Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it Santa Claus? No, it’s Pacman!
November 26, 2006 | 12:00am
Champions aren’t made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them: a desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have last-minute stamina, they have to be a little faster, they have to have the skill and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill. – Boxing legend Muhammad Ali
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it Santa Claus? No, it’s Pac-Man! How do we explain a phenomenon like Emmanuel "Manny" Pacquiao, who literally sprang up from the boondocks of Mindanao and finished only grade six in a never-heard-of school? He is not tall; yes, he is dark; but he is not especially handsome. And in this music-crazy republic, he doesn’t even sing well, but the public loves him just the same and even made his music album a surprise hit!
Manny Pacquiao is the 21st-century, male version of the once unsinkable poor-girl-from-Bicol-with-a-golden-voice, Nora Aunor; he is somewhat like Dolphy, Erap or even the mythical FPJ, or perhaps a bit of all of them, plus more. Win or lose in his bout with Mexican challenger Erik "El Terrible" Morales, he is already a big winner in my book just for his sheer tenacity, drive and guts.
Though I’m ethnic Chinese and from Metro Manila, while Pacquiao is provinciano, Mindanaoan and comes from humbler beginnings, I always root for him to win and empathize with his drive because both of us have survived fatherless childhoods. It is very tough to lose a father as a kid, like when my dad died when I was only seven, but Pacquiao must have suffered more pain because he had only finished grade six when his father abandoned his family forever. He had to quit school, work for a meager living as a bakery boy and box on the side.
In this semi-feudal, Latin-Asian society of ours masquerading as an American-style democracy, where messy social/economic stratifications and unequal opportunities dominate, the escape routes from poverty have long included beauty contests for girls, boxing or billiards or basketball for guys, or gate-crashing showbiz. Since Manny Pacquiao isn’t telegenic and he doesn’t sing well, he had to follow in the footsteps of his General Santos City town-mate and ex-world junior lightweight champion Rolando Naverrete. The Pacman pulverized poverty with the unrelenting force of world-class boxing.
Even though I’m not a member of this republic’s traditional power elite (comprised mostly of old-time landlords and many incorrigible political clans), I honestly got jolted when the unknown plebian Manny Pacquiao first punched his way into the national consciousness. All of his now-chummy political, business and corporate padrinos will surely not admit this, but I’m sure they initially also once looked upon this seemingly frail and poor fighter Pacquiao as hoi polloi, common tao, Juan de la Cruz – perhaps a leaner and more sober Erap. Who would have thought him a giant-slayer?
Who would have thought that an ordinary-looking chap from the oft-derided so-called bakya crowd – the jologs, the masa, the great unwashed, or what the communists would call the proletariats – would zoom past our golf-playing, horseback-riding, polo-playing, yacht-sailing, target-shooting local scions to make it in the big time of primetime world sports, raking in millions of US dollars in earnings? Wow!
Was it the "King of Comedy" and "rags-to-riches" Tondo boy Dolphy who once remarked that Philippine society is ironic in that it is the poor masses who are saving this republic, instead of our so-called leaders? It was his voluptuous girlfriend, singer Zsa Zsa Padilla, who told me this, while we were once discussing the true state of the nation.
Dolphy was referring to the millions of overseas Filipino workers – legal or illicit, documented or TNT (Tago ng Tago, or "hiding and hiding") – who have for years been remitting billions and billions of dollars to shore up the resilient Philippine economy, and who for decades have been recklessly savaged by the shenanigans, incompetence, excessive corruption and selfish bickering of our many inutile politicians – traditionally coming from the old elite. And now arises Manny Pacquiao, from the masses, and coming to the rescue of this naturally rich, but for many years misgoverned, tropical paradise!
When former President Cory C. Aquino asked my assessment of actor Cesar Montaño’s chances if he ran as vice-mayor with Manila mayoral candidate Panfilo "Ping" Lacson versus the rumored possible candidacy of Pacquiao as vice-mayor, I said I’d bet on a Montaño win. The ex-President asked why, considering that the champion boxer is now at the zenith of his mass popularity. I explained that I had the impression that Montaño the actor and now film producer might be better qualified to be vice-mayor than Pacquiao.
But come to think of it, if the Pacman wins today over the Mexican Erik Morales, he will become overqualified to be just a vice-mayor or second fiddle to anyone. Why should a champion settle for vice-mayor, when one can be the undisputed and unsullied King of the Masses’ hearts, beyond reproach and among the pantheon of demi-god legends? Look at Thailand: prime ministers and coup-plotting generals come and go like smoke, but the universally-admired King of Thailand reigns supreme and unchallenged up there on Mount Olympus. I hope that Pacquiao’s real friends will advise him not to enter the chaotic world of politics and sully his exalted name in the process.
More than his fabulous wealth and success, Manny Pacquiao’s adulation by the public is his greatest resource, which hopefully he will utilize for the greater good of the Philippines. Most important, I hope he will take up the cudgels for his fellow downtrodden masses who have for centuries been so callously neglected economically, hoodwinked politically and bludgeoned psychologically by Spanish colonizers, their local collaborators the so-called ilustrados, the Japanese military invaders and for generations by so many excessively corrupt politicians.
In our society which often seems to wallow in almost masochistic self-flagellation, suffering, martyrdom and inordinate love for underdogs, I hope Manny Pacquiao can help us exorcise the pessimistic mindset with a new robust winner’s ethic, that of a defiant and optimistic top dog!
It is admirable to hear that Pacman nowadays grants scholarships to scores of poor students, sharing gifts in Quezon City’s Golden Acres Home for the Aged, or celebrating his birthdays by giving away money, rice and canned goods to thousands of the poor in his homeplace of Mindanao. However, the vast majority in our national population who suffer daily pangs of hunger and dehumanizing poverty need more than just dole-out charities.
This sad republic needs more heroes and heroines who will inspire hope. I’m not comparing the former poor boy from Mindanao to Jesus Christ, who was born in a dirty manger inside a poor man’s stable 2,006 years ago, but the phenomenal Pacquiao "rags-to-glory" saga and our coming-soon fiesta of Christmas both symbolize unconquerable hope.
All of us face daily battles of all kinds. We need models of discipline, courage and positive thinking as exemplified by Manny Pacquiao’s fighting spirit. It doesn’t matter whether we are rich or poor, middle-class, elite or from the masses, we need to have more faith in ourselves! We need the joy and eternal hope of Christmas every day in our hearts. Win or lose (but I’m betting a million bananas he will win), thanks, Manny Pacquiao for the gift of an advance Merry Christmas!
Thanks for all your letters, all will be answered. Comments, suggestions, jokes and criticisms are enthusiastically welcome at willsoonflourish@gmail.com or wilson_lee_flores@yahoo.com.
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it Santa Claus? No, it’s Pac-Man! How do we explain a phenomenon like Emmanuel "Manny" Pacquiao, who literally sprang up from the boondocks of Mindanao and finished only grade six in a never-heard-of school? He is not tall; yes, he is dark; but he is not especially handsome. And in this music-crazy republic, he doesn’t even sing well, but the public loves him just the same and even made his music album a surprise hit!
Manny Pacquiao is the 21st-century, male version of the once unsinkable poor-girl-from-Bicol-with-a-golden-voice, Nora Aunor; he is somewhat like Dolphy, Erap or even the mythical FPJ, or perhaps a bit of all of them, plus more. Win or lose in his bout with Mexican challenger Erik "El Terrible" Morales, he is already a big winner in my book just for his sheer tenacity, drive and guts.
Though I’m ethnic Chinese and from Metro Manila, while Pacquiao is provinciano, Mindanaoan and comes from humbler beginnings, I always root for him to win and empathize with his drive because both of us have survived fatherless childhoods. It is very tough to lose a father as a kid, like when my dad died when I was only seven, but Pacquiao must have suffered more pain because he had only finished grade six when his father abandoned his family forever. He had to quit school, work for a meager living as a bakery boy and box on the side.
In this semi-feudal, Latin-Asian society of ours masquerading as an American-style democracy, where messy social/economic stratifications and unequal opportunities dominate, the escape routes from poverty have long included beauty contests for girls, boxing or billiards or basketball for guys, or gate-crashing showbiz. Since Manny Pacquiao isn’t telegenic and he doesn’t sing well, he had to follow in the footsteps of his General Santos City town-mate and ex-world junior lightweight champion Rolando Naverrete. The Pacman pulverized poverty with the unrelenting force of world-class boxing.
Even though I’m not a member of this republic’s traditional power elite (comprised mostly of old-time landlords and many incorrigible political clans), I honestly got jolted when the unknown plebian Manny Pacquiao first punched his way into the national consciousness. All of his now-chummy political, business and corporate padrinos will surely not admit this, but I’m sure they initially also once looked upon this seemingly frail and poor fighter Pacquiao as hoi polloi, common tao, Juan de la Cruz – perhaps a leaner and more sober Erap. Who would have thought him a giant-slayer?
Who would have thought that an ordinary-looking chap from the oft-derided so-called bakya crowd – the jologs, the masa, the great unwashed, or what the communists would call the proletariats – would zoom past our golf-playing, horseback-riding, polo-playing, yacht-sailing, target-shooting local scions to make it in the big time of primetime world sports, raking in millions of US dollars in earnings? Wow!
Dolphy was referring to the millions of overseas Filipino workers – legal or illicit, documented or TNT (Tago ng Tago, or "hiding and hiding") – who have for years been remitting billions and billions of dollars to shore up the resilient Philippine economy, and who for decades have been recklessly savaged by the shenanigans, incompetence, excessive corruption and selfish bickering of our many inutile politicians – traditionally coming from the old elite. And now arises Manny Pacquiao, from the masses, and coming to the rescue of this naturally rich, but for many years misgoverned, tropical paradise!
When former President Cory C. Aquino asked my assessment of actor Cesar Montaño’s chances if he ran as vice-mayor with Manila mayoral candidate Panfilo "Ping" Lacson versus the rumored possible candidacy of Pacquiao as vice-mayor, I said I’d bet on a Montaño win. The ex-President asked why, considering that the champion boxer is now at the zenith of his mass popularity. I explained that I had the impression that Montaño the actor and now film producer might be better qualified to be vice-mayor than Pacquiao.
But come to think of it, if the Pacman wins today over the Mexican Erik Morales, he will become overqualified to be just a vice-mayor or second fiddle to anyone. Why should a champion settle for vice-mayor, when one can be the undisputed and unsullied King of the Masses’ hearts, beyond reproach and among the pantheon of demi-god legends? Look at Thailand: prime ministers and coup-plotting generals come and go like smoke, but the universally-admired King of Thailand reigns supreme and unchallenged up there on Mount Olympus. I hope that Pacquiao’s real friends will advise him not to enter the chaotic world of politics and sully his exalted name in the process.
More than his fabulous wealth and success, Manny Pacquiao’s adulation by the public is his greatest resource, which hopefully he will utilize for the greater good of the Philippines. Most important, I hope he will take up the cudgels for his fellow downtrodden masses who have for centuries been so callously neglected economically, hoodwinked politically and bludgeoned psychologically by Spanish colonizers, their local collaborators the so-called ilustrados, the Japanese military invaders and for generations by so many excessively corrupt politicians.
In our society which often seems to wallow in almost masochistic self-flagellation, suffering, martyrdom and inordinate love for underdogs, I hope Manny Pacquiao can help us exorcise the pessimistic mindset with a new robust winner’s ethic, that of a defiant and optimistic top dog!
It is admirable to hear that Pacman nowadays grants scholarships to scores of poor students, sharing gifts in Quezon City’s Golden Acres Home for the Aged, or celebrating his birthdays by giving away money, rice and canned goods to thousands of the poor in his homeplace of Mindanao. However, the vast majority in our national population who suffer daily pangs of hunger and dehumanizing poverty need more than just dole-out charities.
This sad republic needs more heroes and heroines who will inspire hope. I’m not comparing the former poor boy from Mindanao to Jesus Christ, who was born in a dirty manger inside a poor man’s stable 2,006 years ago, but the phenomenal Pacquiao "rags-to-glory" saga and our coming-soon fiesta of Christmas both symbolize unconquerable hope.
All of us face daily battles of all kinds. We need models of discipline, courage and positive thinking as exemplified by Manny Pacquiao’s fighting spirit. It doesn’t matter whether we are rich or poor, middle-class, elite or from the masses, we need to have more faith in ourselves! We need the joy and eternal hope of Christmas every day in our hearts. Win or lose (but I’m betting a million bananas he will win), thanks, Manny Pacquiao for the gift of an advance Merry Christmas!
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