THOUGH STILL weary from numerous victory parties, interviews and other commitments from politician friends in Las Vegas and Los Angeles, Manny Pacquiao will never have a rest when returns home tomorrow.
He will have a very tight schedule right on his arrival.
Barely four hours upon his arrival at the airport, Manila City Mayor Lito Atienza will lead a slew of top government officials in laying down a red carpet welcome to the conquering hero who hogged the limelight for three straight days for his sensational stoppage of Mexican legend Erik Morales in Las Vegas.
Pacquiao, an adopted son of Manila, is expected to arrive at Manila City Hall at 9 a.m. for a courtesy call on the city mayor who will accompany him to Malaca?ang to pay a separate courtesy call on President Gloria Arroyo.
Aside from Manila, other cities, including his home town Gen. Santos City, are also planning to honor Pacquiao in elaborate ceremonies befitting a king.
Even the Congress – both the lower and upper chambers – are also exspected to cite Pacquiao’s latest heroism that for one fleeting moment united the fragmented nation.
From the city hall, the Pacquiao entourage will embark on a ticker tape parade that will bring them to Quezon City and back to Manila.
They will go straight to Jones Bridge,; right at Escolta to Plaza Sta. Cruz; straight to Dasmarinas; right at Quintin Paredes; right at Reigna Regente; left at Recto; right at Delpan; left at Zaragosa; right at R-10; right at Moriones; left at Juan Luna; right at Tayuman; right at Forbes; left at Laong Laan; right at Blumentritt; left at Espana; straight at Quezon Avenue; right at Scout Chuatoco; left going to Mo. Ignacia; right at Scout Esguerra; right at Eugenio Lopez; left at Timog; right at EDSA; right at Kamuning; left at Tomas Morato; right at E. Rodriguez; left at Araneta; right at Aurora Blvd. (R. Magsaysay Blvd.); left at Nagtahan; right at Zamora to Pe?afrancia; left at Pedro Gil; right at Onyx to Dagonoy Market.
At 4:30 p.m., Atienza will join Pacquiao in “A Tribute to Pinoy Champions” at the Rajah Sulayman Park fronting Baywalk in Malate with a special appearance by the popular band Lettermen.
This will be followed by the “Hataw Pacquiao Victory Party” starting at 7 p.m. also to be held at the Rajah Sulayman Park in coordination with Solar Entertainment and Solar Sports.
In this connection, traffic authorities announced that the northbound lane of Roxas Blvd. will be closed to vehicular traffic starting at 3 p.m. while the southbound lane will be closed at 7 p.m.
