There, indeed, is a sumptuous buffet of stories revealing some surprising aspects of Manny Pacquiao’s life that inspire parents and fans alike to emulate.
One is his being a trough and through family man.
With what he aimed for in his first week of sweating it out already attained, the Filipino ring sensation afforded himself a day off last Saturday to spend two days with his family.
Pacquiao, who is currently in deep preparation for his coming fight with Austraslian Jeff Horn, called off his training schedule and instead joined wife Jinkee and five children – Jimuel. Michael, Princess, Queenie and Israel in a brief vacation in the world-class Pico de Loro Beach Resort in the coastal town of Nasugbu in Batangas.
“Jinkee and the children have been in Batangas the past week na at siyempre na-miss ko na sila,” the reigning three-time World Boxing Organization welterweight champion told spin.ph in a phone interview that same day.
“Naging maganda naman ang naging training ko the past five days so I decided to call it a day muna today (Saturday),” the eight-division belt-owner reasoned out.
Pacquiao, the first and only man to capture the world crown in the flyweight, super-bantamweight, featherweight, super-featherweight, lightweight, junior welterweight, welterweight and super-welterweight, added his former Sarangani Vice Gov,. wife and children were actually with him when he flew to Manila from General Santos City two weeks ago when the Philippine Senate resumed session.
“Isinama na ni Jinkee pagluwas namin kasi school break naman. When I started training, I told them to take a vacation kaya nagkahiwalay na naman kami,” he explained. “By June pasukan na naman sa school and they’ll back in the province. Malulungkot na naman kami pare-preho. Naisip ko magsama-sama na muna kami habang may panahon pa bago mag-seryoso ang ensayo.”
Pacquiao’s closest aides were surprised by the sudden change of schedule.
“Friday evening lang nang mag-decide na pumunta ng Batangas although a few days pa he insinuated to us na baka sumunod nga dahil name-miss na nga daw si Ma’m Jinkee at mga bata,” Choi Garcia, the champ’s executive director in his Senate office said.
“Nagulat nga kami. Naghahanda na kami ni Buboy punta gym nang sabihing sa Batangas kami tutuloy,” assistant trainer Roger “Haplas” Fernandez, for his part narrated. “Ganyan naman talaga sI Bos, kapag naalaala ang mgxa bata, biglang magyaya kahit saan sila nandoon.”
Chief security officer Caloy Homo wasn’t that surprised though. “Hindi na ako nagulat. Matagal ko nang kasama si Boss at kilala ko na siya na kapag pamilya, unang pag-u-ukulan niya ng pansin. Kahit gaano ka-importnte ang ginagcawa.”
After Friday’s session, highlighted by 9 rounds of punching the mitts, the former two-term congressman representing the Province of Sarangani, raised his volume in that particular regimen to 37 rounds.
Counting the 30 more rounds with the heavy bag, double end ball and speed ball, skipping rope and shadow boxing and the Pacman would be heading to the second week of his build up program starting Monday logging 76 rounds in that department.
The next phase of the program is to regain his punching power lost in his six months of ring inactivity following his last fight in November last year.
By EDDIE G. ALINEA