GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- When it rains, it pours. The accolades bestowed upon the man from this southern Philippine city who turned 30 years old yesterday and who rose from obscurity and utter poverty to become one of the country's most popular figures and richest athlete, never seem to stop.
Emmanuel Dapigran Pacquiao, already the best boxer that comes out of Asia and is now considered one of best boxers in the history of the sport after his earth-shaking performance against boxing's golden boy, Oscar de la Hoya last Dec. 6 in Las Vegas, wil be conferred with an honorary doctorate degree by Southwestern University, one of pillar educational institutions in the central Philippine city of Cebu.
"The Southwestern University in Cebu City is the only school in the country that has a special center for sports development - the Institute for Physical Education and Sports. It can grant honorary degrees to exemplary sportsmen like you," the SWU letter addressed to Pacquiao, states. "Your very recent achievement shows the art and science of boxing in action. Your display of prowess in the sport is worth an academic dissertation. Thus, upon the recommendation of the University Council and the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Mr. Andrew S. Aznar, the Southwestern University will be honored if you could accept our invitation for you to be a recipient of the Doctor of Humanities, Honoris Causa." The letter was signed by the SWU chief of staff, Flaviano Manalo.
The university president, Dr. Eldigario D. Gonzales, and its chairman, Andrew Aznar, spoke to PhilBoxing.com and requested us to deliver the letter to Pacquiao. Pacquiao lawyer Jeng Gacal explained the content of the letter to Pacquiao during last night's birthday bash to which Pacquiao gladly accepted the honor. The schedule for the conferment of Pacquiao's doctorate degree from Cebu's Southwestern University will be announced later.
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