MANILA, Philippines?Manny Pacquiao, fresh from his conquest of Oscar De La Hoya, arrived at 4:30 a.m. Wednesday from Los Angeles and was given a rousing welcome by his jubilant fans at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
After emerging from Philippine Airlines flight PR 103, Pacquiao and his party were ushered into the NAIA 2 Presidential Lounge where he gave a brief statement expressing his gratitude to all who supported him in his fight against De La Hoya.
Pacquiao, 29, lived up to his tag as the best pound-for-pound fighter with his masterful TKO of the bigger, taller De La Hoya in Las Vegas on Sunday.
From the NAIA, he will go to the Renaissance Hotel to rest for a couple of hours.
Then he will proceed to the Quiapo Church in Manila for a Thanksgiving Mass at 8 a.m.
After the Mass, the prizefighter will proceed to Malaca?ang for the traditional call on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who is his number one fan.
A huge motorcade has been scheduled on Thursday. The motorcade will start in Quezon City, then proceed to Manila, Pasay and Makati, and wind up at the SM Mall of Asia (MOA) in Pasay City.
