Filed Under: Inquirer Politics, Congress, Pacquiao, Boxing
MANILA, Philippines?If Manny Pacquiao?s fights in Las Vegas can virtually empty the halls of Congress, the worse would attendance at congressional sessions be if he were to train right on the Batasan Pambansa grounds.
That is the fear of Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and that is the reason he gave yesterday for thumbing down Rep. Emmanuel Pacquiao?s plan to train at the gym of the House of Representatives for his Nov. 13 fight with Mexican Antonio Margarito.
Put simply, Belmonte is worried the spectacle of the world?s best pound-for-pound boxer pummeling sparmates in the House gym would give lawmakers more than enough reason to skip legislative work.
?No, it?s not a good idea,? Belmonte said at his weekly press conference, reminding the neophyte lawmaker that ?sports should be sports? and should not be mixed with politics.
?Let?s not politicize sports,? he added.
Public spectacle
?I think it?s not a good idea to be training inside [the Batasan complex]. Before long, neophytes (first-term solons) will disappear [from the floor], and watch him.?
Belmonte also couldn?t bear the thought of the public streaming into the House to see Pacquiao train.
On Tuesday, Pacquiao told the media he planned to train at the House gym to prepare for the Margarito fight.
When told that it could affect his attendance at congressional committee hearings, which are usually held in the morning, Pacquiao said it was a case of ?time management.?
Once in a while
Belmonte said that, of course, Pacquiao could use the newly refurbished House complex once in a while for his jogging regimen, subject to ?security requirements.?
?Anybody can jog. Everyone can do that here,? he said.
But the Speaker cautioned the young lawmaker against juggling his career as a world boxing champion with legislative work.
?It?s unfair to him. This is a big fight, not just his name is at stake,? Belmonte said.
No training distractions
?I don?t like the grounds of the House to be the focus of a professional fight like that,? he added. ?If he?s gonna do it once or twice, that?s OK. But that?s about it.?
Pacquiao, who holds the record of having won seven world championship belts, had told reporters he needed at least three hours of training every day.
But wary that the Philippine pride in boxing would be distracted from his training, Belmonte warned that it might not be to Pacquiao?s advantage to do two things at the same time.
?But I would like to say we?re 100 percent supportive of Congressman Pacquiao. I?d like to be supportive of him as [much as] possible, but without sacrificing the work here,? he said.
Belmonte said he was even willing to watch the Margarito fight.
Good beginning
As a lawmaker, Pacquiao is still going through the learning curve, but Belmonte has found him doing the things expected of a public servant.
?He?s well-informed and he?s doing his best. In fact, I praised his first speech which I thought is a well-crafted speech,? Belmonte said, referring to the first privilege speech Pacquiao delivered in which he quoted Robert Frost and Spiderman in outlining his plans for Sarangani province and speaking of his enthusiasm in his new job.
