TIME Magazine has named him the 56th most influential person in the world.
Forbes Magazine has listed him the sixth richest athlete in the world.
He is influential because Manny Pacquiao can change, influence the thinking of even world rulers?
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo keeps receiving Pacquiao as a Palace guest like royalty. She has recently appointed Pacquiao as ambassador of peace and goodwill.
Former President Joseph Estrada has intimated his desire to have Pacquiao in the Erap camp for the 2010 elections following their meeting in GenSan this week.
Two presidents.
Wait, make that three.
Former American president Clinton had himself photographed beside Pacquiao in Las Vegas hours before Pacquiao knocked Ricky Hatton out with a second left in the second round on May 3.
Next thing we see, Pacquiao might be Queen Elizabeth?s guest at the Buckingham Palace?
In New York on Sunday, June 14, Pacquiao was crowned ?Fighter of the Year? again by the American Boxing Sportswriters Association, the world?s most powerful bloc of boxing journalists.
Pacquiao?s take the last 12 months was US$40 million, according to Forbes, the bible of the world?s rich and famous.
He now stands alongside 2009 NBA MVP LeBron James and American lefty, the golfer Phil Mickelson.
I?ve seen both Pacquiao and Mickelson up close but not King James. Kobe wasn?t playing LeBron in 2006 when I went to watch the Lakers play at Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA.
But, if only for bragging rights (Wellington Lim, eat your heart out?he, he), Mickelson was my pro in the Pro-Am of the 1998 Toyota World Matchplay in Wentworth, England?thanks to Toyota Motor Philippines.
Now, think again of Pacquiao?s US$40 million.
To many, that?s a make-believe thing as to covet to own even half of that. First-class illusion.
To have that, at age 30, would be a more than enough reason to call it a day.
Stop toiling.
Invest.
Or simply splurge on the bundles of bills from that fortune?s bank interests.
Have the good life.
But then, what is influence, money, if you don?t have power?
So, Pacquiao, 30, dreams of becoming a congressman.
And with that, he makes himself mortal again just like you and me.
Vulnerable to the pull of power.
