HERE?S a classic good news, bad news scenario for you.
Manny Pacquiao, the Pinoy boxer who graced many sports magazine covers, landed in the cover of Readers Digest in its December issue.
Yipee!
Interviewed by Jim Plouffe, the Editor-in-Chief of Readers Digest, Pacquiao replied when he was asked whether he still has political ambitions, ?Absolutely. I want to be a congressman?I want them to idolize me in terms of public service…I can change the system. I?m not like some politicians who can be corrupt. I have money and I am satisfied with what I have earned from bloody work like boxing. What I want to do is bring government money back to the poor people.?
Nice line, but then again, he has a certain ex-governor for his adviser, doesn?t he?
His original stunt in 2007 put the people of Polomolok, Gen. San, and all the others in the first district of South Cotabato in a bad spot?choose Pacquiao and be known as the people who elected an active boxer to Congress, or choose Darlene Antonino-Custodio, whose family has held that post ever since most of the 30-somethings learned to say, ?da-da,? and be known as the people who extended this political dynasty?s stay in power for another three years.
In July 2006, when I attended a friend?s wedding, a bridge connecting Polomolok to Gen. San was damaged and people were grumbling, ?Wa gyud ni na-paayo ni Custodio??
When I returned to cover the Palarong Pambansa in the summer of 2007, the bridge was still down but when I asked my friends regarding Pacquiao?s candidacy, they all said, ?Mag-unsa man na siya digto? Maayo pa si Antonino.?
The Readers Digest article, though short, revealed a lot about Pacquiao. He has to tell one of his handlers to ?be quite, I can speak for myself,? and his handlers never left him alone during the interview. Hmmm, perhaps that?s why Mr. Plouffe decided to go with the Question and Answer format?
Anyway, if Pacquiao really wants to run for public office, he should target the safest position there is and run for the Senate. I mean, we elected a Lito Lapid, him who still isn?t sure whether he is with the minority or the majority. We got an Antonio Trillanes, who aside from his affinity with five-star hotels is still in jail, we got a Jamby Madrigal, Jinggoy, and the rest, certainly there is a place for a Senator slash boxer Pacman.
Besides, what do senators really do except, grandstand, oust each other, or prepare for their run for the presidency? And also, the decision to choose Pacquiao won?t be limited to the people of South Cotabato, but to all the Filipino voters.
He also doesn?t have to retire from boxing, if we got Sen. Bong Revilla doing films while in office, Sen. Pacman can take on the Ricky Hattons of the world while he..uhmmm, while he?uhh.. what?s a senator?s job again?
FURTHER STUDIES. If fighters like Pacquiao train a lot for their upcoming bouts. I hope whoever are in charge of the commentary will do too.
Listening to them babble about their friends in the gallery or back home, or even describe every punch thrown and missed gets too tiring. During a previous Pacquiao fight, I heard one patron asking a waiter, ?Dong, pwede na i-mute na lang, saba kaayo sila.?
FOOTBALL. Last week, the University of San Jose-Recoletos defeated the University of the Visayas for its second straight Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. crown.
That win cemented USJ-R?s status as the best collegiate team in Cebu football. Not only did it defend its crown, it also kept alive an amazing streak?making the Cesafi finals for eight straight years.
Now, that?s lording it over the competition.
The next step for USJ-R is the Private Schools Athletic Association regional meet and I hope the team can carry its dominance in the local stage to the bigger stage.
