SWEET REVENGE SWEET VICTORY

If there is one thing that Manny Pacquiao did (other than winning of course!) was to unite a deeply divided Filipino Nation even for just a moment. The A, B, C, D, E crowd all gathered in front of the TV set to cheer their boxing idol. Even members of the National People's Army, the Moro Islamic liberation Front and the Magdalo group of the Armed Forces were either glued to their TV or listening to the radio and hear what happened to Pacquiao. Every one, from President Arroyo to Ka Roger of the CPP/NPA sent their congratulatory message to Pacquiao for winning the rematch (check the story here).

It was such a sweet moment for every Filipinos (boxing loving and those who are not really a boxing fan) seeing their fellow Filipino avenge his lost ten months ago. Pacquiao was relentless in his assualt againt the Mexican legend Erik Morales, so relentless was he that Morales knelt down before him (literally!) on the 10th round of what was supposedly a 12 round fight. It was Morales first ever knockout.




For country that is in dire need of glory, Pacquiao's victory was truly a great one. You can see that on how the people at Rockwell joined the crowd at Plaza Miranda cheered and jump in jubilation after Pacquiao was declared the winner. It was really a sweet moment to watch that it made me teary-eyed - - and so were many others.

*****

At the expense of being labeled as a "kapuso", hvaing no choice but to watched the fight at ABS-CBN channel, I couldn't also help but give this observation.

ABS-CBN must be in dire need of money. Since ABS-CBN and Solar Sports have the exclusive right to air the fight yesterday. The fight was delayed telecast at ABS-CBN and knowing th captive audience, it was laden with too many commercial. What could have been an at most four hours TV show was was stretched to almost 8 hours! (Reminds me of the Oscars as aired by RPN-9)

At 1:30 p.m. I already received a text message that Pacquiao won on the 10th round by knockout. At 1:30 p.m., ABS just started first round of the Morales-Pacquiao fight. ABS started airing shots from Las Vegas as early as 9 a.m.

But what really caused my eyebrows to raise was the placement of ad of "Pegasus" (yes that girlie bar frequented by corrupt politicians and government officials and ulta-rich guys in Quezon Avenue!) in between the rounds of the fight. On a primetime, ABS placed an ad of Pegasus! Yes, the viewers were pre-dominantly male, but do you really have to place an ad of a girlie bar where quite a number of those who also watched are kids, wives and women!

Shameless isn't it.