MANILA -- Filipinos from all walks of life erupted into raucous cheers Sunday as Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao relentlessly pounded Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto to win his seventh boxing title in as many weight classes.

Pacquiao took the World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight crown from Cotto at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas Sunday (Philippine time) when referee Kenny Bayless stopped the fight in the 12th round.

Supporters and fans of Pacquiao watched the bout dubbed as "Firepower" in bars, restaurants, basketball courts, army camps and all kinds of makeshift venues as they chant "Manny, Manny!" as Pacquiao pummeled Cotto.

Soldiers, as well as Moro and communist rebels even took a rest from chasing each other to watch Pacquiao's much-awaited year-end fight.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who was unable to watch the boxing match due to tight schedules at the Asia Pacific Economic Conference in Singapore, joined the Filipinos in celebrating the victory of Pacquiao and even enjoined the public to emulate the grit and determination to win against any odds shown by the Pacman.

The President called Pacquiao "an inspiration to the entire Filipino nation" after he wrestled the welterweight title from Cotto.

"Once again, Filipino grit and determination triumph over odds. May this serve an inspiration to the entire Filipino nation, especially the youth, that there is no limit to our capacity for success for as long as we work hard, put our hearts and focus our minds to achieve our goals," Arroyo said in her statement.

The victory, which followed Pacquiao's stunning second-round knock-out of Ricky Hatton in May, also gave a morale boost to the typhoon-stricken Philippines, said Mayor Joric Gacula of lakeside Taytay town, which was inundated in the September floods.

"It was like a small respite for my townmates and it created a spirit of bonding and a little rest after the series of storms," said Gacula.

He said he paid P72,000 in pay-per-view from his own pocket to show the fight to more than 2,500 residents, mostly flood victims, who packed the town gymnasium.

"The people were very excited. It was like they were not affected by the storm," he said.

In Pampanga, Porac Quarry Association president Mike Tapang also sponsored a pay-per-view live showing of the boxing match, allowing hundreds of eager fans from 15 barangays to pack covered courts in Porac town as early as 7 a.m.

The fans contributed plastic canopies to shield and cover the gymnasium from the rays of the sun, mats were even placed on the floor, and seats were provided to senior citizens who eagerly huddled in front of a large projector screen that was placed by Tapang's staff.

The crowd watched the bout as they munched on biscuits and peanuts, which they washed down with bottled water donated by the owner of a shopping center.

Gelyn Cruz said her husband, a motorcycle taxi driver, left for work before dawn so they could watch the fight with their four-year-old son and neighbors.

"I am really very happy because our idol won again," she said. "I hope he could visit our town so he could help us."

At the Manila bayside international Christmas bazaar, shoppers cheered after a woman made "a very important announcement" over the public address system that Pacquiao had won.

In Zamboanga City, which is at the frontline of anti-terror campaign in the volatile southern Mindanao region, people packed roadside canteens chanting "Manny, Manny!" every time Pacquiao landed punches on Cotto. Many were motorcycle taxi drivers and vendors who emptied the streets during the fight.

Driver Domingo Angeles said he stopped plying his route to watch the bout.

"I wish there would be many more like him who will bring honor to us, and I hope Manny will be able to help the poor people of Mindanao," Angeles said.

In Baguio City, which was hit by massive landslides and floods by another storm early last month, one bookmaker had to return P200,000 to gamblers because not one placed a bet on Cotto.

Southern Davao City's streets were also virtually deserted and Mayor Rodrigo Duterte canceled his regular radio program to watch the fight.

Soldiers also took a rest from chasing rebels to watch in camp gyms.

In Sarangani and General Santos City, home of the Pacman, two welcome parties are reportedly being readied when Pacquiao comes back from Las Vegas.

At Manila's suburban armed forces headquarters, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro and his son took the front seats at the Army gym to watch the fight with thousands of officers and soldiers and their families.

"That's what I call a war!" Teodoro said after the fight. "The tenacity of Manny Pacquiao is really admirable."

"Maganda yung kondisyon ni Manny sa laban nya, malaki ang katawan nya at malakas kahit na medjo malaki sa kanya si Cotto (Manny's body is in good condition for this fight, he's body is well built and very powerful even though Cotto is bigger than him)," Anthony Angeles, one of the viewers, said.

Lynn Poblacion, another Pacquiao fanatic, agreed with Teodoro and Angeles, saying: "Sobrang prepared sya ngayon sa laban na ito and as expected Pacman rules (He's really prepared for this game and as expected, pacman rules!)."

Though Pacquiao won the fight, some people who went to Legazpi Weekend Market in Manila believes that this is not his best fight because Cotto kept on running after the fifth round.

"Yung kalaban kasi niya eh tumatakbo kaya di masyadong maganda yung laban (His opponent kept on running so this wasn't that good fight at all)," said Diego Toredes, a resident in the area.

But on contrary, Jomari Gonzales thinks this is the best fight of Manny because Cotto is bigger than him.

Many of those who watched the fight Sunday believe that Pacquiao's next opponent should be between Floyd Mayweather Jr. or Shane Mosley.

"Mayweather talaga or Shane Mosley na ang dapat makalaban nya (Mayweather or Shane Mosley should be the next contender of Manny)," Toredes said. This was echoed by Angeles, Poblacion, and Gonzales.

Gonzales said Pacquiao can then retire after the next fight and should just concentrate in show business.

On Pacquiao's victory and his love for the country, Toredes said the Pacman has shown that the Filipinos can dominate the boxing world and change the course of boxing history with his seven boxing titles.

"Manny is worth it to be a Filipino hero because he gave all the credit to the Philippines and because of him, we were known in the whole world," Gonzales.

Angeles added that Mayweather and Mosley should think about fighting Pacquiao for the latter is very focus, strong, and is up for everything.

The victory of Pacquiao Sunday made him the greatest boxer of all time, even eclipsing some of the world's best like Muhammad Ali and Henry Armstrong in terms of popularity and number of crowns won in different weight divisions. (Glaiza Jarloc/JMR/With AP/PNA/Sunnex)