Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia yesterday said he was in Aklan during the weekend upon the invitation of Aklan Governor Carlito Marquez who had asked him to be one of their guests during the culmination of the weeklong celebration of the 797th Kalibo Santo Niño Ati-Atihan Festival on Jan. 17 and 18.

That was why he could not meet World boxing champ Manny Pacquiao who was in Bacolod City during the weekend for the opening ceremonies of the 2009 Smart National Amateur Boxing Championships.

The mayor had declined the invitation of Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentevella to give a welcome message during the opening of the boxing tournament Saturday in Bacolod, but he thanked the solon for inviting him. He also asked Councilor Alex Paglumotan to represent him.

When asked if Leonardia knew he was coming, Pacquiao said he tried to call the mayor but he could not reach him. He said he had requested Puentevella to invite Leonardia to the boxing tournament.

Pacquiao said he had called Leonardia Saturday but the mayor said he did not know that. “Probably I was inside the airplane or inside a building where I could not receive calls,” he said.

He explained that, for so many years now, even when he was a student, it had been a personal “panata” or pledge for him to go to Kalibo for the pilgrimage of the Santo Niño.

Leonardia said that, before Pacquiao came to Bacolod, he was in contact with his private secretary Bren Evangelio and they were preparing schedules that included Sunday, when they were supposed to have dinner. But because boxing manager/promoter Rex “Wakee” Salud had invited Pacquiao to the Sinulog Festival in Cebu, they had to cancel it.

He said he was at the office of the Aklan Governor Carlito Marquez, with Aklan Rep. Joven Miraflores at about 6 p.m. Saturday when Evangelio called and he talked to Pacquiao, who later talked to the two officials also.

Leonardia said he explained to Pacquiao about his “panata” every year, and he understands.

Meanwhile, Leonardia said he is still happy that in the three times they hosted Pacquiao in Bacolod in 2005, 2006 and 2008 – all those visits were overwhelming in terms of the crowd who came to see him. In fact, Salud commented that the crowds in Bacolod then were even bigger than those in General Santos, he said.

“I think what developed Manny’s affection for Bacolod was the way he was treated by the Bacoleños the first time he was taken on parade in the city,” he said. Even in his interviews in the national TV Pacquiao mentions Bacolod because of his special attachment for the city, he added.

Leonardia said Pacquio also told him that if they need his advice in boxing he is willing to share his expertise. He said Bacolod has a barangay-based boxing program.

During the MassKara period, Pacquiao sent to Bacolod a boxing team from General Santos, he added.

Leonardia said he and Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines-General Santos president, Ray Golingan, have also agreed to continue the boxing program. He said General Santos will also invite Bacolod City to a boxing tournament in the near future.

“Salud also said he would like to have a coordinated boxing program with Bacolod because he believes we have potentials here,” Leonardia added.

Golingan and Salud are people who are very close to Pacquiao, and share his concern for Bacolod, he said. “I think we can say Bacolod will always be among Pacquiao’s top priorities,” he said.*CGS

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