South Leyte to invite Pacquiao as guest on opening day for 49th Provincial Anniversary

By BONG PEDALINO (PIA Southern Leyte)
June 3, 2009

MAASIN CITY  –  Fans of Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao in this city and the entire province of Southern Leyte may have the chance of their life to see in person their idol on June 26, the opening day for this year’s anniversary celebration on July 1.

At the Provincial Development Council (PDC) meeting Tuesday morning at RK Kangleon Function House presided by Gov. Damian Mercado, City Mayor Maloney Samaco moved to pass a resolution requesting the presence of Pacquiao for the Inter-town Boxing Competition at the Capitol Sunken Garden in the evening of June 26.

Aside from viewing the boxing bouts, the southpaw boxer was also invited to grace the provincial derby, which is being scheduled to be held on the same June 26 evening.

Copies of the resolution will be definitely sent to the Pacman’s camp, and it was not known yet whether he can make it if his schedule permits.

Other activities during the day for the opening salvo on June 26 will be a province-wide cycling competition, which would take off at seven in the morning, and the blessing of the newly-finished Legislative Building by nine, also in the morning.

By three o’clock in the afternoon, an anniversary walk will be held, wherein participants will hike from the Anatalio Gaviola Public Plaza in the city’s center up to the capitol building, a distance of about three kilometers.

Tickets will be duly distributed after the walk, and door prizes will be given to those whose names will be taken from the “tambiolo”, the prizes ranging from several kilos of rice to appliances, among others.

Provincial Board Member Jason Calva, the chairman of the steering committee, presented an overview of the activities that can be expected for this year’s anniversary celebration.

At the start of his presentation, he had hinted for the province to invite Manny Pacquiao as guest on June 26 for the boxing competition and provincial derby.

And before he ended the rundown of activities, he had asked that a resolution be passed for the mentioned purpose, in which Mayor Samaco, chairman of the City Sports Council and a sports enthusiast himself, readily took the floor and sponsored the needed resolution, unanimously carried.