HAPPY 37TH BIRTHDAY CONG MANNY PACQUIAO!
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 17 Dec 2015
Emmanuel "Manny" Dapidran Pacquiao was born December 17, 1978 (eight days before Christmas) in Kibawe, Bukidnon to Rosalio Pacquiao and Dionesia Dapidran-Pacquiao. Today he will be celebrating his 37th birthday.
Emmanuel signifies "God with us" (Matthew 1:23), and is the name of the child predicted in Isaiah 7:14: "Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel."
He was born poor, failed to finish school due to extreme poverty, and became a professional boxer to earn a living. The best Asia-Pacific boxer ever, Pacquiao was the second highest paid athlete in 2015 next to Floyd Mayweather, according to Forbes Magazine.
Pacquiao was named "Fighter of the Decade" in the 2000s by the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA), World Boxing Council (WBC) and World Boxing Organization (WBO). He was also declared a three-time The Ring and BWAA "Fighter of the Year," winning the award in 2006, 2008, and 2009, and the Best Fighter ESPY Award in 2009 and 2011.
He is currently ranked number seven on the prestigious Ring and the longest reigning top-10 on the pound-for-pound list. BoxRec names him as the greatest Filipino fighter of all-time. He was the longest-reigning Ring pound-for-pound king until 2012 when he lost to Juan Manuel Marquez.
He has won eleven world championships, one minor title, in eight weight divisions, including four lineal titles, which was never equalled in world boxing history. The world title belts were: WBC flyweight champion, IBF superbantamweight champion, WBC superfeatherweight champion, WBC lightweight champion, WBO welterweight champion,WBC lightmiddleweight champion, IBO lightwelterweight champion, lineal flyweight champion, The Ring featherweight champion, The Ring superfeatherweight champion, and The Ring lightwelterweight champion.
Twice elected as Representative of Sarangani, Pacquiao filed his certificate of candidacy as a senatorial candidate for the May 9, 2016 national elections. As of the latest Pulse Asia survey, he ranked No. 7 and highest among first time senatoriables.
Pacquiao declared he has a new opponent in the Senate and that is poverty. He said he will be the "fists of the poor" as a Senator, where he would be their champion. Among the other programs that he would give priority, if given the chance to serve in the Senate, are free public education up to the college level, and the welfare of the overseas Filipino workers.
Peace in Mindanao would be another top agenda if elected, and he would also support the farmers and work to provide them incentives and subsidies. As an athlete he said he would put a sports development reform program in place.
Pacquiao promised he would be not be an absentee senator. "I will not be absent because the whole country would be my responsibility," said the fighting solon who will retire from boxing and will engage in his farewell fight on April 9, 2016.
Happy Birthday Congressman Manny Pacquiao and Good Luck!
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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