Oh, Manny!
February 2007
By Marisse G. Abelgas
To say that Manny Pacquiao is a Filipino hero is an understatement. In a country where the simple act of returning a lost purse to its rightful owner is deemed extraordinary, or leaving one’s family for menial jobs abroad is deemed heroic, Manny Pacquiao’s exploits in the boxing arena are beyond heroism...they are the stuff of which legends are made.
And the man is indeed legendary, larger than life if you will, whose achievements in the sport of boxing do not even need mentioning here unless you’re a Pinoy/Fil-Am who’s lived alone in a cave the last few years.
In the U.S. where he fought and won his most memorable bouts, he is constantly hounded by a coterie of admirers and hangers-on. In the Philippines where even hard-core criminals take a hiatus from their nefarious activities just to watch his matches on cable TV, Manny Pacquiao’s name is uttered thus: either with deafening screams reserved for rock stars or with deference given only to saints and angels. He is mobbed everywhere, and ladies unabashedly hold up signs asking him to father their future children. Social climbers grasp desperately at his coattails, and even the president of the republic has shamelessly basked in Pacman glory.
The man obviously revels in adulation. On hindsight, it was probably just a matter of time before the Pacman, who mercilessly gobbled up his adversaries in the boxing world, would himself be consumed by the verminous world of Philippine politics. You’d think that a champion of Manny’s stature would have the prudence to stay away from it, but no. Manny Pacquiao has announced his intention to run for a congressional seat in the coming May elections.
In the Philippines where politics, entertainment and sports all converge on one sleazy stage, anyone with name recall, wads of money, political lineage, or in this case, an international boxing title, can simply walk up and declare himself fit to be a legislator or national leader. Filipinos used to not mind the ineptitude, voting glassy-eyed actors and tongue-tied sportsmen into public office alongside glib traditional politicians...until the likes of Joseph Estrada, Tito Sotto, Lito Lapid, et al, made Filipinos realize the inanity of it all.
I would like to believe Filipinos have indeed realized the stupidity of voting for candidates with neither platform nor principle, proof of which perhaps is the manner by which Pacquiao is reportedly being booed by his own fans every time he shows up for a campaign rally.
Manny Pacquiao says he wants to be a congressman because he wants to help people. To do that, he should first realize that being a representative of the people takes more than just handing dole-outs or waving to fans. If Manny Pacquiao wants to help his countrymen, all he needs to do is be their untainted hero, a man beyond the grip of politics and therefore incorruptible. He could be integrity personified, demanding on behalf of the people that politicians adhere strictly to a high standard of ethics and possess experience, instead of being the very embodiment of cluelessness. He can use his own money to build businesses that can provide gainful employment for a good number of people, instead of lusting for power like the tradpols who suckered him into their disgraceful world.
Manny Pacquiao already has fame and fortune. If he wants power on top of that, all he has to do is call upon the teeming masses who hail him as their champion, and they will, without a doubt, follow him to the ends of the earth. That’s the kind of power you lose the moment you become a Filipino politician.
By Marisse G. Abelgas
To say that Manny Pacquiao is a Filipino hero is an understatement. In a country where the simple act of returning a lost purse to its rightful owner is deemed extraordinary, or leaving one’s family for menial jobs abroad is deemed heroic, Manny Pacquiao’s exploits in the boxing arena are beyond heroism...they are the stuff of which legends are made.
And the man is indeed legendary, larger than life if you will, whose achievements in the sport of boxing do not even need mentioning here unless you’re a Pinoy/Fil-Am who’s lived alone in a cave the last few years.
In the U.S. where he fought and won his most memorable bouts, he is constantly hounded by a coterie of admirers and hangers-on. In the Philippines where even hard-core criminals take a hiatus from their nefarious activities just to watch his matches on cable TV, Manny Pacquiao’s name is uttered thus: either with deafening screams reserved for rock stars or with deference given only to saints and angels. He is mobbed everywhere, and ladies unabashedly hold up signs asking him to father their future children. Social climbers grasp desperately at his coattails, and even the president of the republic has shamelessly basked in Pacman glory.
The man obviously revels in adulation. On hindsight, it was probably just a matter of time before the Pacman, who mercilessly gobbled up his adversaries in the boxing world, would himself be consumed by the verminous world of Philippine politics. You’d think that a champion of Manny’s stature would have the prudence to stay away from it, but no. Manny Pacquiao has announced his intention to run for a congressional seat in the coming May elections.
In the Philippines where politics, entertainment and sports all converge on one sleazy stage, anyone with name recall, wads of money, political lineage, or in this case, an international boxing title, can simply walk up and declare himself fit to be a legislator or national leader. Filipinos used to not mind the ineptitude, voting glassy-eyed actors and tongue-tied sportsmen into public office alongside glib traditional politicians...until the likes of Joseph Estrada, Tito Sotto, Lito Lapid, et al, made Filipinos realize the inanity of it all.
I would like to believe Filipinos have indeed realized the stupidity of voting for candidates with neither platform nor principle, proof of which perhaps is the manner by which Pacquiao is reportedly being booed by his own fans every time he shows up for a campaign rally.
Manny Pacquiao says he wants to be a congressman because he wants to help people. To do that, he should first realize that being a representative of the people takes more than just handing dole-outs or waving to fans. If Manny Pacquiao wants to help his countrymen, all he needs to do is be their untainted hero, a man beyond the grip of politics and therefore incorruptible. He could be integrity personified, demanding on behalf of the people that politicians adhere strictly to a high standard of ethics and possess experience, instead of being the very embodiment of cluelessness. He can use his own money to build businesses that can provide gainful employment for a good number of people, instead of lusting for power like the tradpols who suckered him into their disgraceful world.
Manny Pacquiao already has fame and fortune. If he wants power on top of that, all he has to do is call upon the teeming masses who hail him as their champion, and they will, without a doubt, follow him to the ends of the earth. That’s the kind of power you lose the moment you become a Filipino politician.
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