Manny´s Might

By Gil delos Santos

Once again Manny Pacquiao has placed the Philippines in plinth by dominantly defending his WBO title over the American, Shane Mosley. It repeatedly sends a message that a Filipino can truly conquer the world when they take something seriously. He is a symbol and mere proof that lotto is not always the answer to address poverty.

The elements of success stories are usually linked to education as being hammered by some elders in order to push their children hard into coming to school. In sad cases, some parents even neglect to set themselves as good examples just to beat the odds to get their kids enrolled...making a livelihood out of selling illegal drugs and other evil-ish deeds are bad exposure of influence to the young minds. After a few fortunate school years, diploma is a great pride that could be presented to the happiest parents. Now in the open, those kids become the current alligators of the traffic enforcement agencies if not the corrupt public officials nor the professional corporate thieves, etc.

Not like how Pacmom or Aling Dionesia raised Manny in strict spiritual discipline, Pacquiao remains gracious and pious as he is - the same way years ago when he's got nothing AND this time even surrounded with millions of dollars already. 

Some people say that money changes character. This belief apparently does not apply to the pound for pound king because of his solid foundation molded by correct values. Though the factor of being human spares no one, he manages to avoid finger pointing even under the attack of harsh criticism. Proper parenting always plays the most important role.

In another instance, as I mentally prepare to relinquish my son to launch his own rocket into the Atenean environment, I happen to bump into an article feature written by another parent for the school's newsletter. One point he stresses is the parents´ tendency to become overprotective and over-reactive to their children´s little downfall and challenges that sometimes trigger to lose the parents' composure which is not right. This reminds me of someone very controversial who kept his fugitive son in hiding while the public laughs at her. Parents I believe should let their kids learn their own lessons at some point. Let go!

Same with Mommy Dionesia, when Manny wanted to go out in the open to take his chance in boxing, prayer was the powerful wind beneath his wings, not her overprotection of not letting go. Look which ground his feet are posited now! And while Pacman is not a popular game anymore played by many compared over to Wii, Xbox, or PlayStation games, his identity as a tremendous dot eater will eternally be remembered like how Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao eats up his opponent in the ring, the greatest boxer of all time whose name is already written on history books. A legacy of Filipino skill, willpower, humility, and good character.