HOUSE minority leader Edcel Lagman yesterday said the Aquino administration should capitalize on eight-time boxing champ and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao?s fame by making him the poster boy for tourism.
Lagman said the outstanding ticket sales of Pacquiao?s bout with Mexican Antonio Margarito which filled the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas last Saturday close to maximum capacity and record breaking pay-per-view sales “speaks volumes about his (Pacquiao?s) drawing power.”
“It would therefore be a tremendous boost tourism in the Philippines should Pacquiao decide to hold his next fight here,” he said.
“The only other thing we have to ensure for this to be a fool-proof formula is to guarantee the safety of our tourists,” he said.
Lagman said the Department of Tourism can make the next big Pacquiao fight as the “template” for sports-adventure tourism similar to the staging of the Formula 1 in Singapore.
He said the Formula 1 race was marketed as an international event and foreign tourists flocked to Singapore for the night race.
Lagman said adventure races, triathlons, marathons and other sporting events can be scheduled around the time of Pacquiao?s fight because “it is important to get tourists to stay in the Philippines beyond the fight, have a pleasant and memorable time and spend their dollars here.”
The Senate adopted six resolutions “honoring, commending and congratulating Pacquiao.”
The Senate adopted resolutions 271, 272, 274, 276, 279 and 280 commending Pacquiao for winning the WBC super welterweight crown against Margarito.
The resolutions were filed by Juan Ponce Enrile, Loren Legarda, Juan Miguel Zubiri, Ramon Revilla Jr., Manny Villar and Francis Pangilinan.
But Enrile rejected the idea of getting Pacquiao as a peace negotiator.
Enrile issued the statement after the Armed Forces said they will be recommending the boxing champion as a negotiator in the peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People?s Army.
Enrile added maybe Pacquiao can serve as a “bridge” between the government and the rebel groups.
Hindi naman niya maiintindihan kung ano iyung puno?t dulo nun. Mahirap yun,” he said.
