GENERAL SANTOS CITY — Yesterday, Sunday, General Santos City was in fiesta mood. Call it Manny Pacquiao Day. Eateries at the malls which are overflowing with out-eaters on Sunday were half-empty. People stayed at home glued to their TV sets. From the papers, the fever was nationwide.
According to my information, Manny’s mother had a big screen set up somewhere along Roxas Avenue for public viewing free with free food to match. This must be the one ABS-CBN showed in its evening program.
Out here in General Santos, Manny is a real hero. He’s pride of the people, from the trisikad and tricycle drivers to the professionals. And rightly so.
And, national hero, too. Even the girl in Malaca?ang named Gloria is very proud of him — identifying him as one of her administration’s achievements, it seems. And read the Philippine Daily Inquirer today. The entire front page splashed with Pacquiao. The hardest news? Maybe not. But the best seller.
On the whole, Manny’s record against the Mexican greats of the ring is almost excellent — in four matches, two wins by knockout, one draw, one loss. Scored on two points for a win, zero for a loss and one for a draw, that’s 5 out of 8.
If his first victim, Marco Antonio Barrera, reigning World Boxing Council super-featherweight champion, makes good his dare for a rematch to avenge his 11th round knockout, Manny will have a chance to continue his winning run while raking in more dollars. Will Marquez, who survived a first-round knockdown to salvage a draw want to prove he’s the better fighter?
Many are awed by the $2 million Manny earned for his bruises. I wonder if he could net $1 million out of that. First, Uncle Sam is unforgiving on taxes. Second, Manny’s trainer and coach, promoters and handlers will have their bites. And, third, this time, Manny has many friends.
Of course, the prize money is not all. More dollars will come from the pay-per-view royalty and more pesos will flow from commercial endorsements. After taxes, Manny will have much to invest for his rainy day that, for a boxer, comes in the mid-30s.
In their heydays, boxing champs are heroes and benefactors of many friends. But after, friends go away and heroes can turn villains when fame and money are overtaken by age and spending spree. Look at former world champion Rolando Navarete, the “Bad Boy of Dadiangas.” Many other champion Filipino boxers have suffered the same fate, or worse.
General Santos City is very proud of Manny Pacquiao now. And so is the country. They cheer him while he’s bruising it out in the ring. May he make hay while the sun is shining. Winter will surely come.
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Manny’s breaking into big-time boxing is a blessing to Filipino professional boxers. Riding on the Manny tide, they have impressed American promoters with their knockout prowess. Soon, they, too, will be RP’s leading dollar earners.
In Manny’s last fight last year, one Pinoy became instantly a world champion; another demolished a Mexican. That time, it was real pakyaw (wholesale buy) for the Pinoys. In yesterday’s fight, Jimrex Jacca disposed of his Mexican foe in the first round. Manny’s brother is trying to carve out his own name in the US of A.
Interesting! American promoters are building up the Pinoy-Mexican boxing enmity to rake in money. Islas Pilipinas used to be under the viceroy of Mexico and the galleon trade was controlled by the Mexican port of Acapulco. If you have taken a close look, Eric Morales is Magellan; Manny, Lapu-lapu.
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Another interesting sidelight. Congressmen, mostly from the administration bloc, were in Las Vegas to cheer Manny. Good excuse for a junket. Are they courting Manny to join Lakas-MCD? He can beat Darlene Antonino-Custodio in the first district of South Cotabato. By KO, perhaps.
Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis “Chavit” Singson hugged many in the ring. He has the better reason to. He’s identified as a taga-Gensan. And the First Gentleman, Mike Arroyo, was behind Manny when Gloria called to interrupt the interview. What’s Mike promoting?
Question: Had Manny lost, would they — Mike, Chavit and the rest of the junketing congressmen — have stuck around? Last time, they left Manny nursing his wound and bruises.
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Yesterday, while taking a walk, I passed by a lotto outlet. There was a long queue of bettors. And, it was past 5:30 p.m. Why the long line? They were among the millions who coveted the P150-million pot. I wonder if anyone of them was lucky — I mean, any of the millions nationwide.
If none hit the pot, that will be close to P160 million on Thursday, January 26. And, I’ll bet, there will be a longer queue. Most bet only ten pesos — hard-earned, or maybe, just beer or cigarette money. Others bet more.
Is this a sign of hard times? That people will bet their last P10 in the hope of becoming instant millionaire? Or, is this just a testimony to the covetousness of man?
