Congratulations, Manny! You won!
Apparently, the Filipino champ still has a looooong way to go. (A friend bets five more. Another one says, maybe less. Three or two, perhaps.) Retirement? Nope. I believe Coach Freddie Roach, as much as possible, won't allow it. And again, so as the country. Not yet. Not now. Especially now.
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| It's the final countdown... not. |
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[Disclaimer: I have nothing against nationalism and patriotism. Or idolatry, for that matter. But if you happen to disagree, move on. Find another Internet junk to waste your time with.]
During a recent news telecast just before his fight, a man-on-the-street segment was shown where the reporter asks "Mananalo ba si Pacquiao o hindi?"
From the several answers, it all came down to this: "Aba, eh kelangan niyang manalo! Lalo na ngayong maraming nasalanta ng bagyo sa Visayas!"
Connection? How will Pacquiao's victory save these people who have lost lives, livelihood, and a place to live in? He's not even from Visayas and rather, he's a congressman of Sarangani, a province in Mindanao. See it right there?
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| Cong. Emmanuel D. Pacquiao |
Filipino pride. By uplifting their spirits, they say. Manny Pacquiao winning over the American hottie Brandon Rios will show the world that Filipinos can counter all the punches life gives us.
But how hard-hitting was Supertyphoon "Yolanda" anyway?
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| On the right corner, weighing heavier than we all expected... |
[Pardon my words but...] that superbitch Yolanda KO'd us from start to finish. 5,000 deaths and still counting. Congrats, Yolly. You will be forever remembered as the greatest boxer of all time. And yes, Yolly, YOLO.
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Parts of the Visayas region are still devastated. No water, no electricity, no food, and all the possible comfort you can get. Lucky you.
As Anderson Cooper puts it, "There is no real evidence of organized recovery or relief."
It makes me wonder if the people there even had the chance to watch Pacquiao's fight. If you were in their situation, will Manny's victory really matter?
Evidently, it did.
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| Yes, it did. |
Well, priorities. People need more. More than this almost an hour of glory and gore entertainment (excluding commercials and all) which is categorized as a sport.
(Sidenote: I remembered my college professor, Sir Eros Atalia, once said to our class, "Bakit ba naging sport ang basketball? Nag-aagawan sila lahat ng bola eh kung bigyan na lang kaya sila lahat ng isa-isa?")
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Manny won and he's bringing home the bacon.
Even before the fight, Pacquiao already pledged to the Visayans that he'll help them, win or lose. So it's not just the bacon he'll be bringing home now. (Also Jinky's new Hermes bag, I guess?)
"Remember who the real enemies are." Don't forget. (That's from Finnick Odair, a character from Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games trilogy. Oh, you don't know him? Oh.)
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| This guy here? |
(Again, sidenote: Manny and money makes sense. Think of Pacquiao, Villar, and Pangilinan.)
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| Good job, Pacman. |
Manny won. But the death toll's still rising. The people? Still famished. Even Megan Young's and Nonito Donaire's titles weren't of much help.
But what can I say? This country gets whatever hope it can get to survive. Although we should move fast. Get up before the bell rings.
Manny's not yet retiring. Not now. Not just yet. Take all the punches for us, will you?
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