MANILA, Philippines?And now Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao has another battle to wage.
Pacquiao, who crushed boxing superstar Oscar de la Hoya during their bout Saturday in Las Vegas, will join the green warriors in the battle against global warming, Senator Edgardo Angara said on Tuesday.
Like Oscar-winning actress Angelina Jolie, Angara said Pacquiao will use his celebrity status to educate people about the effects of global warming and how they could help fight it.
?Yes, yes. I understand that Manny Pacqiao, like Angelina Jolie , would now go out and say that ?we want to protect out forest because he wants to fight global warming,? said the senator, who was defending the Department of Environment and Natural Resources? budget on the Senate floor.
Angara was actually responding to questions of Senator Maria Ana Consuelo Madrigal on why Environment Secretary Lito Atienza was in Las Vegas during Pacquio?s fight.
In interpellating the budget of the agency, Madrigal particularly questioned Atienza?s decision to watch the Dream Match instead of attending the Senate?s budget hearing.
Madrigal went on to ask if the DENR has a new thrust, wondering if the reforestation program of the agency had been moved to Las Vegas.
But Angara explained that Atienza, an ardent supporter of Pacquiao, did not actually snub the Senate proceeding, pointing out that the November 27 scheduled hearing of the DENR budget had been moved.
?It was not a deliberate snub of the Senate hearing as may appear but it?s pure coincidence that it was re-scheduled,? he said.
On Madrigal?s questioning also, Angara told the plenary it was Pacquiao who paid for Atienza?s plane fare and accommodation in Las Vegas.
