(This is an informal transcript of what I remember from Dianne Castillejo’s interview with Manny Pacquaio)
Dianne: Manny, when you retire, how would you want to be remembered by your fans?
Manny: I just want them to remember that without God, there’s no Manny Pacquiao. He is the source of everything I have. I want them to believe that they can achieve their dreams as long as they have a strong faith in God and of course, hard work (tiyaga).
Faith. Everybody knows that Manny is a great boxer. He has been named as the People’s Champ, the Best Fighter. Aside from his talent in boxing, he not only has charm, a singing voice, and good endorsing skills but also, and more importantly, this man has a very strong faith in God. He never fails to pray before his fight and offers his victory to God and to the people who support him.
Humility. Despite his success and fame, he has remained humble. He admitted that he learned humility the hard way. There was a point in his life when he became so proud and he thought he can knock down anybody he’d fight on the ring. It really shattered him when he was knocked down and beaten by his opponent that he almost quit his boxing career.
Perseverance. It’s a good thing Manny didn’t quit. Instead, he pursued his passion. With the help of his trainers, he became better and better. He’s so determined to improve and be the best that he can be that he pushes himself to go beyond his limits. As what his trainer always says, Manny works and trains so hard for each of his fight.
We are so lucky to have a role model like Manny Pacquaio. A real living inspiration to most Filipinos, someone who went from rags to riches. From selling pan de sal, he is now a multi-millionaire, a singer, a congressman, an actor, an international endorser, and of course, the world’s best pound for pound boxer holding 8 titles.
I hope Manny will continue to be an inspiration to us. I admit that I was one of those who didn’t support him in his first quest to become a politician. It’s not because I didn’t believe in his capacity to be a legislator, but because I didn’t want his good name to be smeared with dirty politics. But now, I am glad that he conquered the Congress. I hope he will strive to protect his integrity and will really try his best to serve the people in his own way. With great talent comes great responsibility.
May all of us achieve our dreams with faith, (hard) smart work, and perseverance. Let’s all get inspired by our “Pambansang Kamao” and may he win against Mosley in his fight tomorrow. =)
My Lane 