Boxing commentator and writer Emmanuel ?Manny? Pi?ol will start writing ?Braveheart,? a sports column for The Manila Times starting Thursday June 2.
His column will appear Sundays, Tuesday and Thursdays.
He is a close friend of boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, whose boxing career he helped nurture.
In addition to his sports column, Pi?ol, who is a well-known political figure?having been governor of North Cotabato (1998-2007) and has a pending case contesting the results of that provinces?s 2010 gubernatorial election in which he ran and lost?will write occasional analysis articles about Philippine society and politics, focusing on Mindanao.
It was Pi?ol who initiated the legal battle in the Supreme Court against the proposed (now aborted because the SC declared it unconstitutional) Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain which would have created a semi-independent Bangsamoro State in southern Philippines.
Many Christians living in areas threatened by Muslim bandit and rebel groups, consider him as a champion on their rights and well-being.
Pi?ol has a Master?s of Science degree in Rural and Economic and is working on a doctorate in the same field at the University of Southern Mindanao.
As a public official he initiated the bottom-up agricultural planning program which designed the priority crops approach in North Cotabato focusing on four major crops: rubber, oil palm, banana and coconut. This approach rapidly transformed North Cotabato from one of the poorest provinces in the country in 1998 to one of the Top 30 Provinces with Lowest Poverty Incidence in 2007.
He also initiated the establishment of Monitoring and Advisory Group for the implementation of the World Bank funded Mindanao Rural Development Program (MAG MRDP) which greatly contributed to the effective monitoring and success in the implementation of the program.
Many Pi?ol was born on December 16, 1953, in Bialong, M?lang, North Cotabato. He is married to Emily G. Asentista. They have three children.
With 3 Children, Maria Krista, 24, Josa Bernadette, 21, Bernhart Immanuel, 8; Education: Elementary, Nueva Vida Elementary School, M?lang, North Cotabato, 1966; Honors: Valedictorian: High School, Nueva Vida Barangay High School, M?lang, North Cotabato, 1970; Honors: Valedictorian: College University of Southern Mindanao; BS Development Communication, 2006: Post Graduate Studies; Masters of Science in Rural and Economic; Development, 2008; Pursuing Doctorate Degree in Rural and Economic Development; University of Southern Mindanao.
Work Experience: Newspaper/Radio Reporter?1973-1977: Public Relations Officer, National Grains Authority, 1977-1978: National Editor Philippines News Agency, 1978-1982: Senior Copy Editor/Sports Columnist Tempo Newspaper 1982-1990: Close-In Writer, Fidel Valdez Ramos, 1992 : Chairman, Cotabato Sugar Mill, 1993: Municipal Mayor, M?lang 1995-1998: Governor, North Cotabato 1998-2007: Vice Governor, Cotabato 2007-2009: Boxing Commentator and Writer.
