“IT’S probably the first time in his life that Pacquiao has lost this publicly,” said a friend of mine.
“Don’t tell me you’re feeling sorry for him,” said someone else.
“I am. Pacquiao’s always been the hero, the winner, the idolized. Losing to a girl whom almost no one out of Gen San knew, until she became the person running against him, must hurt,” said my friend.
“He deserved it.”
“Well…”
“I mean, if Pacquiao had run for a position in the executive branch, he might have fared better. He’s just so out of place in the legislative. Seriously. How can a man who bungles his English post-fight interviews make our laws?”
“But he’s always been the winner,” my friend repeated. “And he lost. In front of the entire Philippines. You don’t feel the slightest bit sorry for him?”
“Was he planning to give up boxing for politics? No. Can you be a good boxer and a good politician at the same time? No. Come on. He was asking for it.”
“I’m a big fan of Pacman.”
“So am I! I just think he should stick to boxing.”
“So do I! I wish he’d never run in the first place.”
“Not me. It’s a good thing he ran and lost. Lesson learned.”
“That’s cruel.”
“That’s life.”
Listening, I wondered if plenty of other Filipinos were having the same discussion. Differently worded, in different places, but the same. I found myself agreeing with both of them. Is that possible?
It can’t be denied that Pacquiao has done more to boost the morale of the country than every single senator, congressman, and the First Family combined. But it also can’t be denied that Pacquiao has never done anything that hints he would have been a good politician.
His fame rests on his humility; politicians need to toot their own horn. Loudly. His fame rests on his charisma — even when he massacres the English language, we love him. But that’s because for a boxer, charisma rests on coming across as one of the masses. As one of those who rose from the bottom to the top. But the charisma of politicians rests on something entirely different — coming across as the savior of the masses. A politician is not a role model, he is the person who slips the medal around the role model’s neck.
Pacquiao is a boxer. A very good one. In this case, his loss was a victory — let’s leave it at that, and wish him luck in his next battle. Hopefully, this time it will be in the boxing ring, not the political arena.
June 15th, 2007 at 2:21 pm
Vertigo
I wonder how Michael Butler will introduce Pacquiao in his next fight. “… the Congressional loser… Manny Pacquiao!� lol
Seriously, I can’t understand why some of the comments here said that he was the perfect alternative to the Antonino clan who’ve been “ruling� GenSan for the longest time. If the people from GenSan felt that he was indeed the alternative, then they would’ve voted for him.
Thing is, they prefer that he stays in the boxing ring, and not in the political arena. Heck, we shouldn’t even be condemning the people there for voting for Darlene, it’s their choice anyway.
On a personal level, I’m glad he lost.
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Fr: Salina
I’m glad he loss too! If he does win he is not the one going to do the work in the office. Manny, don’t know where to start. The only reason he run because Gloria Arroyo, Ask him too! She figure he’s very popular he can’t loss. Ha, Ha,…The joke is on her!!! She really want to hang-on into her stolen power that she’s using every trick in the book. When FPJ. Run for president she done everything in her power to stop it. She even claim that FPJ. Is not filipino citizen because his mother an american. But Gloria Arroyo, Forgot that FPJ. Was born in the Philippines, Therefore his real filipino. Gloria Arroyo, Must be really STUPID.
June 15th, 2007 at 2:10 pm
Pian
TO TIM
Bakit mangangailangan pa ng translator? Dagdag-gastos lang yun. Dun nako sa nakakaintindi at nakakapagsalita ng Ingles ng maayos. Madami namang magagaling diyan na magaling mag-English. Kaya nga ba nagtataka ako dito sa mga ‘Nationalists’ kuno na nagpoprotesta na ibalik sa Filipino ang medium of instruction. Buti na lang diko inabot yung ginawang Filipino. Yun nga ang competitive advantage natin non na nawawala. Yung mga booming businesses ngayon call centers. Kailangan ma-capture natin yon. Nadaigan na tayo ng Japan, sila na-recognize nila ang necessity na mag-English. Saka si Randy David na tinaguriang Nationalist na-overhear kong English kung makipag-usap sa colleagues niya. Sana naman di nila i-equate yung pagiging Nationalist sa lengwahe.
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Fr: Salina
I’d agree with you 100% because the filipino people can speak english very well. There is lots of us working abroad. They should keep teaching english in school so that all the young generation can be able to get a better job anywhere in the world.
June 15th, 2007 at 2:04 pm
Noel
I agree that most of the people the voters are choosing to public office are mostly if not all traditionallly there for personal interests only. Pacquiao and FPJ were just victims of greed and well, to some extent circumstances.
Erap, during his oath-taking promised to curb corruption in government only to find out that somewhere along the way he will just plunder the tobacco tax funds, among others. Where can you find a president gambling inside Malacanang while jokingly promoting extra marital affairs, in short immorality, by having several mistresses. The silent majority of the Filipino people were grateful for giving him lesson in jail. The Filipino people at least the intellegent ones want him to stay in prison for life.
Arroyo, likewise promised to eliminate corruption in government by lifestyle checks. Did she able to eliminate corrupt senior officials of the heirarchy and allegedly within her family circle. Did she able to check the lifestyle of DA USec Bolante and bring him to justice. Did she able to bring the Marcoses to justice for plunder and human rights violations. Tell me who your friends are and I’m gonna tell who you are.
If you dont agree that Erap AND Gloria by inferrential, are both corrupt and immoral then you are not really patriotic and nationalist.
I repeat. You should publicly pronounce that they are both corrupt and immoral if you really are not corrupt and immoral yourself.
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Fr: Salina
Its been proven in court of law that Erap, Didn’t plunder the government coffer. And if you’re talking about the juenting money that is not the government money. But Chavit singson, Money. The reason he’s so mad because Erap, Want to end the Juenting game. This is one of the reason why he compire with Gloria Arroyo, Et al. To kick him out.
As the record show the reason they kick him out so that they’re the one can rob the country coffer.
Have you read the news lately about Gloria Arroyo, Net worth. Her net worth went up! And she’s only making P693,000. Annually thats only (57,750.000 A month. How on earth her net worth went to the roof top when she’s not even making that kind of money.
While the majority of filipino people can’t hardly eat. Her bank account is full of money. Yeah, Add 2+2=Yeah, You got it. Corruption!!!!!!!!!!!!
June 15th, 2007 at 1:56 pm
Pian
TO NOEL,
I would tend to agree with you when you say GMA is corrupt herself, but she’s definitely less corrupt than Erap while she’s doing great in boosting the economy. After all, corruption has been with us since time immemorial and we’ll be able to overcome this plague once we have overcome the evils of poverty.
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Fr: Salina
What so great about Gloria Arroyo, Because of her the Philippines its been tag as the number one corrupt in asia. Number two human right violation in the world. What so great about that. You mean the so call booming economy she’s bragging about. Ha, Ha. The so call booming economy she’s talking about is temporary situation. She’s been squatting in malacanyang palace for seven years, What do we get. Gutom. And if it is true that the economy is better why is it there is more filipino people are starving. I guess you still eat 3 x a day. But the rest of filipino people can’t hardly eat. Not even 1 x a day. Do you call that great. You must be really out of your rocker. Dapat sa you ipakain sa buwaya. Alone with Gloria Arroyo, The biggest crooks!
June 15th, 2007 at 1:50 pm
Noel
To Kabayan and Pian,
It was purely a suggestive adage for Salina who sounds like one-sided if not Erap-loyalist rather than being fair.
If she loves the country, then she shall likewise strongly condemns an undeniably more corrupt president in the like of Erap (as Pian underscores the point) as intense as her condemnation for Gloria which according to her is giga if not terra-corrupt.
That way, her personal stance would appear a little bit nationalistic than a loyalist to those who oppose Gloria.
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Fr: Salina
Hey, I’m only telling what I know. If you don’t like it, It just too bad. I’d can say it again Gloria Arroyo, Nothing but a power grabber and most of all she’s the biggest crooks.