MANILA, Philippines — The motorcade for newly-crowned World Boxing Council superfeatherweight champion Manny ?Pacman? Pacquiao around Metro Manila has started.
Traffic is expected to be heavy in the direction of Quezon Avenue in Quezon City, going to the cities of Manila and Makati as the ?People?s Champ? motors through these areas.
The motorcade, which kicked off at 9:53 a.m., was organized by Environment Secretary Lito Atienza and was expected to last at least four hours. It started at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources office along Visayas Avenue in Quezon City and ending at the Paseo de Roxas in Makati.
In a short press conference, Pacquiao stressed that there was no politics involved in his refusal anew of Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim?s invitation to host a motorcade upon his arrival in the country Monday.
Pacquiao said that Atienza had invited him first when asked why he did not accept Lim?s invitation.
?Bakit laging si Mayor Lim ang binabanggit? Baka magselos ang ibang mayor [Why is Lim always being mentioned? The other mayors might get jealous],? Pacquiao said.
He added that the motorcade would pass in Manila, Makati, and Pasay anyway so there was no need for something separate.
But Pacquiao said he was ?open? to invitations by other mayors but that he would have to check his schedule first.
Atienza, who hosted Pacquiao in several motorcades when he was Manila mayor, did not join the boxer this time.
Pacquiao arrived at the DENR office at exactly 8:58 a.m. and was greeted by hundreds of employees and bystanders holding placards that read, ?Pacquiao kampeon ng bayan [Pacquiao, people?s champ].?
Pacquiao was introduced by Atienza and son Ali, who ran and lost to Lim in the last mayoralty elections.
?Si Pacman ay hindi lang kampeon ng bayan, kundi kampeon din ng kalikasan [Pacman is not only the people?s champ, he is also a champion of the environment],? said Secretary Atienza.
Pacquiao thanked fans for believing in him and admitted to having difficulty defeating Mexico?s Juan Carlos Marquez last week in Las Vegas.
Pacquiao won that rematch via split decision following a bruising 12-round match that saw the Filipino boxer knock down the Mexican once in the third round.
