Home is the hero.
Manny Pacquiao, whose masterful third round knockout victory over Erik Morales in Las Vegas last Saturday further boosted his claim as the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world today, arrives early this morning to a grand national celebration.
The 27-year-old World Boxing Council (WBC) Intercontinental Super Featherweight Champion will make a courtesy call on President Arroyo at 10 a.m. which will be the highlight of a city-wide celebration for the boxing icon.
Manila, for one, has lined up a day-long festivity for its adopted son, who put the country on the world boxing stage for the second time this year with his convincing victory over the three-time world champion in the final of their much-hyped trilogy aptly billed the Grand Finale.
Among those expected to welcome him at the airport are his mother, his two sons and his newly-born daughter, whom he has not seen.
The tribute will begin with a Thanksgiving Mass at 8 a.m. to be held at the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene (Quiapo Church).
At 9 a.m. Pacquiao will pay a courtesy call on Mayor Lito Atienza at the Manila City Hall where the boxing champ is expected to be warmly received and showered with confetti by thousands of fans.
Pacquiao also came home to a hero?s welcome last January after he demolished Morales in 10 rounds to avenge his loss to the Mexican warrior in their first meeting in 2005.
This time, however, it will be grander, merrier with another bash set in the champion?s hometown in Gen. Santos City upon Pacquiao?s return probably this weekend or early next week
.Mayor Atienza together with his youngest son Ali, long-time friends of Pacquiao, will join the Filipino champ in the traditional motorcade around the city.
Residents who wish to see and greet Pacquiao are advised to wait along any of the city streets where the champion?s caravan would pass starting from Manila City Hall, straight to Jones Bridge, right at Escolta, turn at Plaza Sta. Cruz, straight to Dasmari?as and right at Quintin Paredes.
Then right again at Reina Regente, left at C.M. Recto, right at Delpan, left at Zaragosa, right at R-10, right at Moriones, left at Juan Luna, right at Tayuman, right at A.H. Lacson. The motorcade will go straight to Nagtahan, left at Jesus, right at Laura, left at Dr. M. Carreon, straight to Tejeron, right at A. Francisco. That will proceed to Diamante, straight to San Andres, right at A. Linao, left at Pres. Quirino and left at M. Adriatico to end in front of Manila Zoo.
A grand victory celebration organized by the city government of Manila, through its Manila Sports Council and in coordination with Solar Entertainment and Solar Sports, will also be held at 7 p.m. at the Rajah Sulayman Park, fronting Roxas Boulevard Baywalk where top performers will render songs and dances. Pacquiao himself will sing the now famous “Para Sayo Ang Laban Na Ito”.
