?The placement fee imposed by the recruitment agencies is now HK$20,000 or more than P100,000. There?s no official receipt issued,? Floreta said. The situation, Floreta added, is exacerbated by the suspension of several benefits like Philhealth and support funds for balikbayans by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA). ?These benefits were suspended because OWWA told us that they have no funds,? Floreta claimed. Pacquiao, now on his second term as lawmaker, has authored House Bill No. 02981, An Act mandating the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) to publish, disseminate and update a handbook on the rights and responsibilities of migrant workers. The proposed measure, which has remained pending with the Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs since September last year, seeks to amend Republic Act No. 8042 otherwise known as the ?Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995. Boat tour with Chinese media? After his appearance at the Statue Square in Hongkong Central, the Pacquiao entourage went on a two-hour Victoria Harbour cruise aboard a traditional Chinese boat ?Aqua Luna.? There, Pacquiao was again mobbed by another group, this time from different media outfits. Pacquiao, accommodating as ever, granted interviews one after the other, answering various questions not just about boxing but including basketball and politics. His first day here was capped by a cocktail meeting with Philippine consular officials and businessmen in Hongkong. Enjoying ephemeral privacy? On Monday, Pacquiao started the day granting interviews for two hours with members of the press from Macau, China. Afterward, Pacquiao went on shopping with Jinkee and five other members of his entourage. Occasionally, some avid fans would squeeze themselves in just to request for photo souvenirs with the Pacman. However, most of the time ? in a span of about two hours ? the couple was enjoying ephemeral privacy and the rare, consuming moments of being together. ?Because of his training and work schedules, the couple couldn?t find enough time shopping together. It?s a beautiful sight to behold Pacquiao couple spending leisure time together and enjoying each other?s company,? Roger ?Flash? Fernandez, one of Pacquiao?s training aides, said. The five members of his entourage were so delighted when the Fighter of the Decade told them to choose the stuffs and apparels they want. ?The generosity of our fighting Congressman is almost boundless. You don?t have to ask. No one will be left out in his team once he goes on shopping,? Fernandez said. Very satisfied? After shopping, Pacquiao proceeded to the Epic Gym along Queen?s Road in Central Hongkong for his scheduled media workout and group photo with two Chinese boxers ? Super Middleweight Kuok Kun Ng and Super Flyweight Sing Yu Tso ? fighting in the undercard of Pacquiao-Algieri ?Clash in Cotai-2.? The Epic Gym was jam-packed with people, most of them journalists, when Pacquiao and head trainer Freddie Roach took center stage. The Pinoy boxing sensation awed the spectators with his ring savvy and blinding speed during the two-round mitt?s session with Roach inside the ring. ?I am very satisfied with the outcome of Manny?s press tour in Hongkong. There was a huge turnout of journalists from day one onward. The crowd loves Manny because of his fighting style and humility,? Arum said. The Top Rank honcho said he was expecting a sellout crowd on the day of the fight. Luckiest fans? The media workout was highlighted by Pacquiao?s gesture of appreciation towards two of his diehard fans from Harbin, the capital and largest city of Heilongjiang province in Northeast China. Harbin serves not just as a key political, economic, scientific, cultural and communications hub but also as an important industrial base of China. The Pacquiao fans, identified as Mr. Zhang and Mr. Wu, bought tickets worth US$20,000 during the previous Pacquiao-Rios fight last year. The duo would be spending almost the same amount just to show support to Pacquiao in his upcoming November duel against Algieri. Upon hearing this, Pacquiao took off his custom-built Nike shoes he?s been using during the fight and training then personally handed it over to his fans. In an interview through an interpreter, Mr. Zhang said ?We could hardly describe how happy we are. We traveled all the way from Harbin just to see Pacquiao here in Hongkong. We are the luckiest fans today.? Photos by Aquiles Z. Zonio. 
Pacman & wife, Sarangani Vice Gov. Jinkee during a boat tour with Chinese media aboard a traditional Chinese seacraft "Aqua Luna." At right is assistant trainer Buboy Fernandez. 
THE LUCKIEST FANS: Mr. Zhang & Mr. Wu from Harbin, one of the largest cities in Northeast China, got an unexpected gift from their boxing idol Manny Pacquiao when they met at the Epic Gym in Central district, Hongkong. The Pacquiao diehard fans spent US$20,000 in tickets during the Pacquiao-Rios duel in Macau, China last year. 
Pacman was mobbed by Hongkong fans, most of them OFWs, during his appearance at the Central Park. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Aquiles Z. Zonio.  |
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