HOUSE SETS HERO'S WELCOME FOR PACMAN / PACQUIAO ARRIVES FRIDAY
MANILA, NOVEMBER 19, 2010 (STAR) By Paolo Romero - Colleagues of world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao in the House of Representatives led by Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. are preparing a hero's welcome for him when he reports for work in the chamber on Monday.
An Waray Rep. Florencio Noel, chairman of the House committee on accounts, said Belmonte instructed him and You Against Corruption and Poverty (YACAP) party-list Rep. Carol Jayne Lopez to organize the event and involve all House members and employees of the chamber.
Pacquiao, representative of the lone district of Sarangani, would be conferred on Monday his second Congressional Medal of Distinction after the House approved Belmonte's resolution giving the honor to the boxing icon.
"We are preparing a hero's welcome for our people's champion, a welcome that he deserves. It's the first time that we have a colleague who is an eight-time world boxing champion," Noel told reporters.
After the session, Belmonte will host a victory dinner at the spacious rear foyer of the main building of the Batasang Pambansa complex.
He said the House is not spending much as each lawmaker is contributing at least P1,000 to pay for the expenses. Some have contributed a higher amount while others also promised to bring lechon and other kinds of food.
FROM MANILA TIMES SPORTS
PACQUIAO HEADING HOME BY EDDIE G. ALINEA SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT (MANILA TIMES)
LOS ANGELES: Filipino ring idol Manny "PacMan" Pacquiao, fresh from winning his eighth world boxing title in as many divisions, flies back to Manila on Thursday (Friday in Manila).
Pacquiao, who five days ago demolished Mexican-American Antonio Margarito to capture the World Boxing Council super welterweight title at Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, leaves on board Philippine Airlines Flight 103 with wife Jinkee and the rest of Team Pacquiao.
The Pacquiao party is expected to arrive in Manila at 6:15 a.m. of Sunday after a brief stopover in Guam.
A hero's welcome awaits Pacquiao when he sets foot at the Ninoy Aquino Centennial 2 International Airport.
Pacquiao has been staying at Los Angeles since enplaning here Sunday night, and had undergone and passed physical check-up to determine damage inflicted on his body by the power-punching Margarito.
He, in fact, will perform at his scheduled concert on Tuesday at Lake Tahoe after receiving a clean bill of health from his physicians.
Pacquiao, an elected congressman for Sarangani province, said that he is eager resume his tasks as a lawmaker in the service of his constituents.
"Matapos kong mapaglingkurang muli ang ating bansa and mga kababayan sa pamamagitan ng pagiging boksingero ko ay balik naman ako sa pagse-serbisyo ko sa aking mga kalalawigan sa Saranggani bilang kinatawan nila sa Mababang Kapulungan ng Kongreso [After performing my task for our countrymen through boxing, I will now return to serving my constituents in Sarangani province as an elected member of the House of Representatives]," Pacquiao said during a brief telephone conversation on Wednesday night.
"I would like to extend my deepest thanks to all our countrymen who continued praying for my success in what I consider as the toughest fight in my boxing career," he added.
He also thanked God for giving him what it takes to beat a strong opponent in Margarito, and that his opponent is on the way to recovery from the injuries sustained in their fight.
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