Maulion: Pacman for President

“SIMBAKOH!” yelled my good friend Danni A., the young editor-in-chief of this paper inside the Sun.Star office in Licoan, Cagayan de Oro City right after I roared the title of this article, in jubilation to Michael Buffer’s announcement that the Pacman had won again. Methinks it was a vindication of the earlier overwhelming prediction for Manny Pacquiao’s one-sided victory. “Molayas na lang ko sa Pilipinas kung modagan siya,” the baby-faced Danni A. added.

Of course, I uttered those words in jest delighted over Pacman’s 11th major big fight victory in a row after moving in as many heavier weight classes. So what? I’m almost constrained and tempted to rebut, “Dagan ra bitaw na.”

Click here for Election 2010 updates

The chances of Pacquiao winning the presidency is not that remote, given the multi-party system we have that allows a candidate with minority votes to get elected as president. So what if he wins? If he has shown his genius inside the ring, laying down his life for possible physical damage, what*s the guarantee he could not translate that feat in Malaca?? Why not when he has better credentials than those nuisance candidates?

And why not when we have opened the presidential (and vice presidential) derby to floodgates of repeaters Eddie Villanueva, actor Erap Estrada and other pretenders down the line? What’s wrong with Manny running for highest position of the land when he has popularity and money to boot to? Didn’t the US elect the actor Ronald Reagan? Didn’t we elect Erap?

But I agree with Danni A and Antony Taberna of ABS-CBN: the Pacman should rather enjoy his greatness on the ring, savor the sweetness of victory all the way ad infinitum, leaving any political ambition there is to others behind. “Hindi lang sya tatapakan sa political arena, maipapako pa ang kanyang mga paa,” Taberna advised Manny. That he succeeded carving a niche in the world of boxing as the world*s pound for pound best is more that what could bargain for.

Second, he may come out victorious in testing the water of politics as congressman in Sarangani but no way could he survive the grueling political upheavals in Congress, unless he too joins the silent majority.

Reading this, I think Manny in all sincerity knows that fighting in the other level is far beyond the use of brawn and more of brains. Why doesn’t he continue with his studies and proving himself that he too could get a degree? That way, his learning could help him choose talented candidates to support, as he did for Manny Villar. As a spiritually mature person, Manny can even do great service by crossing party lines and help support what numbers of good Catholic Bishops rallied for. He might have the mind of his own but enlightenment is not that far when you pray and ask guidance from the Lord, specially that voting in itself is a sacred exercise for an electorate desperate for good leaders to run this country.

With this, I’m sorry to say Manny will never get a vote from this writer, even if he runs Punong Barangay. Why demean his status after all those conquests in the ring when he could better serve the people in his capacity as ordinary citizen? He has done more than what many other Filipinos combined did. He should do it that way and that*s more than what he aspires for in politics

***

And to Joshua Clottey, sorry man for the defeat. You better just lick the wounds. It will come to pass. You’re not a prophet. Nothing shocking there as your fate was already sealed many weeks before The Event in Super Bowl, Dallas, Texas. Boring, no contest was all we saw in that fight. At least you survived the twelve rounds and emerged $1.2 M richer. You did not even win a single round up to the end. Manny didn’t knock you out against the predictions of many but I think he was just true to himself of not punishing you that much because you are humble fighter, compared to his earlier proud and arrogant Mexican opponents. You’re great just the same as you seem to have enjoyed mixing it out with Manny. Mabuhay, as you learned to say it.