PACQUIAO NATION

by Nat Gottlieb

Manny Pacquiao is more than just a national hero in the Philippines. In a country where turmoil sometimes seems a never ending story, Pacquiao is the only person among 87 million Filipinos with the power to unite the nation. At 5'-6 1/2 , that's a tall order.

When Pacquiao fought Erik Morales for the second time last January, this is what happened in the Philippines:

- Police reported a crime rate of nearly zero in major Filipino cities during the hours leading up to the fight and after.

- Normally congested streets in every city in the country were deserted.

- Politicians who rarely agree on anything, sat side-by-side with adversaries in movie theatres across the country to watch the fight broadcast.

- On free TV, the Filipino network which aired the bout broke all existing national records, with virtually 100 per cent of the country's TVs tuned in.

Filipino senator Jinggoy Estrada, son of a former president, loves to watch Pacquiao fight, but is quick to put Manny's bouts in a larger arena.

"Right now the Philippines is getting a lot of negative publicity, especially politically, and Manny serves as an ambassador of good will who can tell the whole world the Philippines can make it, that we will succeed," Sen. Estrada said.

The Pacquiao Effect is recognized -- and benignly exploited -- by politicians of every party, all of whom are understandably eager to announce a good news break from the bad.

After Pacquiao upset Marco Antonio Barrera in 2003, for example, he was given a Congressional Medal of Achievement in Congress, marked by these words in the House from Rep. Juan Miguel Zubiri:

"Manny Pacquiao has united our people under one flag, inspiring hope and national reconciliation and pride in being a Filipino amidst the uncertainties, challenges and hardships we are currently facing."

Pacquiao is many things, but he is not a miracle worker. Even a troubled nation returns to "normal" when the glow of a Pacquiao victory wears off. As Senator Estrada laments, "It is unfortunate that Manny cannot fight every day."

Even while still exuberant over the Morales victory, politicos quickly found something to argue about. Filipino TV columnist Donna Corpin wrote on ClickTheCity.com that, "When he came home last Friday, a hero's welcome was laid out. But then the confetti hadn't even hit the pavement before mayors started bickering over the cities he would parade in, and other leaders began debating whether it's proper to appoint Manny in a peacekeeping capacity in government."

"When he beat Morales," Sen. Estrada said, "all the mayors wanted to show him off, but ultimately it was Manny's decision where he wanted to go."

For a country that was occupied by the Spaniards, Japanese and Americans, Pacquiao is a rare Filipino commodity: a world conqueror. His parade through Manila brought the entire city to a halt. "Everybody likened it to the Pope coming to visit," said Dyan Castillejo, a Filipino TV sports show host who has done numerous documentaries on Pacquiao.

While vehicular traffic may have disappeared where ever Pacquiao toured, the effect was fleeting, noted Filipino blogger, Kates Gasis:

"Iloilo City is busy, even on Sundays. But not today. Cars are so spare that it feels like Holy Week. It's really the Pacquiao factor that's responsible for this phenomena. (But) Cars began pouring into the streets just minutes after Manny was declared winner of the match."

The flip-side of "National Pacquiao Unity" is woe be the one who has the audacity to pick his opponent to win.

Homer Sayson, a reporter based in Chicago for the Filipino paper Sun.Star Cebu, noted what happened to a columnist who didn't tout Pacquiao. "For the last Morales fight, one writer picked Morales and got a lot of death threats," Sayson said. "They would call his house in the middle of the night, challenge him to fistfights and say bad things about his daughter."

Sayson, who covers the Chicago Bulls for basketball fanatics back home, made the same mistake himself once. "I picked Barrera to win because he had fought so much better competition," Sayson said. "I got many nasty emails, but I was in Chicago, what could they do to me."

But even safely tucked in Bulls country, Sayson discovered that in his own, to err is human, but to apologize is divine -- and imperative.

"I cover all Manny's fights in America, but my wife was in delivery and I couldn't go. After the fight, Manny called the delivery room to see how she was doing and I apologized to him. I also had to write an apology to my readers in the newspaper," Sayson said.

Pacquiao, who came from very humble beginnings, does more than just give hope to people, he hands out financial aid, both through a foundation he has set up, and at his house. "A friend of mine spent two weeks with Manny at his house in General Santos City," Sayson said. "And he told me every single day 300 people would line up outside and come in the house asking for help paying their bills. All they need to get money from Manny is show proof of the bills."

While Pacquiao fought just twice in both 2004 and 2005, and twice so far this year going into Saturday night's third bout with Morales, he is never far from his countryman's thoughts because of his endless list of "distractions."

Virtually not a day goes by when the name Pacquiao is off the front pages in the Philippines. Everything Pacquiao does, from the major to the trivial, gets some ink. It's news every time Pacquiao shoots a commercial, signs a recording deal, or stays out all night playing pool and going to cockfights. A few months ago his hyperactivity caught up to him and he ended up in a hospital for a couple days. The media blanketed that story while the nation prayed for his recovery. All he had was fatigue.

Like the late Princess Diane, or Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Pacquiao is a hot gossip item. When Pacquiao slipped to No. 2 recently on a popular internet pound-for-pound list, it prompted this item in The Manila Standard Today:

"The news that Pacquiao had slipped to No. 2 came even as a posting on the Pacquiao website said he had been seen nightly at the Commerce Casino in Los Angeles. But Standard Today learned that the report was factually inaccurate and that Pacquiao goes to the Commerce Casino to play poker on Saturdays with some of his so-called LA Boys, since he doesn't train on Sundays. Another report from LA claimed that Pacquiao yesterday bought a brand-new Mercedes Benz valued at some $150,000."

The most stunning example of the Pacquiao Effect is on crime. After Pacquiao beat Morales, the Standard Today reported: "Metro Manila enjoyed a crime-free day Sunday as neighborhood thugs, snatchers and other assorted felons stayed home to watch the big fight on TV, police said."

The Larios fight, which was in held in the Araneta Coliseum in Metro Manila, broke a city crime record. The Philippine National Police reported that for the first time ever there was a seven-hour, zero-crime rate in all precincts of the city."

Pacquiao certainly is aware of the effect he has on his nation, and takes it as a personal responsibility to win for his people.

"After the Larios fight," Castillejo said, "Manny told us (media) that what really made him proud was that people in the arena were sitting side by side cheering no matter what party they were in, or what their beliefs were. He has told me many times, one of his goals is to help as many people as he can."

There has even been talk of Pacquiao running for public office, and while he downplays the possibility, those close to him know he is thinking about it.

Sen. Estrada is well aware of the political benefits that can be reaped from fame. Besides being the son of a president, Estrada was an actor in his 20s and won the Filipino equivalent of an Academy Award for best supporting actor. Although Pacquiao's fame is much greater, Sen. Estrada does not think the fighter should venture into the political arena.

"I have advised Manny not to enter politics because it is not his turf, his forte," Sen. Estrada said. "I told him to concentrate on his profession and bring more honors to his country."

How long Pacquiao can fight at the elite level and continue to benefit his nation is a topic of concern in the Philippines. Although just 27, Pacquiao has been in 47 fights, many of them wars. The wear and tear was noticeable to Sayson after Pacquiao laid a beating on Morales in January.

"I was one of two writers who got invited up to his room after the fight," Sayson said. "His hands were so big and swollen, and his jaw hurting so bad, he couldn't shake anybody's hands or eat with a knife and fork for an hour and a half. All he could eat was bread dipped in milk."

Pacquiao has lost just once in the last seven years, a close decision to Morales last year, but the possibility is always there when you fight against the best in the game. What would the reaction be in the Philippines if he lost to Morales this time?

"We would be very frustrated," Sen. Estrada said, "but we would still consider him one of the greatest fighters and respect him as our national hero. But honestly, I don't entertain the idea of him losing to Morales."

What ever the outcome, when Pacquiao enters the ring in the Thomas & Mack Center Saturday night in Las Vegas, for as long as the fight lasts, the Philippines will be a nation united. That is a victory in itself.