Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia is leaving for Los Angeles City in the United States today to address the Negrenses of America and the Bacolod Society of America tomorrow and Tuesday, and meet with Mayor Beverly O’Neal and the Investment Council of Long Beach City later in the week.
Leonardia said preliminary communications have already been made on the revival of the sisterhood agreement between Long Beach and Bacolod City that had been set up sometime in the 1980s. The relationship had not been sustained however, and he is happy that the present mayor appears to be open to the idea, he said.
He also said he intends to invite O’Neal to the MassKara Festival in Bacolod this year. Leonardia also said he is proceeding later to Las Vegas to witness the rematch between Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao and Mexican Erik Morales scheduled in Las Vegas, Nevada Jan. 21, before returning.
Meanwhile, Leonardia has designated Vice Mayor Renecito Novero as acting mayor for 10 days.
Pacquiao was named adopted son of Bacolod during the Bacolod City Charter Day in October last year.
Leonardia said the Bacolod government will install several TV sets at City Hall on Jan. 22 with the help of some commercial establishments to enable boxing enthusiasts to see the fight. He said TV sets will also be installed in the three major markets in the city.
A PHENOMENON
Leonardia said he hopes Pacquiao will win the fight against Morales. If he wins, it also means that a whole nation is going to be inspired, he said. “I think he has reached a status where he has become a phenomenon in the Philippines and that he is identified as one carrying the banner of the country,” he added.
Leonardia said he knows Pacquiao is aware of the big load he is carrying. He said Pacquiao told him during their last meeting that he will be launching a song entitled “Ang Laban Na Ito Ay Para Sa Iyo,” and that he will release an album containing songs with its theme about patriotism and the right attitude towards life.
He said Pacqiao does not want to remain a boxer all his life but hopes to explore all his potentials, that is why he is into many activities.
Leonardia said Bacolod is special to Pacquiao, being an adopted son of the city. He said that, based on his personal observation, Pacquiao took it very seriously and he even overheard him on the phone telling his friends that he is already “taga Bacolod.”
“We adopted Pacquiao because we believe he could serve as an inspiration to our boxing potentials, since Filipinos have a future in boxing,” he added.
INCOGNITO
Pacquiao even came to Bacolod incognito during the hosting of the Southeast Asian Games and was able to jog around the Panaad Park unnoticed, Leonardia said. But he returned to Cebu the next day by private plane because it was the start of his training, he added.
Leonardia said he has been invited to the match personally by Pacquiao and the city is not funding his trip. He said the group of Pacquiao promised to help him with accommodation and provide him a ringside ticket for the fight.*CGS
