The GMA-7 network plans to unveil a new rap song and dance step called ?The Pacman Punch? during a noontime show that will be the stage for a rousing send-off honoring Manny Pacquiao on Sept. 22.
Pacquiao signed a two-year entertainment talent contract with GMA-7 at the station?s Quezon City headquarters late Saturday afternoon. He wrapped up training two hours early at 2 p.m. in Cebu, boarded a private plane loaned by Gov. Luis (Chavit) Singson an hour later, arrived at the Villamor Air Field at 4:30 p.m., was whisked to the GMA-7 offices with a motorcycle police escort and inked the agreement before doing a round of interviews with media.
Welcoming Pacquiao to GMA-7 were chairman Felipe Gozon, executive vice president Jimmy Duavit, vice president for entertainment TV Marivin Arayata and program manager Redgie Magno. Pacquiao was accompanied by business manager Eric Pineda and his wife Macy, lawyer Franklin (Jeng) Gacal and adviser Rex (Wakee) Salud.
?The Pacman Punch? is a dance song written by composer Willie Wilcox, reportedly a big Pacquiao fan. Noted choreographer Geleen Eugenio created a dance step for the song and said Nemphis, who works with pop artist Christina Aguilera, sang the rap song for Wilcox on MCA Records.
Pacquiao leaves for Los Angeles on Sept. 22 to continue his training at the Wild Card Gym then will motor to Las Vegas a few days before his Oct. 6 appointment with Marco Antonio Barrera at Mandalay Bay.
Attesting to Pacquiao?s showbiz talents, Gozon described the boxing icon as ?versatile.? Pacquiao has appeared in movies, cut CDs, performed in concerts and acted on a variety of TV shows.
Duavit said boxing will remain Pacquiao?s priority and anything he does with the network will not be in conflict or a distraction in training for a fight.
A new GMA-7 program to be frontlined by Pacquiao is in the works but Duavit declined to provide details, saying only that whatever is lined up for the fighter will be appropriate for his persona.
Pacquiao said he?s excited to be involved in GMA-7?s projects. Before starting his training for Barrera a month ago, he filmed about 70 percent of his sequences for the movie ?Anak Ni Kumander? which will premier on Dec. 25 as a Metro Manila Film Festival entry. He described the action-drama movie as ?a big challenge.?
Pacquiao said the sequences with pyrotechnics had to be postponed until after the Barrera fight to avoid any accidents. He said only about seven days of shooting his sequences are left.
?If you want to see a fighter cry, watch the movie,? said Pacquiao. ?I play the only child of an NPA commander. I grow up taking care of my mother, doing odd jobs. When my father dies, I am devastated and I promise to follow in his footsteps. My mother dies later, not able to cope with my father?s death. I learn how to shoot a gun and go to the mountains, protecting the poor and helpless by going after bandits and criminals as Kumander Edel. It?s a great story and I?m lucky to be part of the movie.?
Pacquiao was tight-lipped about his strategy for the Barrera fight.
Starting today, Pacquiao will plunge into extremely intense training in Cebu with Freddie Roach declaring Salud?s gym strictly off-limits to fans. Roach announced a total shutout to prevent leaks of what Pacquiao intends to do during the fight.
?We?re working on a lot of new things for Barrera,? said Pacquiao. ?Everything is confidential. We will surprise him during the fight.?
Pacquiao said flying to Manila did not interrupt his training schedule because even in the US, he takes weekends off. He said on a scale of 1 to 10, he?s now up to 8 or 9 in terms of hitting his peak in physical and mental conditioning. Pacquiao added he?s right on schedule even with his weight which is now 135 pounds and he?s eating a regular diet. Making the superfeatherweight limit of 130 for the fight will be no problem, he assured.
