GENERAL Santos City?The next best thing to watching a Manny Pacquiao fight live is to watch it here; the man?s home, the capital of Pacland, epicenter of the Pacquiao universe.
Here, I?ve learned among other things, a Pacquiao boxing event is a holiday people prepare for with inspiring enthusiasm.
The city government, for example, offers free screening at the local gymnasium while colorful streamers, posters and flyers announce at which pubs the rest of the population can catch the fight for P120 a ticket, inclusive of beer.
Likewise, some companies hold screenings for employees on duty if only to abate absenteeism. Others time their employee-management get-together with the bouts to hit two birds with one stone.
Days ahead of a Pacquiao fight, people here organize themselves and decide where to catch the fight, much like they would a beach party or mountain-top picnic. Come fight-day, some show up in matching t-shirts.
Meanwhile, those with cable television and have arranged to watch the match via pay-per-view at the comforts of home are expected to invite relatives over or, at the very least, to not refuse those who decide to invite themselves.
And all things not related to sitting in front of a screen, cheering as the fight progress?traffic, commerce at the vegetable market, machines at the nearby tuna canning factory?they stand still on a fight day.
Here, people cheer loudly when Pacquiao lands a punch.
They also cheer loudly whenever he gets one. No, they don?t cheer for the opponent.
They cheer that the punch didn?t faze their hero.
I watched yesterday?s Pacquiao fight in front of a plasma screen at JMix, a swanky band and beer place along the upscale Dadiangas Heights, which I didn?t particularly like when I had drinks there Saturday evening.
The band only played slow rock and the cashier tried to charge me P1,200 for an order of blue margarita, a few bottles of beer, a plate of fries and, in the words of that Pacman commercial, salted highland legumes.
Jessie Solas, a college buddy and my host in Gen San, chose this spot to watch the bout Sunday noon, knowing it would be a place I?d find something to write about. I couldn?t complain.
For starters, the place is owned by the Pacman himself, which made my watching the bout there the next best thing to watching the fight at his even swankier mansion.
According to Jessie, Pacquiao built the joint for his wife, Jinkee; no wonder her image is prominently plastered on the walls.
The bar is located at the second floor of the JMP Building 2 which, I later learned from the helpful security guard, stood for Jinkee and Manny Pacquiao, and is the second edifice with that name in the city proper.
Owning two buildings in the posh parts of General Santos City is not bad for a guy who, before finding fame and fortune in boxing, used to sell bread to early morning joggers, huh?
The building is modest by metropolitan standards ? fronted by a vacant lot that doubled as a parking spot ? but its unimpressive fa?ade is in stark contrast with what lies within.
It is home to Jinkee?s Collection, a small boutique that has in its selling stand Mrs. Pacquiao?s pre-loved P100,000 Prada handbags and other equally expensive signature accessories.
Rommel Rebollido, a journalist running the local Philippine News Agency (PNA) office here, said people aren?t actually stumbling over themselves in running after Jinkee?s used items.
But, says the guy manning the boutique, selling was never their reason for being. The place was opened as a showroom of sorts to a life that has had its shares of downs but is now on a high.
Some people cringe against ostentation. But others go with the clich?, if you have it, flaunt it. And, definitely, as even the most cursory tour here would show, the Pacquiaos have it.
