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Bacolod City, PhilippinesTuesday, December 11, 2012
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Pacquiao sounded off

Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao’s defeat at the hands of Juan Manuel Marquez is not the end of his career and he still has the power to win in his next fight, national boxing team coach Roel Velasco said.

Velasco said he believes that while there were some lapses in Pacquiao’s defense that led to the sixth round knock out, the boxing congressman from Sarangani remains a lethal professional fighter inside the ring.

He said Pacquiao had made the Filipinos proud in his previous victories and it is not yet time for him to retire.

In the Senate, Pacquiao also found allies in the senators led by Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, who is also not keen on seeing Pacquiao hanging up his gloves, saying, “He is too young to retire.”

Senators Aquilino ‘Koko’ Pimentel III and Franklin Drilon also expressed sadness, but said the defeat should not be cause for demoralization of the boxing icon.

“True champions are measured by how they rise after defeat. We all witnessed Manny's determination for this fight and at the same time how worried he was for his people in Sarangani and our fellow Mindanaoans affected by typhoon Pablo that devastated thousands of our kababayans. Filipinos are truly resilient, and through bayanihan, we will rise again over Pablo and like our true champion Manny Pacquiao, he will rise again and fight even harder,” Pimentel said.

Drilon, like the rest of the Filipinos all over the world, said he was shocked and saddened.

Senator Lito Lapid said he believes that all Filipinos are still behind Pacquiao despite the devastating knockout, adding that “Like the main actor of a movie, sometimes he stumbles so that people would appreciate how he would stand again”.

He also appealed to the people not to circulate disparaging statements against the boxing hero.

”It’s just one defeat against so many honors and championships that Manny brought to our country,” Lapid said.

In Bacolod City, acting mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson yesterday asked Bacoleños to continue to support Pacquaio and to help pray for discernment in his plans.

Sayson said that as an adopted son of Bacolod, this is not the time for the Bacoleños to abandon the Pacman.

“This is the time he needs us most and we should support him whether he wins or loses,” he said.

Pacquaio has been good to the people of Bacolod, Sayson said, as he recalled the financial aid given by the boxing champ to the typhoon victims.

He also recalled that Pacquiao had been adopted by Bacolod before he became famous as a world champion and winning eight boxing division titles.

Because of his closeness to Mayor Evelio Leonardia, he serves as a free advertisement for Bacolod City since every time he visits the city, it comes out in the news, Sayson said.

He added that if Pacquiao has time to visit Bacolod, the city will be very glad to welcome and honor him for putting the Philippines in the map of the world as a tourist destination.

“Anywhere you go, when you talk of the Philippines, mention of Pacquiao is the first reaction of the people,” he said.

Meanwhile, Bacolod congressman Anthony Golez Jr. filed House Resolution No. 2946 yesterday expressing solidarity in support for Pacquiao.

In his resolution, Golez said Pacquiao brought glory and achievements to the country and he urged the Department of Education to include the life of Pacquiao in the curriculum of grade school students.*NAB/CGS

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