FOR doing the country proud in international sports competitions, pro boxer Manny Pacquiao and the national team that won the last Southeast Asian Games last December were cited by President Macapagal-Arroyo in her State of the Nation Address yesterday at the Batasan.
The Chief Executive cited the exploits of Pacquiao and Team RP in the latter part of her speech, which took her more than an hour to deliver.
When Ms. Arroyo congratulated Pacquiao and Team RP for their jobs well done, the crowd gave the sports heroes a thunderous applause.
Pacquiao, who was wearing a barong tagalog, and seated near former President Fidel Ramos, and members of the victorious Team RP, numbering about 30 and wearing jogging suits, stood up to acknowledge the cheers.
Easily the most popular local boxer to emerge since the late Flash Elorde, Pacquiao is set to meet Eric Morales of Mexico for one last time this November in Las Vegas.
In their first meeting, Morales outpointed Pacquiao But the Filipino idol settled the score a few months later by stopping the Mexican in the 11th round of a scheduled 12-rounder.
Last December in Manila, Team Philippines achieved a milestone in the Southeast Asian Games by winning the overall title for the first time. Also lauded were the first Filipinos to conquer Everest, the world’s highest mountain.
