In a place recovering from a tragedy such as Bantayan Island in Cebu, watching Manny Pacquiao fight is a VERY big deal. For them, the match isn’t just a source of entertainment, but also a source of hope and inspiration to have the strength to continue fighting life’s challenges. As much as they want to, unfortunately, many areas still do not have access to basic utilities such as electricity.
For those who have no idea or haven’t been to Bantayan Island in Cebu before, here are some photos to show you how beautiful this island is…
better than Boracay…
Thankfully, through the initiative of PRU LIFE UK, our typhoon Yolanda survivors in Bantayan Island were able to watch Manny Pacquiao fight live for the very first time as they (Pru Life UK) provided them with a FREE live screening of Pacquiao-Mayweather “Battle for Greatness” last May 3, 2015 inside the Sta. Fe Covered court.
Townsmen and people from other islands and communities eagerly flocked to the Sta. Fe covered court early that morning to be one with the country and the whole world to support Manny.
As they entered the venue, people were all given red “GO MANNY” bandanas for them to wear as symbol of their support for Pacman. The vibe was quite festive as people exchanged smiles that were as warm as the summer sun.
There was never a time when I felt I was with a crowd of typhoon victims, of widows nor of orphans… Many times I even did my best to hide my tears because I couldn’t help but feel so much admiration and respect for them. Despite facing poverty and lacking a lot of basic stuff, they still made an effort to be there for Manny Pacquiao.
The Filipino spirit of resilience was strongly felt… And no, I wasn’t with a crowd of victims. I was in the company of REAL FIGHTERS!
And so, all 2,000 of us joined the entire world to watch the People’s Champ against Floyd Mayweather Jr. The crowd was composed of a good mix of people from all walks of life… Men, women, young, old and even expats. But you see, it didn’t really matter because that time, we were all united in heart and mind.
Blow by blow, punch after punch, and one round after another, we would all go ecstatic whenever Manny landed a solid punch on Mayweather. I could tell by their reactions how proud they were of Manny and that he’s someone whom they can truly relate with. As you know, Manny also went through a lot of hardships in life before he became the greatest fighter of our generation.
It was their first time to watch Manny Pacquiao fight LIVE so their reactions were priceless…… I knew I just had to immortalize them.
The scorching heat really didn’t matter as we were all hooked in the match….
And though we were also disappointed with the results (like the rest of the world), I didn’t really feel that the people of Bantayan were THAT sad/depressed or felt like losers after the match because they knew in their hearts who the REAL CHAMPION was.
I personally didn’t really feel that bad about it too. Why? Because Manny showed the world how Filipinos truly are… When we fight, we fight head-on. Full of dignity. We do not run nor hide. We gallantly face challenges with a smile, a lot of heart and with humility.
This, my friends is the mark of a REAL CHAMPION!
Thank you Manny for uniting not only the country, but the entire world! Thank you for giving us hope to carry-on in facing life’s struggles. For being a great role model to every Pinoy fighter and for showing the world what we Pinoys are made of!
Walang susuko, tuloy ang laban! #ForEveryPinoyFighter
Special thanks again to PRU LIFE UK for making this event possible! For more information: www.prulifeuk.com.ph
