THOUSANDS of Filipinos lined the streets of Manila and Quezon City on Friday to cheer boxing hero Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao on his triumphant return after defeating Mexican rival Erik Morales. Pacquiao, (41-3-1, 32 knockouts) stopped Morales with a flurry of punches in the 10th round of their 12-round WBC super featherweight title eliminator at Las Vegas on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) to avenge his defeat to the same fighter 10 months ago.
On Friday, Pacquiao waved to fans from a truck decked with Philippine flags and sporting two large red boxing gloves as his motorcade left Malaca?ang, where President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo received him.
Confetti rained down as the motorcade inched its way through Manila’s old financial center, while admirers waving small Philippine flags by the roadside chanted his name. A banner on another truck read, “The victory of Pacquiao is the victory of the Filipino.”
In Quezon City, an equally enthusiastic crowd greeted Pacquiao, according to a GMA Network “Flash Report” video of the motorcade.
He made a brief stop at the GMA Network building where he went down from his truck to shake hands with fans, including the station’s executives, led by President and Chief Executive Officer Felipe Gozon, the same video showed.
After a brief interview where he thanked his supporters again, Pacquiao, who began showing signs of fatigue, was escorted to a waiting car, which brought him back at the Hyatt Hotel, where he has been billeted, to rest and prepare for a street party in his honor at the Rajah Solaiman Park in Manila.
In Malaca?ang earlier on Friday, Arroyo — beaming with pride — prepared a breakfast of chicken empanadas (pies) and eggs for Pacquiao and his family.
In their brief conversation, Pacquiao told Arroyo that he would also provide financial assistance to retired boxers.
Speaking on the Malaca?ang palace grounds, Pacquiao called for unity among his countrymen “with or without a [boxing] fight.”
Before he left, the President and the Palace kitchen staff posed for a photograph with the Filipino boxing sensation.
At the Manila City Hall where he held his first formal press conference, Pacquiao defended the politicians who went to Las Vegas to watch his fight, saying what they did was in support of a countryman.
Pacquiao refused to talk about politics, especially when he was asked to react to reports that he would be used by Malaca?ang to help promote Charter change.
“Sports na lang po muna ang pag-usapan natin [Let’s talk about sports first],” he said.
Pacquiao, who flew back to Manila from Los Angeles with his wife Friday, was met at the airport by his mother, Dionisia, and his sons Emmanuel Jr., 5, and Michael Stephen, 4, whom he immediately hugged and carried when he saw them at the immigration area of the airport.
“Now, my happiness is complete,” he said, referring to the family reunion after months of separation while he trained in the United States.
Jimrex Jaca, who knocked out Mexican Geronimo Hernandez in the first round during an undercard of the Pacquiao-Erik Morales rematch also flew in with Pacquiao.
They arrived at 5:05 a.m. on board Philippine Airlines PR 103 via Honolulu, but were only able to disembark from the plane almost an hour later.
The atmosphere at the airport was euphoric as the fans saw Pacquiao emerge from the airport. Many were shouting his name and cheering him.
Pacquiao was escorted not only by airport security personnel and police officers but also by politicians — Manila Mayor Lito Atienza and Ilocos Sur Governor Luis “Chavit” Singson — who stuck close to him as TV news cameramen and photographers snapped photos of the returning boxing hero.
Pacquiao proceeded to the Hyatt Hotel.
His victory over the more fancied Morales came as a much needed morale booster for his nation following months of political conflict that saw mounting calls for Arroyo to resign over allegations that she cheated to win the 2004 election.
Feuding political factions briefly put aside their differences as Filipinos rejoiced over Pacquiao’s triumph.
Pacquiao, 27, is extremely popular in the Philippines. Before his fight, he released a music CD that included the song, “This fight is for you,” which is being played by radio stations nationwide.
He has also starred in two Filipino action movies and has endorsed a number of local products, from socks to a herbal food supplement.
With reports from Tetch Torres, INQ7.net; AP
