18 March 2008 44 views 3 Comments

In this old photo taken during the taping of Manny Pacquiao’s ABS-CBN TV Special at the Lagao Gym on December 2006 (featured in an older post here), GenSan Mayor Jun Acharon gives the champion a Plaque of Recognition.

As with his past wins (and one defeat), Manny “Pacman” Pacquaio will once again be treated to a hero’s welcome by his townmates in General Santos City when he goes home to the Tuna Capital after Holy Week (most likely on Monday, March 24, according to an insider). He’s set to be in Manila by Maundy Thursday where he and his wife Jinky will be met by his sons, and his mother Dionisia who’s flying from Gensan to the big city with baby daughter, Divine Grace.

City Mayor Jun Acharon, in a radio interview yesterday announced that the local government of GenSan is now preparing for arrival honors befitting a World Champion for Manny after wresting the WBC World Superweight Title from Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez via split decision on Sunday, March 16, 2008’s Unfinished Business Bout.

The Mayor will most probably meet Gensan’s most favored son from Barangay Labangal at the Gen. Santos City International Airport before joining him in a motorcade around the city’s major thoroughfares. He also added that if Manny’s brother Bobby (who lost in his March 13 fight versus Urbano Antilon) will be with him at the same flight, then both of them will be accorded honors.

The motorcade will end up at the oval covered court where a short program and press conference await the brothers. Here, Mayor Acharon will turn over to Manny the cash incentive of P30,000 given to homegrown world champs by the city government.

It is not known however, as of this blogging, if the local government will still give sponsor a Victory Dinner for him since other groups in the past volunteered to give the new Super Featherweight Champ that honor. During his last fight in 2007, the municipality of Malungon, Sarangani feted him at their municipal hall, 30 kms away from the Tuna Capital (where cockfight afficionado Manny maintains one of the biggest cock farms in the country with some of the biggest cocks ever raised).

WILL BE POSTING THE HERO’S WELCOME PIX IN GENSAN AT A FUTURE POST. PROMISE.