IS VILORIA SNUBBED BY OFFICIALS UPON HIS RETURN IN MANILA?
By Ed de la Vega, DDS
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 24 Nov 2012
Brian Viloria, the kid they called 'Hawaiian Punch' and WBO World Champion as we all know is now the unified flyweight champion, having won the WBA title from Mexican ace Hernan ?Tyson? Marquez last weekend at the LA Sports Arena.
That feat has not been done for many, many years and that alone deserves recognition particularly from the Filipino boxing fans and powers that be in boxing, the media included.
As Filipino boxing champions do, particularly those based abroad, they would fly to Manila to share their victory to their countrymen.
Viloria did just that.
For some reason or another, we were informed by reliable sources that Viloria was not greeted by the powers that be when he arrived in Manila.
While it is true that he arrived at a very ungodly hour (I was told about 3:00am) because the plane probably decided to skip a stop-over in Guam and flew straight from Los Angeles to Manila, there was no reason for anyone in Manila not to organize a ?salubong?, a formal arrival greetings so to speak.
A token representation from the authorities and the media would have been sufficient.
There was no need for long colorful streamers trumpeting his name, nor bouquet of flowers for his wife.
?Basta may sumalubong man lang sana,? as one pundit said (Even a token person would have been okay).
But that did not happen.
Viloria was ignored and that indeed is a crying shame!
The usual arrival greetings that were organized for Nonito Donaire Jr and Manny Pacquiao were glaringly absent. Particularly from the city officials in Manila.
The lack of recognition could have been easily swept under the rug had they organized a ?formal welcome? later on.
But none was done.
Now, why did this happen?
Your guess is as good as mine.
Photo: Viloria arrives in Manila.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ed de la Vega, DDS.
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