ALBERT PAGARA SAYS SORRY TO MAASIN CITY FANS
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 19 Oct 2015
"Prince" Albert Pagara successfully knocked his Nicaraguan opponent out in the sixth round of the initial ALA Boxing Promotions offering in the United States. The country rejoiced as the aspiring young boxing star made a sensational stoppage of the grizzled foe to win the World Boxing Organization intercontinental junior featherweight title during the Pinoy Pride 33rd edition in Carson City, California last Sunday (Philippine time).
But the Maasin City fans where Albert was born and grew up in Barangay Lib-og were all astonished when ring announcer Jimmy Lennon, Jr. announced that Albert Pagara was from Cebu City. Albert has been using Maasin City, Southern Leyte in all his professional fights. Of course we were expecting that the sweet mention of his birthplace be shouted by the announcer during the introduction. But we were surprised when it was Cebu City, Cebu instead of Maasin City, Southern Leyte.
Viewers in Maasin City were disgusted and although he won impressively, some of us were not so happy with the victory. Comments were made in Facebook. I congratulated Albert but said were so sad that Cebu was used instead of Maasin City.
No offense meant to my good friend Mayor Michael Rama of Cebu City.
Some were asking could it be because "Maasin is a small city compared to Cebu which is more popular that it was not used as Albert's address?" These are just speculations.
Later Albert posted in his Facebook account that he was so sorry for the incident and he did not know about it. His FB post dated October 18, 2015 at 1:57 P.M.
"salamat kaau sa manga fans ug sori kaau sa taga maasin city kay dli jud ako nagbotang ato sayop lang to sila mayor MaloneyChona Samaco sori kaau sila rai nag boot ug botang ato sori." ( I thank all the fans and sorry to all people of Maasin City because I was not the one who placed it. They committed an error mayor MaloneyChona Samaco [my FB account] so sorry. It was their decision, again sorry.)
Maasin City government promoted five of Albert's fight in Maasin City and spent more than a million pesos in total amount in those boxing cards just to let our people see our "ni?o bonito" fight in person. He has been using his birthplace as his address in his professional fights.
Maasin City residents are die hard supporters that is why we let "Maasinhon Trio" won as Grand Winner of the Pilipinas Got Talent 3 of ABS-CBN through our text brigade. We are so steadfast with our support to Albert which made us sad when a sudden change in address was announced.
Maasin people were disgusted when our basketball pride " El Presidente" Ramon Fernandez used Cebu City as his address. The mayor at that time Mayor Edgarino Espina confronted with Fernandez. He corrected it later to Maasin, Southern Leyte in all his documents and press releases.
Another PBA stalwart and Olympian Joaquin "Jake" Roxas has been using Maasin address through and through. And so does our national tennis sensation Ringo Navarrosa.
Albert would even tease his elder brother Jason that he should not be included in the hero's welcome because he is from Cagayan de Oro. But we still invite Jason in Maasin because his mother is from our city and we offered to give him recognition.
Anyway there is always a next time. And I told the people during our Monday flag raising ceremony that Albert has already apologized.
A motorcade will still be made in Maasin City as a hero's welcome. We still love him inspite of the incident. We will let him talk to our people personally. We wish him good luck in his next fight, especially in his quest for the world title. We will still be with the "Prince" when he becomes a "King."
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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