The delayed motorcade for Manny Pacquiao will push through today, while a hero?s welcome was prepared in Sarangani province, where the ?PacMan? is believed to be gearing up for his next bout in the political arena.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) was set to welcome the ?people?s champ,? Secretary Lito Atienza said in statement Saturday.
Pacquiao was expected to be at the Atienza?s office in Quezon City at 8 a.m. as part of the homecoming champion?s tradition, the statement added. While there, the boxing icon will be given a rousing welcome and showered with red, white and blue confetti by officials, employees, personnel and thousands of fans and supporters.
Atienza added that his department?s reception would be followed by a motorcade along the following route: Visayas Avenue in Quezon City; left, Road 1; right, Mindanao Avenue; U-turn to North Avenue; right, North Avenue; U-turn at EDSA to West Avenue; right, West Avenue; right, Quezon Avenue; left, Araneta Avenue; right, Magsaysay Avenue; right, Lacson (formerly Forbes); straight to Tayuman; left at Pritil Market; right, Moriones; left, R10; left, Zaragosa; right, Delpan; left at Delpan Bridge; straight to Bonifacio Drive; left, Kalaw; right, Taft Avenue; left, Pedro Gil; right, Tejeron; right, A. Francisco; left, Onyx; right, Dagonoy; left, Amatista; right, P. Ocampo; right, Arellano; left, Estratda; right, Taft Avenue; left, Quirino Avenue; left, Adriatico; right, P. Ocampo; left, Harrison; right, Buendia; U-turn to Makati; right, Ayala Avenue; left, Makati Avenue; and ends at the Pag-ibig Building in Makati City.
Pacquiao will then go to Mala?ca?ang for lunch with President Gloria Arroyo.
Lunch at the Palace
Malaca?ang will host the lunch to celebrate Pacquiao?s recent victory against British boxer Ricky ?The Hitman? Hatton in Las Vegas.
President Arroyo will also bestow honors on Pacquiao at the Rizal Hall of Malaca?ang. He is scheduled to arrive in Malaca?ang at around 10:45 a.m.
Press Secretary Cerge Remonde announced that President Arroyo has declared today as the new national day of celebration for the people?s champ after it was previously declared to be on May 8.
Pacquiao arrived in the country on Friday, despite calls from the Department of Health for him to remain in Los Angeles for a few days to undergo self-quarantine.
The boxer returned anyway, blaming the Health department for giving him bad advice. Pacquaio said that if the health officials were really concerned about him, they would have told him to return home as quickly as possible to avoid contracting the killer flu virus A(H1N1) that was reportedly infecting people in LA.
The motorcade and call on the President today were originally scheduled for Friday.
Sarangani welcome
Government and military officials have organized tighter security measures ahead of Pacqui?ao?s homecoming in Sarangani on Tuesday.
Supt. Hendry Dazo, Sarangani?s deputy police chief, said the provincial mobile force was dispatched to various strategic places to ensure Pacquiao?s security during the 97-kilometer long motorcade from General Santos City to the boxer?s P4-million mansion in Kiamba town.
Malungon town Mayor Reynaldo Constantino, also Pacquiao?s spokesman for political affairs, inspected security measures at the MAKIMA (coastal towns of Maasim, Kiamba and Maitum) area, which was earlier was the scene of clashes between the military and renegade members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
Reports said that more than 70 MILF fighters and five civilians were killed during recent, sporadic clashes in the area.
?We have to take no chances,? Constantino told The Manila Times.
Rexor Jake Canoy, Kiamba police chief, said he was confident that Pacquiao?s arrival celebrations would be peaceful, while Maj. Rodolfo Rocio of the Army?s 72nd Infantry Battalion said troops have been posted to back up policemen providing security to the Filipino boxing icon.
Pacquiao is expected to arrive at around 9 a.m. Tuesday, and will be met by top city and Sarangani officials at the General Santos City International Airport.
Pacquiao is expected to join a motorcade around the General Santos before he proceeding to Kiamba town.
?We are expecting a huge crowd coming from MAKIMA,? said Kiamba Mayor Rommel Falgui. ?And I?m much confident that we could raise sufficient honors for our boxing superstar, who will be bestowed with various awards during the program.?
Pacquiao will receive the ?Kiam?bahanon Award,? the Sang?guniang Bayan commendation and another military honor to highlight the affair.
The boxing champ is reportedly eyeing another bid for a seat on the House of Representatives representing Sarangani. He ran but lost in the congressional race in South Cotabato and General Santos against Darlene Antonino-Custodio in 2007. — Angelo S. Samonte And Isagani Palma
