WE have always maintained that Manny Pacquiao is not merely a Filipino sports idol, but a national treasure, who has broken away from the shackles of childhood poverty with his fists of fury and restored in our nation a sense of pride that was wanting for so long.
His magnificent exploits in the ring, anchored on indomitable courage, have earned international respect and a measure of awe from fighters and fight fans alike. But with all of the fame and small fortune that he has rightfully earned by his achievements, it is incumbent on Pacquiao to demonstrate a measure of sobriety in what he does and what he allows those around him to do, invariably at his expense.
We recall that two years ago, with cameraman Ronnie Yniguez, we braved a massive crowd of some of the poorest of the poor in General Santos City, who had jostled since the early morning hours to receive a bag of rice, noodles and canned goods and P100 from the hands of Pacquiao himself, who stood for hours personally attending to those in need. When stocks ran out and money dwindled, he sent for more, so nobody would leave empty-handed. The inspiring aspect of this gift-giving on his birthday was that he enjoyed the giving. Young men and women, children as well as the elderly, formed a continuing stream of people waiting for their share of gifts from the generosity of a champion’s heart.
That evening, there was a touching moment at the celebration of a birthday Mass in which Pacquiao, recalling the poverty of his childhood and the success he had achieved by the grace of God, couldn’t hold back the tears as he spoke. It was a moment of genuine emotion. Later that evening, he held a party for some 500 guests in the sprawling complex of longtime boxing patron Rey Golingan, where Pacquiao himself joined his friend and former ring announcer Bobby Mondejar in singing his heart out to the delight of the crowd.
That was two years ago. But things have changed rather dramatically since then, both for Pacquiao and his family. There are a new breed of advisers, who surround him, not out of genuine care and affection but merely to be seen on television and while they are off camera, enrich themselves at his expense. To be fair, it’s not everybody around him that is guilty of the crime, but rather more than less of them.
Pacquiao celebrates his 28th birthday on Sunday as well as the blessing of his multi-million-peso mansion and the baptism of his newborn daughter—a gift from God because both Manny and Jinkee had longed for a girl after two naughty but really nice boys. But this time, things are truly very, very different. And in many respects, it saddens us—as it probably does many others—that the plans call for an ostentatious display in the midst of so much human suffering in the Bicol region and other parts of the country ravaged by typhoons and mudslides and where hundreds of poor Filipinos have lost their lives.
If as Sun Star reports, the giant broadcast network ABS-CBN is partnering with the city government of GenSan and MP Productions in producing a TV musical special at the air-conditioned Lagao Gym for, which the network has set aside P6 million for the weekend spectacle, then it seems our sense of priorities are lost and more so, our collective conscience. The redeeming feature would be if the revenues from such a TV special are channeled to the hardest-hit regions of Bicol.
While millions suffer, our congressmen and senators waste precious time and resources in endless debates on a system of government rather than putting a system into government that will address the needs of the millions, who are in need. Now, a hero who rose from the depths of poverty has unfortunately been sucked into allowing an extravaganza that goes against the grain of his beginnings.
Paying tribute to Pacquiao and celebrating his birthday is fine. No quarrel with that. But there should always be a conscious effort to do so within the bounds of propriety and decency given the present time and circumstance. Of course, those who planned—and peddled—this concept to the networks in a disgusting effort to milk what they can from this national treasure, are doing him a terrible disservice. As we have said before, our national treasure is being looted one more time.
Despite all of this, our sincere best wishes to the greatest Filipino champion of our time on his birthday this Sunday and may he and his family be blessed with peace, happiness and a continuing good life.
