THE theme of the Third Global Filipino Networking Convention, held in Cebu City in January last year, was “Pinoy Power Worldwide.” As chairman of the organizing committee of that convention, I had asked our creative team to conceive a theme statement that was uplifting and dynamic.
“Pinoy Power Worldwide” referred to the potential of global Filipinos to excel in their endeavors and to channel their success toward helping fellow Pinoys and, just as importantly, the motherland.
Last Saturday at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, I saw Pinoy power being demonstrated by Manny Pacquiao.
Pacquiao faced Erik “El Terrible” Morales, for the second time, to avenge his defeat last year. Amid the cheers of thousands of Filipinos, Pacquiao demolished the Mexican in 10 rounds. In the words of Fred Aquitania, who drove all the way from San Francisco to Las Vegas just to watch the fight, “It was one of the proudest moments in my life.”
From ringside, where I had the good luck of being seated (thanks to a free ticket given by an advertising client), I saw Pacquiao as the personification of Pinoy power.
If you think that I’m referring to the power of his fists, you would be right, too. But I’m referring more to Pacquiao’s will power. His determination to win and his willingness to pay the price for it.
Late last year in Manila I had a chance to talk to Jake Joson, manager of Pacquiao. According to Joson, Pacquiao had vowed to push himself to the limit in preparation for the fight. “No excuses,” was the way he had put it.
Manny Pacquiao could be every Filipino setting out into the world, daring uncertainties in a strange land, struggling to survive. And hoping to succeed.
But most stop at hoping. There are many excuses, the worst being “Pinoy lamang tayo.” Manny Pacquiao has demonstrated that a Filipino can stand proudly among the best in the world.
For sure, this impoverished young man from General Santos City was born with the gift of strength, speed and courage. But he could have been satisfied with being a local champion, perhaps an Oriental titleholder.
The fact that Pacquiao pushed himself to transcend that should serve as an inspiration, not only for those who are in prize fighting but for everyone who has ever had to face a seemingly insurmountable challenge.
Slogan-makers often throw around the statement “Kaya ng Pinoy!” as if saying it is enough. Where we fail is in the “doing” part. What is heartening is that Filipinos have demonstrated a capacity for hard work once we go overseas.
But what most of us lack is the will to take the lead, to push ourselves to the limit in order to excel, to dare to be the best. To be world-class.
A few have excelled, but they may be the exceptions that underscore the rule.
They are so few that we celebrate enthusiastically—even deliriously—when we learn about them. When Cristeta Comerford was appointed White House executive chef, I was quoted by Washington Post reporter Jose Antonio Vargas in his story:
“For those back home in the Philippines, and for the Filipinos who are working immigrants and naturalized citizens all over the world—and there are millions of us—she is this wonderful, wonderful example.”
Indeed, we should be rightly proud of the achievements of fellow Filipinos, and the more world-class they become, the greater the reason for pride. But vicarious success is not enough. The example that they set should serve to convince us that we, too, have the capacity to become the best in our fields.
But with that should be the willingness to accept the price of success. Hard work. Dedication. An attitude that puede na is not acceptable. A firm belief that if something is worth doing, it is worth doing well.
On the wall of my office is a framed quotation from Gentleman Jim Corbett, former heavyweight champion of the world, that exemplifies the ordeal:
“When your feet are so tired that you have to shuffle back to the center of the ring, fight one more round… When your nose is bleeding and your eyes are black and you are so tired you wish your opponent would crack you on the jaw and put you to sleep, fight one more round… remembering that the man who fights one more round is never whipped.”
A boxer’s training regimen is a punishing one. And it is in preparation for even more punishment in the ring. It takes strength of character to be willing to undergo all of that. The same thing is true of every endeavor in life. It takes Pinoy will power to succeed.
