WANTING in public awareness in Metro Manila, the Philippines SEAG Organizing Committee will undergo a massive publicity campaign starting today when the Games’ official mascot, the Philippine monkey-eating eagle named Gilas, shows up at the Centennial Airport to meet with boxing champion Manny Pacquiao.
Pacquiao, arguably the country’s biggest draw, will be arriving in Manila from Los Angeles via Philippine Airlines and is expected to help in the promotion of the 23rd SEAG which come off the wraps on Nov. 27.
Pacquiao will be asked to wear a SEAG jacket, according to confidante Wakee Salud, who received a call from a marketing man tapped to help the Philsoc in its publicity yesterday morning as Pacquiao was awaiting his flight to Manila from LAX.
It is likely also that Pacquiao will be requested to endorse the SEAG as what he says and does usually merit a space in the newspapers and get precious TV footage.
With the streets of Manila lacking in streamers and billboards, the organizers believe that Pacquiao making a pitch for the SEAG in the company of the mascot will catch the attention of the populace majority of which are not even aware that the country is staging the nine-day, 11-nation meet beginning actually this weekend with football matches in Bacolod on tap.
Salud said Pacquiao, who has yet to start training for a megabuck rematch with Erik Morales on Jan. 21, 2006 at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, will proceed to his hometown of General Santos City tomorrow and should report for training in Cebu on Monday.
Salud is hoping that Pacquiao be permitted to concentrate on his training after endorsing the SEAG today because Morales has already headed for training camp in the mountains of Mexico.
