IT WAS a different crowd Manny Pacquiao faced this time. Just a week ago in Texas, inside the Alamodome, over 10,000 screaming fans where asking for his blood. Back in his homeland, Pacquiao was greeted by a shrieking, clapping, shouting mass of humanity who turned out to welcome their boxing champion.
?Manny, Manny, Manny,? they shouted. ?Idol, idol, idol,? they screamed as a parade in his honor took him from City Hall to the various working districts of Manila and Makati where throngs came out to wave and cheer.
Smiling and perhaps unbelieving of the adulation, the shy but powerpacked ring demon returned the overwhelming show of affection by his countrymen with a wave, a smile and occasional word of thanks as the parade wound its way around the metropolis highlighted by a rain of confetti on Escolta and Ayala Ave.
