He may be without a world title at the moment, but ring icon Manny Pacquiao remains a towering figure whose impact encompasses not only the world of boxing, but Philippine sports in general.
The 29-year-old Pacquiao underscored that status of his again one morning of October last year when he dominated and destroyed a Mexican boxing fighter held in high esteem.
For the second time in four years, Pacquiao beat Marco Antonio Barrera in a one-sided 12-round bout in Las Vegas, Nevada, winning by unanimous decision that further reinforced his billing as one of the hottest and most bankable fighters in the world today.
The victory, coming after Pacquiao disposed Barrera in a sensational 11th round technical knockout in their 2003 meeting, may not involve a championship belt or even a gold medal, but enough to provide his countrymen another proud moment in the world of prizefighting.
The sheer impact of that win and the boundless reasons it gave the Filipinos to rejoice deserve Pacquiao no less than the President?s Award in the San Miguel Corporation-PSA Annual Awards Night next week at the SM Mall of Asia.
Sharing centerstage with Pacquiao during the February 16 event are 2007 Athletes of the Year Nonito Donaire Jr. and Miguel Molina.
Pacquiao, named Athlete of the Year in 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006, had also been nominated for the coveted individual award being handed out by the country?s oldest media organization composed of sportswriters from the various national dailies and tabloids, along with golfer Frankie Mi?oza, young Grandmaster Wesley So and billiards player Ronnie Alcano.
Mi?oza, So and Alcano meanwhile, are already automatic major awardees in their respective sports and will be among the personalities and entities to be honored during the two-hour long affair backed by Shakey?s, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), Accel, Raymundo?s Trophies and Sculptures, Toby?s Sports, Tagaytay City mayor Bambol Tolentino, Air21 and broadcast live over DZSR Sports Radio 918.
Others to be given awards are major winners in pro basketball (Mark Caguioa), amateur basketball (Jason Castro) and horseracing jockey Patti Dilema and champion horse Es Twenty Six.
Recipient of the Tony Siddayao Youth Excellene Awards are jungolfers Mia Legaspi and Marcel Puyat and the Philippine Junior Wushu Team.
On the other hand, the gold-medal winners in the 24th Thailand Southeast Asian Games lead those to be given citations by the PSA.
