CEBU CITY--Behind a backdrop of more financial rewards, Ring Magazine featherweight king Manny Pacquiao yesterday finally met the man behind the world-acclaimed de facto website bearing his name.
Pacquiao, who flew in late Wednesday afternoon following a meeting with business tycoon Lucio Tan, met with MannyPacquiao.ph website owner Dong Secuya at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel in Lahug and heaped praises on the Cebuano web designer who has done a tremendous job in chronicling Pacquiao's on-and-off the ring activities.
"I am very happy to have finally met Dong Secuya. I've been wanting to meet him for a long time now," Pacquiao told this writer during lunch with Secuya. The boxing hero also assured Secuya of his all-out support in future endeavors, and promised to "keep in touch."
The General Santos City lefty is currently in Cebu City upon the invitation of promoter Rex "Wakee" Salud, who is also organizing the 5-**** Mantawi Festival Derby where Pacquiao has fielded entries using his "Pacman" roosters. One of the entries has already barged into the championship round.
Pacquiao, who has also agreed to pose for a portrait to be done by some of Cebu's famous artists, was visibly in high spirits during the meeting with Secuya as he informed that tycoon Lucio Tan, during their meeting last Tuesday, had tapped him to become the official endorser of three of Lucio Tan's products.
Tan, one of Southeast Asia's wealthiest industrialists, will pay Pacquiao 5 Million Pesos per product that he will endorse. The ring icon informed that he was asked by the business tycoon to put his name behind Absolut Mineral Water, Tanduay, and another product called Virgin.
Aside from his endorsement deals, Pacquiao is also set to start shooting two movies in the next few days.
"Magtrabaho muna ako dahil wala pang laban. Dapat kumita din muna," Pacquiao said, while pointing out that a fight in Cebu is being planned by promoter Rex "Wakee" Salud. A Cebu outing is likely to happen especially if Pacquiao fails to come up with an out-of-court settlement with promoter Murad Muhammad, whom he has sued for $33 Million dollars in a US court.
Meanwhile, Pacquiao has also announced that he will play host to the Manny Pacquiao Golf Cup on July 27, a project of the Manny Pacquiao Foundation aimed at raising funds for the foundation and also to 10 Filipino boxers of his choice.
Pacquiao said that he will determine who will be these 10 fighters who will receive support from the proceeds of the golf tournament.
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