Army to award medallion to Pacquiao tomorrow

MANILA, Philippines -  The Army will award a medallion to boxing champion and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao in recognition of his achievements that brought honor to the country.  

Pacquiao is scheduled to receive the medallion from Army chief Lt. Gen. Arturo Ortiz tomorrow at the Army headquarters in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.  

The awarding ceremony will be held at around 10 a.m. and will coincide with a testimonial parade in honor of Pacquiao, The STAR learned yesterday.  

Army sources said the round medallion to be given to Pacquiao contains the colors red, blue and white, which are present in the Philippine flag.

Such a medallion is usually given to prominent people like diplomats, senior government officials, and generals.

Pacquiao, an Army reservist, will also be given a statue of national hero Andres Bonifacio, after whom the Army’s main headquarters is named.

The statue bears the championship belts won by Pacquiao, who made history after bagging eight division titles.  

An Army brigade composed of about 250 soldiers will join the parade in honor of Pacquiao. The Army has been preparing for the event for the last two weeks.

Military officials said Pacquiao’s win boosted the morale of soldiers and proved that the boxer is capable of uniting the country. Politicians have also hailed his achievement as a major victory of the Filipino people. 

As an Army reservist, Pacquiao carries the rank of senior master sergeant and is part of the 15th Ready Reserve Division. He has received numerous awards from the military, including the Philippine Legion of Honor with the degree of officer.