Local government officials have started to gather in some of the hotels in Las Vegas, Nevada, for the scheduled fight Saturday (Sunday in Manila) of Filipino boxing champion Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao and Mexican Erik Morales, ABS-CBN North America News Bureau reported.
The report said that officials, mostly from the Metro Manila area and some from the provinces, arrived in the desert resort city as early as Thursday.
The officials were led by Bayani Fernando, chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority. They came from waste management program seminar in Vancouver, Canada.
Upon arriving at the airport in Las Vegas, Fernando said that the trip was not a junket. He said that the mayors endured the three-hour flight from Vancouver to Las Vegas to show their support for Pacquiao.
He also said officials spent money out of their own pockets for the trip.
Aside from Fernando, his wife and Marikina Mayor Marides and several other politicians, other prominent political personalities who arrived in Las Vegas include Sen. Lito Lapid, Ilocos Sur. Gov. Luis Chavit Singson and Cavite Gov. Irineo Maliksi.
Reports said presidential husband Jose Miguel Arroyo is also scheduled to arrive to watch the fight at the Thomas and Mack Center.
Pacquiao, the reigning WBC international super featherweight champion, battles “El Terrible” Morales.
ABS-CBN and Solar Sports Channel will simulcast the fight and its undercards starting 10 a.m. Sunday (Manila time).
