Manny Pacquiao, The Godfather of Who?

Manny Pacquiao, The Godfather of Who?

Pinoy pound-for-pound world boxing champ and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao covers the latest issue of international weekly magazine Newsweek, released in the Philippines and in Latin American countries.

Titled as �Pacquiao: The Godfather", this issue features a story of Pacquiao, who is described as the Filipino boxing champ and lawmaker as the �pound-for-pound greatest fighter on earth" and �an almost religious figure, whose following is ecstatically cult-like."

The story, written by Lawrence Osborne, also discussed how Pacquiao rose to popularity and how the international boxing champ spends his time outside the ring.

Osborne recently traveled to Manila and General Santos City to see, for himself, how Pacquiao runs his day. He first met the boxer at the airport, and they shook hands.

Osborne must have thought it was his chance, but in the wink of an eye, Pacquiao, mobbed and surrounded by bodyguards, was gone, in a trail of SUVs.

�If I had amputated my hand, which had just shaken Pacquiao�s, I could probably have sold it to souvenir hunters,� Osborne wrote.

He quoted one of Pacquiao�s aides, who said, �It�s like trying to get lunch with Jesus Christ.�

Osborne knew how big Pacquiao, the fighting congressman, is, and how he had amazingly crossed the boundaries of sports.

�To call Manny Pacquiao a boxer is one of those descriptions that don�t quite fly, like calling Mahatma Gandhi a Hindu lawyer,� he wrote.

Before he knew it, Osborne was watching Pacquiao play �Godfather� to the thousands lining up for his television game show �Manny, Many Prizes,� and around the pool tables of the Pan Pacific Hotel in Manila, and JMix in General Santos City.

In Manila he saw Pacquiao trying his luck against Filipino pool icon Efren �Bata� Reyes who just couldn�t miss a shot, and winning close to P2 million on a different night on the pool table.

In the boxer�s P35 million mansion in General Santos, Osborne found his moment, and heard what he wanted to hear from Pacquiao.

�It�s like being the parent of the whole Filipino people. I fulfill all my promises, unlike most politicians in this country,� Pacuiao told Osborne.

�Did you enjoy the hospital ceremony this morning? Sarangani, the place I grew up, doesn�t even have a hospital, not even one � 500,000 people and no hospital. So I built a hospital. Remember, I don�t need to enter politics. I have all the money I need. I could just be enjoying myself. But I have a duty to the people. I want to set the new example, to change the Philippines.�

Osborne also wrote about Pacquiao�s plans to run for governor in the next local elections in 2013, and then for senator in 2016.