Manny Pacquiao, their adopted son, with confetti in a citywide ticker-tape parade shortly upon his arrival early this morning from San Antonio, Texas, where he defeated Mexican boxer Jorge Solis last Sunday.
Upon his arrival, Pacquiao will head to Manila City Hall to pay a courtesy call on his long-time friend and supporter Manila Mayor Lito Atienza at 8:30 a.m.
After a press conference immediately following the courtesy call, Atienza will accompany Pacquiao to Malaca?ang for a meeting with President Arroyo.
From Malacanang, Atienza will join Pacquiao in a motorcade around the city to enable thousands of fans to greet him on his latest triumph that brought pride to his countrymen.
Manila Mayoralty bet Ali Atienza, who had organized earlier hero’s homecomings for Pacquiao, said that today’s rousing welcome is intended to inspire the champion to do even better in his boxing career and show Manila’s deep affection and gratitude for his hard work in bringing honor to the country.
Ali Atienza, a gold medal winner in the 1994 Asian Taekwondo, introduced Pacquiao to his father when he was still a young boxer training in Manila.
The hero’s motorcade will begin around 10 am at the Bonifacio Shrine, beside Manila City Hall. It will go straight to Jones Bridge, right at Escolta, around Plaza Sta. Cruz, left at F. Torres, right at G. Puyat, right at Quezon Blvd., u-turn at Quinta Market area, right at Globo de Oro, left at Gunao, right at Arlegui, left at Legarda, left at Recto, right at Delpan, left at Zaragoza, right at R-10, right at Moriones, left at Juan Luna, right at Hermosa, right at Rizal Avenue Ext., left at Aurora Blvd., straight to Maceda, right at Fajardo, straight to Plaza Figueras, left at Legarda, right at Nagtahan, left at Jesus, right at Laura, left at Dr. Carreon, straight to Tejeron, right at A. Francisco, right at Nakar, left at Diamante, straight to San Andres, right at A. Linao, left at Pres. Quirino, left at Adriatico and ends at the Manila Zoo.
Organizers of this year’s hero’s motorcade announced the route that Pacquiao and his entourage will take to allow his supporters to line up the streets where they wish to see and greet their hero in person.
Airport sets
arrangements for
arrival of Pacquiao
By ANJO PEREZ & RONNIEL DE GUZMAN
NINOY AQUINO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT — Boxing champ Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao is scheduled to arrive early this morning (Tuesday, April 17) from the US after successfully defending his WBC (World Boxing Council) international super featherweight crown last Sunday against Mexican Jorge Solis.
The Pacman is scheduled to plane in at 4:30 a.m. aboard Philippine Airlines flight PR113 from Los Angeles, California via Guam. He will be accompanied on the flight by his wife, Jinky, and other members of entourage.
The airport management has already made the necessary preparations for the boxing hero’s arrival.
According to NAIA Media Affairs Division chief Connie Bungag, they have set up barriers at the arrival hall near the Presidential Lounge where Manny will be welcomed.
Bungag disclosed that they expect a big number of personalities, including politicians to be at the airport early this morning to welcome the boxing champ.
However, Bungag said that airport security personnel have been asked not to allow politicians to go up the arrival concourse to meet Pacquiao.
“All the politicians and personalities will have to wait for Pacquiao at the Presidential Lounge so as not to avoid overcrowding at the hall,” Bungag said.
Only Manila Mayor Lito Atienza, who is no longer running for office, will be allowed to meet Pacman at the concourse, the airport management said.
Even the mayor’s son, Ali Atienza, who is running for mayor in Manila, will only be allowed to wait for Pacquiao at the Presidential Lounge.
From the airport, Pacquiao will proceed to Manila for a motorcade around the city’s main thoroughfare.
Pacquiao is scheduled to fly to General Santos City tomorrow.
The boxing champion is running for Congress under President Arroyo’s Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi) after initially joining the Atienza wing of the Liberal Party (LP).
Pacquiao is facing South Cotabato Rep. Darlene Custodio in the May 14 elections.
General Santos City Mayor Pedro Acharon Jr. earlier announced that the local government won’t be giving Pacquiao the same hero’s welcome as when he returned from previous boxing championships.
But the mayor later backpedaled and said the city government would welcome Pacquiao like a hero “but the system would be different” to avoid making the event a political circus.
Ernie Quisay, the mayor’s chief of staff, said the city government would give Pacquiao an official welcome but without a party.
“His political supporters will be the ones who will honor him with either a lunch or dinner party,” Quisay said.
Earlier, President Arroyo called up Pacquiao late Sunday night to extend her warmest congratulations and to convey a message from First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo.
Mrs. Arroyo made the phone call from the Presidential Suite of St. Luke’s Medical Center at around 11 p.m. last Sunday after meeting with a group of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) generals.
An official of Radio Television Malaca?ang (RTVM) said the conversation between the Chief Executive and Pacquiao lasted for only one minute. (With a report from Joel C. Atencio)
