THIS column today is yielding space to the official press statement of the Davao Football Association (DFA), which had also found print in the Arena Forum of January 23 and in the website of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA): “Manny Pacquiao’s sensational stopping of the great Mexican legendary boxer Eric Morales during the 10th round of the scheduled 12 rounder in Las Vegas, Nevada has boosted the morale of the entire Filipino nation.”
This was the official statement released today by the Davao Football Association (DFA) in Davao City.
“We are one with Manny Pacquiao, the leadership of the land and the whole Filipino nation in celebrating this victory by the southpaw from General Santos City whom President Arroyo has described in no mean term as the `Symbol of Filipino Courage,” the DFA said in a statement.
The official DFA press statement also reads in part: “The sports community in Davao particularly the Davao Football Association (DFA) joins the Filipino nation in celebrating the worldwide acclaim of a boxing hero from Mindanao in the person of the new super featherweight champion of the world Manny Pacquiao.
“The year that passed was indeed a banner year for the Filipino nation having garnered the overall championship in the South East Asian (SEA) Games in the most convincing fashion. We captured the championship for the first time in the peninsular games with 113 gold medals or 48 more than the second-running Thailand, which is one of the pioneering spirits of the 11-nation Malayan conclave.
“What an opening salvo, indeed, for the whole nation to start working for its elusive dream of a national unity. We, as a nation, can start drawing inspirations from our sport heroes and the patriotic fervor these wins will generate starting from the first ever overall championship in the 48-year history of the SEA Games and the sensational 10 round Knock-Out (KO) win of Manny Pacquiao versus one of the greatest Mexican boxers Erik Morales.
“This is a great moment in RP sports history. Both championships, corporate and individual, had all materialized during the administration of Her Excellency the President of the Republic of the Philippines, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. These great milestones in RP sports history had evenly showed a configuration of a strong leadership and a resilient Filipino spirit.”
National Beat: “Simbolo ka ng Pilipinong lumalaban”–President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
