UPDATE) PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo welcomed boxing champion Manny Pacquiao in Malaca?ang on Friday with a hearty and creative breakfast — chicken empanadas (pies) shaped like boxing gloves. “I know you have not had the chance to eat properly in the plane, so we prepared breakfast,” Arroyo said, as Palace chefs came out with plates of empanadas, not croissants as reported earlier, with egg.
Pacquiao met Arroyo at the Palace with his wife Jinky, his mother and father. He arrived earlier on Friday.
In their brief conversation, Pacquiao told the President that he intended to take a rest for one week in his home province in General Santos City.
Arroyo said she knew Pacquiao deserved the vacation and rest after bringing glory to the country when he defeated Mexican boxer Erik Morales last week in Las Vegas.
Pacquiao said that since he won, the pile of autographs that he had to sign had grown very tall.
Arroyo, balling her fists like a boxer, posed with Pacquiao and his family.
In a separate interview, Arroyo spokesman Ignacio Bunye said Pacquiao had also promised the President that he would help retired boxers.
Bunye said that Pacquiao even informed the President that he was helping former champion Rolando Navarette.
When the President asked Paqcuiao what happened to Navarette, Bunye quoted the boxer as saying in Filipino that Navarette did not know how to handle money.
Bunye said the President suggested to Pacquiao to course his assistance to the government’s livelihood training program and that the Department of Trade and Industry would help him.
From their meeting at the music room, the President and Pacquiao proceeded to the Kalayaan Hall where more people were waiting.
In his brief speech, Pacquiao renewed his call for unity. “Sana magkaisa tayo, may laban man o wala [I hope we stay united whether there is a fight or not].”
