Manny Pacquiao, the politician, the commercial endorser, the actor, and the WBO Welterweight World Champion (Super Champion), who is currently rated as the “number one” pound-for-pound best boxer in the world by most sporting news and boxing websites, offered me ketchup for my omelet in a one-on-one breakfast date, July 3, 2001.
Manny Paquiao has been blessed with a lot because he deserves it. Before his career went uphill, he lost to a Thailander (forgot his name) and came home defeated and practically almost had no chance to regain his career.
My two “big brothers,” one a movie producer in the local entertainment business and the other, the son of the former local boxing legend “Flash Elorde” were proponents in reawakening the career of Manny Pacquiao and they weren’t wrong. Manny Pacquiao has shown promise and what he needed was just another shot at it. And he did not fail them. He made it.
I met Manny on two occasions. One was when he was introduced to me by the two big brothers that I mentioned above, on the premise of planning for his first movie. The first one was in a restaurant near a local television network, along with the owner of the restaurant, myself, and my ex-boyfriend.
The second one was that day, July 3, 2001—breakfast in a hotel in Manila (a one-on-one), to talk about his life as a boxer that may be important details to develop the storyline of the film we were supposed to do that time. We both ate the same breakfast, an American omelet and buttered toast, coffee for me, and juice for him. He offered me ketchup for my omelet and to my surprise, even poured a good amount of it on my plate. I met Jinky, his wife (whom I knew that day was one of the twins), after Manny and I ate breakfast when Jinky came down from their room.
The movie did not push through because all of a sudden, all of us became busy with separate projects and Manny had to continue training.
Lapse of time . . .
Manny was already flocked by lots of people who helped him on his way up. My two big brothers became proud and happy for Manny and let him go on. But as I’ve been told, after every fight thereafter, Manny Pacquiao, despite having met a lot of people, has always sent feelers to look for my big brothers with the intentions of a rejoinder; a lunch perhaps, or a dinner at least.
This only proves one thing: Manny Pacquiao has always kept his feet on the ground and has never been swayed by fame and fortune. He knows how to look back . . .
I was told that we may meet with him again in the near future . . . who knows?
Maybe the world champ will still pour ketchp on my plate for another round of American omelets soon.
To Manny Pacquiao, congratulations. It is a well-earned and well-deserved victory . . . as always. And good luck as all the prayers of the Filipino people join you on your next fight with Juan Manuel Marquez for the third time on Saturday, November 12, 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Win or lose, you have already made the Filipinos proud and inspired.
