WE were truly sorry to have missed my good friend Peter Musgni’s very entertaining and informative show “Teka Muna” on dzMM Teleradyo last Saturday, when we were scheduled to be a guest on a phone patch from San Pablo City.
The topic was a very interesting one, which we care about. And that is, eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao’s bid for a Senate seat in next May’s presidential elections.
There are some, who see nothing wrong with Manny’s desire to win a seat in the Senate, while there are others who are critical of his bid for various reasons, including his absenteeism from the House of Representatives, while serving a second term as congressman from the lone district of Sarangani province.
We feel this issue of absenteeism must be placed in its proper perspective.
To begin with, it is a well-known fact that many congressmen attend the roll call, get recognized and then leave which effectively fools —or tries to fool—many of us.
This is why there have been so many instances of the house’s failure to tackle important legislation because of the lack of a quorum, most significant being the BBL no less than President Aquino himself considered important.
While Manny may have not been present for the roll call a number of times, the undeniable fact is that he was given permission to absent himself for instance, while he trained for the “Fight of the Century” against Floyd Mayweather Jr.
It was a privilege granted to a fighter, who redeemed our country’s stature in the fiercely competitive arena of international boxing and earned us the respect that we had lost for many years due largely to corruption in government and rising criminality.
As Pacquiao captured eight world titles, an unprecedented achievement, we as a nation stood up and cheered a national sports hero of epic proportions.
That he is seeking a Senate seat surely must be considered a just reward for all he has done. Besides, we know of nobody in Congress, who has spent so much of his time and resources in helping the poor and teaching them the values of hard work, discipline and dedication.
Manny doesn’t brag about how he has helped the poorest among the poor. He just goes out and does it.
He has learned his lessons the hard way and we honestly believe he can use these lessons to help shape a better life especially for his disadvantaged countrymen.
One does not necessarily have to be a legal luminary or an intellectual to be able to serve. What is required is a concern for others and a good heart. Pacquiao is endowed with both.
We have seen many brilliant men fail miserably to lead our nation out of the depths of poverty primarily because they often lost their sense of integrity and fell into corrupt ways.
Pacquiao has remained above it all and we pray he will continue on this path, guided by his deep down religious faith.
We, as a people, need to recognize Pacquiao for who he is and what he has done.
Reports out of Dubai and Abu Dhabi the past couple of days clearly demonstrate the outpouring of respect and affection for Pacquiao, both by overseas Filipino workers and the Arab population.
As Gulf News staff reporter Ashley Hammond wrote when discussing the possibility of a Pacquiao fight in Dubai: “Arab fans love him as well so that’s another bonus, so why not Dubai? Rashid Al Kamali, the manager of sports events at Dubai Sports Council, was also at the airport with Saeed Hareb to welcome Pacquiao, and added: “Dubai is the best place to have the fight due to the large Filipino expatriate population.”
Indeed, Pacquiao’s charitable instincts know no boundaries. As the UAE newspapers reported: “In another demonstration of his charitable side, Pacquiao will reportedly walk and cycle around Yas Marina Circuit on Saturday to support Rahma, a new charitable service in the fight against cancer.”
Beyond all else as long as Manny meets the constitutional requirements of being a natural-born Filipino and of age to seek a Senate seat he, just like anybody else similarly qualified, has the privilege of seeking a seat in the Senate.
Surely, we cannot deny him his inherent rights.