OUTSIDE LOOKING IN: That crab-mentality again (In defense of Manny)
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 31 Mar 2015
LOS ANGELES, Cal. ? A month from now, Filipino boxing hero Manny Pacquiao will again be carrying the country?s colors when he fights undefeated American Floyd Mayweather Jr. in what is believed to be the biggest and most lucrative fight in the history of boxing.
And, as in the 36-year-old eight-division champion?s previous fights, issues against him cropped up in what could be perceived by many as means to distract him in his bid to crown himself as the ?Greatest Fighter? of this generation, or, perhaps, of all-time.
The Bureau of Internal Revenue, news reaching Pacquiao?s training camp here, is, again, hounding the fighting Sarangani Congressman of his tax case for the nth time since seven years ago. This, upon learning from Forbes Magazine that Pacquiao earned $41.8 million in 2014.
No less than Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares announced that Pacquiao, who paid the government P183.84 million, still had a case pending over alleged non-payment of taxes amounting to P2.2 billion in years 2008 and 2009.
Is this a other example of the Filipinos? shameful crab mentality again? Or, as many think, the dirty politics rearing its ugly head, once more?
Whatever, the recent pronouncement of the BIR, coming after its own announcement that the reigning World Boxing Organization welterweight titleholder as the being the highest tax payer, reviving his tax issues is a bad taste in the mouth, serving as another attempt to unsettle him in his preparations for the May 2 confrontation with the 47-0 win-loss record owner.
Ang tanong ng marami, kasama na rito ang mga Filipino expats, here in L.A., bakit kaya ang gobyerno pa natin ang umuusig sa Pambansang Kamao na sa mahigit na tatlong dekada na at kalahati ay patuloy nag nagbibigay ng karangalan sa bansa at sa katagang Pilipino in the only sport he knows ? boxing?
Sinong opisyal ng gobyerno ang nakakapagbigay ng ganoong karangalan sa ating mahal na bayan, tanong nila? Totong kumikita ng malaki sa Manny, pero ito?y dahil sa nakikipagbasagan siya ng mukha nakikipagbalian ng buto mula sa pagsasanay sa napipintong laban hanggang sa aktuwal na laban.
Why single him out when there are a lot of Fil-foreigners, who we know are earning much, much more than he does. Limpak-limpak na kuwalta ang kinikita ng mga hinaayupak na ito at the expense pa nga ng mga kababayan natin na kung pasuwelduhin nila ay kakarampot.
Marami nga, lalo yung mga saleslady sa mga malls, minimum wage lang pinipirmahan sa payroll pero ang sinusuweldo, kulang. Walang overtime, kahit 12 oras nagtatrabaho. Sampung minuto lang ang ibinibigay para mananghali. Walang snack break. Bawal pa ngang umupo kaya maghapong nakatayo.
Kapag nakalimang buwang nagtatrabaho, tinatanggal para hind imaging regular at makaiwas sa pagbabayad ng bonus, overtime at iba pang benepisyo.
As one of our kababayan, who, since Pacquiao set foot here to pitch camp at the Wild Card Gym, has been shuttling back-and-forth to wherever Manny is training para lamang makita ang ating bayani, kaya daw ayaw na niyang umuwi kahit nami-miss na niya ang pamilya niya ay dahilk sa masasamang balitang lumalabas dito tungkol sa ating bansa.
Ang mga tao sa gobyerno, he added, corrupt lahat. Nakawan nang nakawan mula sa nasa kaitaitasaang puwesto hanggang sa kabababaan. Ang mga senador at kongresista, anya, may pork barrel. Hindi naman tumutulong sa mga naghihirap.
Kapag nagkakaroon ng bagyo, lindol at iba pang kasakunaan, ang mga donasyong galing sa ibang bansa ninanakaw pa. Talaga bang napakasama na ng ating bayan at ng mga Pilipino? Tanong niya.
Samantalang si Manny Pacquiao na maituturing na mukha ng bansa, di kumukuha ng pork barrel at ang itinutulong sa mga nangangailangan ay galling sa kanyang bulsa, siya pang ginigipit.
Maybe, the guy said, it is because of reports that Pacquiao is running for senator in the coming elections. Kaya siya sinisiraan para hindi manalo at sila na lamang ang makapagnakaw sa kaban ng bayan.
Kayo, anong say nyo?
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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