He who has a why to live can bear almost any how. — Friedrich Nietzsche
We have one life; it soon will be past; what we do for God is all that will last. — Muhammad Ali
The most world-famous and universally admired Filipino alive today is the 33-year-old Saranggani congressman, singer, actor, TV host of GMA-7’s Manny Many Prizes, philanthropist and eight-time world boxing champion Emmanuel “Manny” Dapidran Pacquiao. His is an inspiring “rags-to-riches” saga of a provinciano from a broken family who dropped out of high school due to extreme poverty. He stowed away on a ship to go to Manila at age 14, lived in the streets for a while, then passionately fought his way up through the sport of boxing. His idol was the late martial arts star Bruce Lee, especially his choppy and rhythmic fighting style.
His upcoming June 9 fight in the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas City will be against the 28-year-old WBO Light Welterweight Champion and unbeaten American boxer Timothy Bradley. The world is also still excitedly waiting for his ultimate challenge, to fight the American seven-title WBC champion Floyd Mayweather, Jr. In contrast to the humility and good humor of Pacquiao, Mayweather comes off as haughty, egoistical and has been embroiled in domestic violence and other controversies.
Pacquiao recently granted Philippine STAR an exclusive interview over Spanish cuisine dinner at the Skye Lounge roofdeck bar of W Tower, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. The interview was arranged by Swiss brand Technomarine, which recently released its limited-edition “Manny Pacquiao 8” or MP8 watch, with only 1,000 units worldwide. In addition to its Philippine flag-inspired colors and star design plus Pacquiao’s signature engraved at the back, the MP8 is encased in stainless steel and water-resistant up to 660 feet. Excerpts:
PHILIPPINE STAR: Is it true you plan to retire soon? If yes, when exactly?
MANNY PACQUIAO: Baka after ng laban ko sa June 9, then baka two more fights pa ako bago ako mag-retire (Maybe after my fight on June 9, then maybe two more fights before I retire). I am grateful to my good and loyal fans for their continued support.
Lots of celebrities get commercial endorsements they don’t really use. What about this Technomarine limited-edition Manny Pacquiao 8 watch? You’re going to wear it?
I will not only wear it proudly, I will even show it to the world during my boxing match on June 9. Please tell your Philippine STAR readers to buy it if they’re with Team Pacquiao. I’m so happy with this watch, napakaganda nito at nakita mo naman, gumaguwapo ako kapag suot ko ito. (It’s beautiful and you can see, Wilson, I become more handsome whenever I wear it.) (Laughs)
How many watches do you own in total?
(Thinks for a few seconds) Mga sampu (about 10).
You earn billions of pesos per year and Forbes magazine ranked you as one of the world’s wealthiest athletes. How rich are you? How much is your fortune?
(Laughs) Hindi ko alam exactly (I don’t know exactly).
If you were not a boxer, what profession would you be in right now or what is your dream profession?
Alam mo, ok na talaga buhay ko (You know, my life is really okay already), I’m contented… There’s nothing else I want to do than to serve the people, iyung tapat na serbisyo at straight na gobyerno (honest service and upright governance). I want to help people, not only in my province, not only in our place, Mindanao, but all over the Philippines. We can see there are so many poor people everywhere, it is sad. When I grow old, I want people to remember my name — Manny Pacquiao, not only as a good boxer but as a good and straight public servant.
After serving as congressman, will you next run for governor or senator?
Ay, hindi ko pa alam ‘yan (That, I don’t know yet). Maybe after Congress, I might perhaps run for governor… It will be up to the people what they want me to run for and also up to God’s will.
Is it true what the news reports say that you want to be a Bible ambassador? When did you suddenly become religious, and why?
Noon pa ako religious, pero kamakailan ko lang nadiskobre na kailangan ko ng isang manual sa buhay at ito ay ang Bibliya (I’ve been religious since before, but it was only recently that I discovered that I needed a manual for my life and this is the Bible).
So you will be a Bible ambassador?
I want to help promote the reading of the Bible by all people in the Philippines. Let us work together and encourage the reading of the Bible every day. Let us help remind people that this is important.
So you’re no longer a playboy? No more rumors of gambling?
Wala na sa akin ‘yan (All of those are no more for me). Those are vices and sins, those are violations of the laws of God, labag ‘yan sa mga utos ng Diyos (those violate the commandments of God).
So no more alleged womanizing?
No more womanizing, no more gambling, no more over-drinking of liquor!
Why this change? What made you become more Christian all of a sudden?
It’s all in the Bible which I now read every day. I learned all that from the best manual for life. You have to live by these principles if you want to enter the kingdom of heaven. It’s all a question of how you want to invest your life. Will you invest all your energies, time and efforts in a worldly life without meaning or invest in eternal life? We should not focus on empty worldly life that is short-term and without true meaning. Yung kabuluhan ng buhay, iyan ang mahalaga sa akin (The meaning of life, that is what is important to me).
When did this change happen and how? Who or what made you change?
It started last year, around June or July. It came with my readings of the Bible and my search for meaning in life. Before, whenever I read the Bible, hindi ko talaga maintindihan yung mga words (I really couldn’t understand the words), but suddenly the Holy Spirit came into my life and helped to open my eyes and my heart to the words in the Bible. We can find truth and the meaning of life in the Bible, through faith in God.
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