IT’S hard to imagine that someone as highly physical as Manny Pacquiao could be very spiritual too.
It was therefore a big revelation when this aspect of Pacman’s nature became evident in a 15-minute chat during an exclusive dinner hosted by Solar Sports brothers William and Wilson Tieng at the Hyatt Hotel last Thursday.
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Actually, I was only eager to hear the truth straight from the horse’s mouth. It’s about a superstitious practice that Pacquiao claims he needs to follow.
After my last column came out, a colleague texted to inform me that Manny flew to Manila on Tuesday to rehearse for his concert. That meant he had slept for only three straight nights in his new house in Gen. Santos City. The superstition in question requires that the dweller of a new house sleep there for five straight nights to ensure that he and his family do not attract bad luck.
Was he able to sleep there for five nights? I also asked the boxing icon if there’s really such a superstition.
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Manny, who had approached our table on the request of Reli de Leon, a staff member in the Manny Pacquiao Promotions, answered yes to both queries.
“I flew to Manila on Dec. 21, after I had completed the required five straight nights,” Pacquiao said in Filipino. “I wouldn’t dare risk ignoring this practice because an uncle had died in the past because he failed to observe the same superstition to the letter.”
Reli remarked that Pacman was indeed very superstitious. And religious, too.
He always preached to his staff, according to Reli, the merit of good versus evil.
I myself, got a taste of this that evening, as Manny recalled that day he was scheduled to fight Erik “El Terrible” Morales for the third and final time.
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“I was sick that day and really felt weak. I was running a 39-degree fever and my body was trying to ward off the onslaught of a respiratory infection. Because of my condition, I knew that there was every possibility that I could lose. But I couldn’t ask for a postponement, so I prayed fervently before the fight.
“Sabi ko sa Kanya, ‘Lord, ikaw na ang bahala sa akin (take good care of me),’ But even as I said this, I felt drained of energy.”
Inside the ring, while dancing in the first round, Manny said he was trying to get a feel of his condition.
“Yung unang suntok, yung kaliwa ko, gulat na gulat ako. Ang lakas! To this day, hindi ko ma-explain how I got that energy, that power. I can only ascribe it to Him, through my prayer.”
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Manny believes his prayers are being answered because he has learned the right way to do it.
“Meron d’yan nagdarasal nga nang mataimtim, straight from the heart, kaso lang, hinihintay nilang ibigay ang hinihingi nila. Yung iba naman, nagdarasal nga pero sa bibig lang, wala sa puso. Yung pangatlo, gaya ko, nagdarasal nang mataimtim, from the bottom of my heart, at hindi naghihintay na dumating ang hiniling. Kung dumating, magpasalamat ako nang mataimtim, kung hindi naman, okey lang.”
A devotee of the Black Nazarene, Manny had the shorts he wore in his last fight blessed by the priests at the Quiapo Church before it was brought to the United States.
He said he has walked His path following an illuminating dream he had several years ago.
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“During that time kasi, parang naliligaw na ang landas ko, nakalimot na ko sa kanya. One night, I dreamed that I was inside a rain forest. It was very dark, eerie, I was by myself. Suddenly a very brilliant ray of light filtered through the trees and bathed me. Then I heard a booming voice. Sabi niya, ‘Anak, bakit lumayo ka sa akin?’ When I woke up, I was crying and sweating profusely. My pillow, my bed was wet with tears. I was shivering.”
Since that profound experience, Manny said he has walked with the Lord. He said he hopes everybody prays the way he does so that their prayers would be answered too.
For the new year 2007, Manny has no personal wish.
“Ang wish at dasal ko ay para sa lahat. Sana bumuti ang buhay ng lahat, sana wala nang maghirap,” he said.
