TOO COSTLY: 20 CONGRESSMEN PLANNING TO WATCH PACQUIAO FIGHT LIVE
MANILA, NOVEMBER 4, 2009 (STAR) Lawmakers and other public officials planning to watch live the much-awaited bout between Filipino boxing champ Manny Pacquiao and Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto in Las Vegas should be sensitive to the plight of Filipinos still reeling from the devastation caused by the recent severe weather disturbances, a Palace spokesman said yesterday.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo issued the statement following reports that at least 20 congressmen are expected to watch the fight that could cost thousands of dollars per head depending on the air fare and hotel accommodations.
She said the Palace is joining the rest of the people in wishing Pacquiao victory over his opponent.
Pacquiao is slated to challenge Cotto for the latter’s World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight belt on Nov. 15 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Fajardo said she was not aware of any member of the Cabinet watching the fight. It was not also clear whether First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, a huge Pacquiao fan, would go to Las Vegas.
“I think they (lawmakers and other public officials) are mature and responsible individuals and they know what their priorities are, like pending bills,” she said. “They should know if they have to leave the country or not.”
“We can support Manny Pacquiao in other ways. We don’t need to go there (Las Vegas) to give our moral support,” she said.
Fajardo said their respective constituents would be the first to judge the actions of their representatives.
“I’d like to believe that they should be sensitive, especially with regard to their constituents, especially that the elections are approaching,” she said.
She stressed that unlike Cabinet officials, members of Congress are not required to seek permission from Malacañang when traveling abroad.
“Everyone also has the right and to go abroad and to watch Manny Pacquiao if they want to. For as long as they do not neglect their work here or in their respective agencies,” she said.
“I’m not saying they should stay. As I said it is their decision, not ours,” she said.
“But we just wish Manny Pacquiao well and we’re praying for him. We hope that he knows that his countrymen are all supporting him,” Fajardo said. – Paolo Romero
NOGRALES IN WASHINGTON MEETING WITH PELOSI, OTHER US LAWMAKERS
(STAR) By Jess Diaz - Speaker Prospero Nograles will most likely watch the World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight fight between Manny Pacquiao and Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto fight in Las Vegas, Nevada middle of this month.Nograles is now in Washington for meetings with his United States counterpart, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and other American lawmakers.
Before he left last weekend, the Speaker said he would be back in time for the resumption of session on Nov. 9.
In the past, Nograles justified his personal presence in all of Pacquiao’s fights.
He said he is a big fan of the Filipino boxing champion and he considers himself part of Team Pacquiao.
The Speaker is from Davao City, while Pacquiao was from General Santos before he moved to Sarangani province, where he plans to seek a congressional seat in the May 2010 elections.
If Nograles would be back for the resumption of session on Monday as he promised, other congressmen who are vacationing in the US and have planned to watch the Pacquiao-Cotto match are not expected to return until after the fight.
This scenario could pose a dilemma to House leaders since their chamber could again face the recurrent problem of lack of quorum.
Scores of House members are in the US and elsewhere in the world, mostly on vacation.
Before Nograles and three or four congressmen-companions left for the US, a group of four or five House members traveled to Geneva, Switzerland for an International Parliamentary Union (IPU) conference.
An equal number of secretariat officials led by Secretary General Marilyn Yap accompanied the IPU delegation.
From Geneva, Yap was scheduled to make a side trip to Paris, France and Los Angeles, California.
Sorsogon Bishop: Just watch on TV
Some religious leaders are opposed to lawmakers and government officials traveling to the US to watch Pacquiao’s fights.
In fact, a Catholic bishop yesterday urged politicians, who intend to go to Las Vegas and watch the fight on Nov. 15, to scrap such plans as the country is still reeling from the devastation brought about by the successive severe weather disturbances.
Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes suggested that government officials should just watch the Pacquiao-Cotto fight on television.
“What are they going to do there, enjoy themselves? To think that many of their constituents are hungry and impoverished because of the recent calamities. That’s an immoral thing. These politicians have no conscience,” Bastes said in an interview over Church-run Radio Veritas.
“Why do they have to go to America when they can just watch the fight on TV. The money that will be used for their travel will be coming from public funds. They should keep themselves busy on helping those who were affected by the calamities,” Bastes stressed. — Helen Flores, Dennis Carcamo
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
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