EDITORIAL - The real deal

The conferment by Southwestern University of an honorary degree in Humanities on boxing icon Manny Pacquiao continues to stir Filipinos, the Cebuanos in particular. And the discussions it has generated are wide, ranging from dead serious to the nasty and frivolous.

Actually, the attention generated is due mainly to the fact that it is Manny Pacquiao who happens to be involved here, proving once more the immensity of the drawing power of this hugely popular Filipino sports figure.

Had it been somebody else, like Jeremias Tundag for instance, nobody would have given a damn. For an honorary degree in anything, while truly a personal treasure to the deserving, can fatally lack the kind of spectacle that only the stars can bring.

Some may even deliberately avoid getting married to and getting stuck with Honoris Causa, a fine lady to have and to hold, but also possessive and demanding. She can have anyone imprisoned to a lifetime ritual of affixing titles to given names.

But marry Honoris Causa to a star like Manny Pacquiao, and the whole world attends, and eats. It is like dropping a germ in the culture disc of fame. The infection becomes contagious, not unlike that other lingering disease called Texters Choice.

Texters Choice is like a pseudo virus, affecting people the way Rubella does, mild but screaming not to be ignored, never to be confused with the real measles but nevertheless waves the name.

Honoris Causa and Texters Choice are foxy ladies if one does not know how to handle them. They can be beautiful and able companions for whatever they are worth, but their worth must never exceed the purpose for which they were made.

There is a very specific caveat to all these, however. If all glory and honor belong to God, what then is all the fuss about? The greatest of men rise to the challenge of any occasion by not getting mesmerized by the reflected image of the truth and miss out on the real deal.