The Manny Pacquiao Effect: Is it real?

Props to Manny Pacquiao for a very good fight against the former Golden Boy, Oscar Dela Hoya. He was really amazing, doing pretty much everything he had trained all those gruesome months for! Sometimes, I'm still amazed at how fast and strong he is in the ring. I'm perplexed on how he's able to throw 4-5 punches at a time, NON-STOP. If you're watching the fight via livestreaming, you can't even see his punches because they're just too fast! 

Congratulations Manny Pacquiao! You have proven yourself as one of the best fighters ever in the history of boxing. :) You have given Filipinos someone to be proud of by working your tail off in order to be the best. You have been a source of inspiration. 

You have done your part. However, the bigger question is, have we done ours? 

Have we Filipinos fully grasped the significance of a Manny Pacquiao in our lives? Or does Manny Pacquiao's efforts eventually mean nothing to us, dwindling after the excitement has faded?

Whenever there is Pacquiao fight, the whole country holds its breath. There is no traffic and hardly no crime. Even the military and the militant groups declare truce and stop fighting during this day. Everybody tunes in and cheers for him, in good times or otherwise. 

Pacquiao's victory "will make Christmas for us poor a lot less lonely," fruit vendor Epie Medio said in Cagayan de Oro City (source: Inquirer). He has that effect on the poor because they know they can relate to the boxer. Manny rose from poverty through boxing. He knew what it was like not to eat for a day. He sold donuts in the streets of General Santos city in order to have money to help feed his parents and 5 siblings.

And it's not just the poor. Every Filipino sees him as a source of inspiration, a glimmer of hope. "It was like David slaying Goliath" (source: Inquirer). Everyone stops what they're doing and cheers for him. Here is a man who rose through poverty and is constantly battling in order to remain a symbol of the "I can overcome any hardship" nature of the Filipino spirit... 

...only during fight day, and maybe a few days after that. But what happens after that?

After the hoohaa of the Pacquiao fight, the crime rate goes back to normal. In fact, crime rate actually increased in 2007, during the period where Pacquiao had sensational wins vs. Barrera and Morales (source: NSCB). As much as Pacquiao has been a source of inspiration among everyone on fight night, his hardships and wins have not been enough to make people change for the better.

Corruption still runs rampant in the government. Corrupt politicians are not being punished for all their crimes. Drug Lords and syndicates are still free and still get to do whatever they want. The worst part about it is, these people are actually using Manny's fame and success for their own selfish gains.

The best example to illustrate this would be this guy beside him, Governor Chavit Singson.

This guy should be in jail (actually, I'd rather have him dead.). He was involved in a lot of gambling scandals. He ratted out the former president of the Philippines, Joseph Estrada, because he was apparently cut off from the profits from illegal gambling. Instead of being implicated, he was given pardon by the new President for his assistance in impeaching Joseph Estrada. 

He was the guy who ran for Senate afterwards, and actually said in one interview that ALL it took to win an election was a very good political machine. (How about a vision, ideals, and values?! Thank God you did not win) 

Sadly, he's ringside in all of Manny's fights. And he's actually made millions from betting for Manny, riding in his success. And he's not the only one. Bookees have told me before that the betting odds for Pacquiao lower a few days before fight night because all the Senators, Congressmen, Governors, Mayors and even the Low Ranked Officials place in their bets (sometimes in millions of pesos) which they've probably gotten illegally. If only that money was used to help the millions of poor people crowding in front of the television sets, hoping someday they can be like Pacquiao. Sadly, winnings from Pacquiao fights only go back to the filthy pockets and not to those who need it most.  

As much as I want to believe Manny Pacquiao has changed the Filipino people for the better, it appears nothing has changed. We are still a divided people. Wars against the NPA and the muslim groups still occur. Crimes are still happening, corruption is still rampant. People are still poor and struggling.

The world pauses to watch Manny Pacquiao, if only to escape the harsh life we Filipinos are living in. However, sooner or later we have to face reality. 

As much as we do not want to admit it, Manny Pacquiao is not enough. The real fight is within the Filipino people, its struggle to change itself for the better. One man, even if he's the best fighter there is today, is not enough. 

layman