SOTW: Pac-Man is in the Heart

A special and quick shout-out to our fellow kababayan and newest international boxing champion, Manny "Pac-Man" Pacquiao, for his win last night against Golden Boy, Oscar de la Hoya. A fight that promoters touted as the Dream Match, the face-off at MGM Grand last night was so powerful that it packed a punch felt as far as Metro Manila, Philippines -- with the city reporting its lowest levels of crime and a significant drop in street traffic during the fight's telecast.

As much as I hate spectacles of brown-on-brown violence, I also recognized the deep love and admiration that both boxers had for each other (despite and perhaps because of the controversy surrounding Pacquiao's renege on signing as a Golden Boy fighter back in 2006). At the end of 8 rounds, Pacquiao hugged de la Hoya and stated, "You're still my hero". De la Hoya lovingly replied, "No, you're my hero" (cue tender guitar strums a la Brokeback Mountain score).

In a serendipitous series of events, I happened to purchase Filipino rock band, Rivermaya's, 2006 Greatest Hits CD earlier yesterday morning. I finally stopped at one of the kiosks in the middle of Eagle Rock Plaza (aka Virtual Manila since it caters to the city's Pinoy enclave with food chains such as Jolibee, Chow King, Goldilocks, and even a Bench clothing store) and directly in front of Asian grocery store, Seafood City (where I would later purchase a 12-pack of San Mig Lite for last night's main event screening).

As I popped the CD collection of pop, folk rock, and alternative rock songs into my car's player, an anthemic-sounding nearly acoustic melody filled the front seat with these lyrics from "Posible" (Rivermaya former frontman, Rico Blanco's, composition for the Philippine team during the 2005 Southeast Asian Games):

Sulong (Uphold, continue onward)

Laban Pilipino! (Fight, Filipino)
Pakinggan sa iyong puso (Listen to your heart)
Ang sigaw na dating bulong (The shout that used to be a whisper)

Posible! (It can be achieved)

To Manny Pacquiao, the David that persevered in the midst of boxing's Goliath.

To Filipinos, who continue to survive everyday with a song and a smile.

To any person who faces what seems to be the insurmountable - Posible! -
(CBB)