Even a priest of the Catholic Church is in awe of the uncanny ability of Pinoy boxing superstar and Sarangani representative Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao.
American based Filipino Fr. Victor "Vic" Valencia spoke with this writer during a gathering of Filipinos for a House Blessing and Warming ceremony last October 8 in Prior Lake City, Minnesota, USA. Fr. Vic (as he is referred to here) had a hard time believing that a Pinoy fighter could knock out the more popular foreign boxers. Fr. Vic reminisced about the 2nd-round TKO win Pacquiao scored over British boxer, former Light welterweight champion Ricky "Hitman" Hatton last May 2, 2009 at the MGM Grand Las Vegas, Nevada.
"Grabe ang strength sa iyang (Pacquiao) kumo, bali gyud kusoga, mao siguro nga mahadlok na ang iyang mga kontra" said Fr. Vic, who religiously follows the fights of Pacquiao "When there's opportunity tan-aw gyud ko kay manapit man dayon ang atong mga igsuong Filipino diri kanato".
Fr. Valencia admitted that he was not a boxing fan before and he is a basketball and soccer fan, games he followed in his native Negros Oriental. But while serving the church in the state of Minnesota members of the Filipino Community invited him to watch a Pay Per View (PPV) Fight of Pacquiao.
When asked by this writer about Pacquiao?s political rise and whether he should retire, Fr. Valencia said, " Im not in the position to say something but in my personal opinion mas maayo unta wala lang siya mosulod sa politika kay gawas nga gubot labayon kag issues sa kontra panahon sa eleksyon ug depende lang ni Pacquiao kon kanus-a kini moundang sa pamoksing".
Fr. Valencia is based in the Church of St. Ignatius in Annandale City, Northwestern part of Minnesota. He is from Tanjay City, Negros Oriental, has his secondary education at the East Negros Institute (ENI) and his college years at the San Carlos Seminary-Cebu where he took up Philosophy. He proceeded to Graduate School at the St. Joseph Regional Seminary-Ilo-ilo and also at the Ateneo De Manila University (ADMU) studying Theology.
Fr. Valencia was invited for the house blessing of Richard "Dick"- Asuncion "Siony" Gonzalez of Himay-angan, Lilo-an, Southern Leyte who are blessed with three children, Sheela, Mark ug Nadya.
Photo: Fr. Valencia (R) with the author in Lake City, Minnesota.
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