“Manny Pacquiao will be my senator in the 2016 elections,” declared Tagbilaran Mayor Dan Lim.  Lim issued the statement after spending time with the Filipino pound-for-pound great last week.  The mayor said that Pacquiao has all the qualities of a leader that he is looking for.  “He is dedicated, humble, determined and sincere,” Lim said.  The mayor said he wants Pacquiao to run in the 2013 senatorial derby but he can wait for 2016 if the National Fist desires to serve for another term as congressman.  Lim declared that if only Pacquiao were qualified, he would top the senatorial race hands down next year.  The only hitch is that the 30-year-old Pacquiao will still be ineligible.  Going by the same logic, Lim said that if only Pacquiao were eligible in the 2016 polls, he would make a good presidential candidate.  Lim brushed aside doubts about the boxer's ability and fitness for the position.  “I don't think anybody would doubt his dedication, his humility, his determination and his sincerity,” the mayor added.  He anticipated that the only weak spot in Pacquiao's credentials would be his educational qualifications. 

Lim however argued that the world's 6th richest athlete is pursuing his Business Administration degree at Notre Dame University at present and is expected to graduate in 2011.  The mayor revealed that Pacquiao has plans to take up Law after finishing his baccalaureate degree.  “I have no doubts that he will not only become a lawyer but a good one when the time comes,” Lim, himself a mayor, declared.  The mayor said that Pacquiao gives the same dedication and commitment to his studies as he does to his boxing training.  Lim also noted that the holder of a record six world crowns in different weights has a sharp mind contrary to the beliefs of many who look down on him.  “His native intelligence will make him catch up with the lost years in school,” he added.  The mayor said he is impressed with Pacquiao's sincerity and humility in spite of the successes he has achieved. 

Lim also took note that the most popular Filipino athlete adopts the same determination to anything he does.  “Another thing, Pacquiao has the heart that few people have,” he added. Lim said Pacquiao himself pointed out that while there are many good boxers, he beat them all because he has the heart of a champion who is not afraid to get hit to get the job done. “Above anything else, he has the humility to give God the credit for all the good things he has in life,” the mayor noted.  Lim said that regardless of what other people say, Pacquiao always insists he is where he now because of God's provisions.  “God loves to bless people who give Him the glory,” the mayor concluded.

Profile of Pacquiao as a father

It is a wise father that knows his own child. Shakespeare, Merchant of Venice All eyes are on him wherever he goes, but to Manny Pacquiao, one of his priorities in life is to look after his children. Out of the glare of the cameras, Pacquiao is a doting father gushing over his children. “Come to daddy,” the father would mutter every now and then, and each time his children would dutifully oblige. Pacquiao was loose and relaxed on this evening. Showing no signs of jet lag, the National Fist relished the moment with wife Jinkee and children Emmanuel Jr., 8, Michael Stephen, 7, and Mary Divine Grace, 2. The Pacquiao children were billeted at the Bohol Beach Club (BBC) in Panglao, Bohol since Friday and their parents caught up with them Tuesday afternoon, a day after arriving in Manila. Manny and his wife had planned to take a break and bond as a family in Panglao but there was a change in their schedule. Pacquiao was chosen to receive his second straight “Fighter of the Year” award from the Boxing Writers Association of America. His non-appearance could be construed as a snub, prompting Manny and Jinkee to squeeze in the trip to New York. Since he was already in the neighborhood, Pacquiao decided to view the Miguel Cotto-Joshua Clottey fight.

It was no ordinary fight because Cotto is groomed to be Manny's next ring outing. The Pacquiaos arrived in Manila Monday evening and flew to Bohol to rejoin their children in the afternoon of June 16. The Post joined Pacquiao for dinner at his BBC suite with Vice Gov. Julius Caesar Herrera and Tagbilaran Mayor Dan Lim. As it turned out, the night would be a rare display of Manny the father. Now fully adjusted to the life of a celebrity where people dog him wherever he goes, Pacquiao however does not lose sight of his role as a father. “Lahat naman ng paghihirap natin para sa kanila (After all, all our sacrifices are for them),” he remarks to no one in particular. The father hugs his two sons who alternately take their turns for his affection. He then saves the best for last when he takes his little princess into his arms and plants a kiss on her cheeks to go with. Among other things, the conversation drifts to fatherhood, and Manny's eyes lit up immediately. “I want to give them the best education, that's why I send them to the most expensive schools,” he declared what many already know. Manny Pacquiao is now a citizen of the world.

This hardly comes as a surprise for one who is on top of his game. Manny has won the world crown in six different weight categories. To get there, he claimed the scalps of the biggest names to deserve the distinction as the best pound-for-pound boxer of this generation. That night however, Manny had his sights on his children. As though making up for lost time, he regales his listeners the way only a proud father does. “I remember a particular moment when this one (pointing to Emmanuel Jr.) was in the company of his playmates. He refused to eat until he was sure his partner had eaten,” he said.