MALACANANG Monday said Filipino boxing champ Manny Pacquiao will be treated like a hero when he returns to the Philippines despite his loss to Mexican boxer Erik Morales.
“Para sa atin itinuturing natin si Manny bilang ating kampiyon. Hindi naman nakakahiya iyong ginawa ni Manny. Ipinakita niya, ibinuhos niya iyong kanyang dapat gawain and that is nothing to be ashamed about. Dapat ay bigyan natin siya ng warm welcome pagbalik niya (For us, Manny is our champion. What Manny did is not something to be ashamed of. He showed and did his best and that is nothing to be ashamed about. We should give him a warm welcome when he comes back),” said Press secretary and presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye.
“Definitely,” Bunye said when asked if Malaca?ang will give Pacquiao a hero’s welcome.
“The President considers Manny Pacquiao an authentic Filipino sports hero. The Palace will always be open to Manny Pacquiao. We’re prepared to accept him at his convenience,” he said.
Bunye said Pacquiao exhibited the Filipino fighting spirit and showed a good example by doing his best despite the odds. “We are honored. Ipinagmamalaki natin na mayroon tayong ganyang kababayan katulad ni Manny Pacquiao (We are proud to have someone like Manny Pacquiao),” he said.
He said the respect of Filipinos towards Pacquiao has not diminished and that weaker boxers would have given up if left with just one eye.
“He showed the heart of a warrior,” he said.
He said even the great boxers suffered losses, with the exception of Rocky Marciano. He said Muhammad Ali, the late Gabriel “Flash” Elorde, and George Lewis also tasted defeat at one time or another.
“But we believe Manny will bounce back from his defeat and will go on to greater heights,” he said.
