Pacquiao's new world: Saving Sarangani

MANILA, Philippines - Manny Pacquiao is facing a new world, a new battle outside the ring.

The other night, the congressman from Sarangani hosted the Development Partners’ Night, and launched his battle against environmental destruction and poverty in his home province.

It was no wonder how Pacquiao, the boxing icon who was recently hailed one of the most influential persons in the field of sports, managed to fill the main ballroom of the New World Hotel in Makati.

It was for the launch of his ambitious program “Exploring Potentials and Creating Wealth in Saranagani,” and more than 250 guests representing the corporate, business and academic sectors came.

“When I became congressman, I had some pretty straight-forward ideas about development in Sarangani: build infrastructure, invite foreign investment, produce for the international market, and generate jobs,” he said.

“I was led to ask a simple question: We have been doing these things for decades now, but why are there still so many poor people among us?” said the champion of seven world titles in seven different weight classes.

“What we are really hoping for is to start a quiet revolution. To plan in this way for Sarangani, and then to make such a success of it that the other provinces will follow suit, until the whole country follows suit.”

It was quite hard to imagine that the man at the podium, in a dark business suit, is the same man trading punches with the best fighters in the world, and had in fact gone undefeated in the last five years.

So, how can he lose this one? Certainly not when all his friends, especially those from the Development Academy of the Philippines, are around.

“What I am asking you now is to imagine this with me and with the Sarangani people, and then to move with us to make it happen. The only question is: Will you help us? On what side of history do you want to be?” he said.

Then he ended his speech, and came the applause.

A pledging session took place shortly after, and his close friend, former Gov. Chavit Singson, seated quietly in one corner of the packed ballroom, got the ball rolling with a pledge of P500,000.

Some precious Pacquiao memorabilia were auctioned off thRough secret bidding, and soon there will be proud owners of the trunks, shoes and robes he wore in his fights against Erik Morales, Juan Manuel Marquez, Marco Antonio Barrera, Oscar dela Hoya, Miguel Cotto and Joshua Clottey.

Pacquiao table-hopped and was all smiles during the affair, even if it started two hours behind schedule. He made everybody smile as well, when he delivered his speech, and granted photo-ops for his believers.

He brought the house down when early in his speech he greeted his wife, Jinkee, even when she was not around, and made sure he wasn’t referring to the former President when he thanked DAP dean Gloria Mercado.

“I have to greet my wife, Jinkee, kahit wala siya dito. Mahirap na eh. Baka ma-outside the kulambo tayo (I better greet my wife even if she’s not here. Or she might keep me outside our bedroom),” he said.

Even when outside the ring, Pacquiao sure knows how to deliver the knockout punch.