BAGUIO CITY - In the city where Manny Pacquiao trained for three weeks for his fight against Miguel Cotto, people cleared the streets and stayed at their homes or anywhere they could watch the satellite feed of his historic victory.
But the wait was more palpable for the summer capital, where Pacquiao trained at the Shape Up Boxing gym in the 129-room Cooyeesan Hotel Plaza.
With Pacquiao’s win over Cotto, international boxing referee Bruce McTavish said the Filipino boxing champion affirmed his status as among the sport's best athletes.
“He is now one of the greatest boxers of all time,” McTavish said in a text message from Shanghai, China.
Hotel employees who attended to Pacquiao and his entourage last month each contributed P20 to watch the live telecast of the match, said Lian Florendo, the hotel's front desk supervisor.
“He was nice. He was approachable. No one here expected him to lose. We sat [through the under card matches before the fight] because we were all waiting for Cotto to fall flat on the mat,” she said.
One of the employees said people shouted and even laughed when Cotto's bloodied face was flashed on screen.
Florendo said: “The laughter was not meant to be cruel. We just knew [Pacquiao] would beat any odds.”
The employees, including Dixon Trajano, the hotel's assistant general manager, had reserved two of the hotel's four function rooms to watch the event. Many of the employees who were on duty took turns slipping in and out of the function rooms.
“I was on duty myself and I managed only to catch the last part. I think it was 1:45 p.m. here when Cotto finally surrendered,” Florendo said.
When asked, Florendo said they were not told whether Pacquiao had promised to return to Baguio City and see them. “But we all expect him to return. The employees are ecstatic,” she said.
Taxi driver Ali Makawali said he ferried his last passenger at 11 a.m. to enable him to rush home to watch the fight.
His radio was tuned in to a local station feeding live reports, while he exchanged jibes with fellow drivers with whom he placed bets.
“Dapat ipangalan natin kay Pacquiao e 'Suyod,' hindi Pacman. Para patayin si Cotto (We should call Pacquiao 'lice-removing comb' and not Pacman. So he can kill Cotto [a reference to kuto, Filipino term for lice]),” Makawali said.
Makawali said he often took passengers to Burnham Park in the mornings when Pacquiao trained in the city because they all wanted to catch him there. Pacquiao occasionally jogged around the Burnham Lake, often engaging fellow joggers in a chat while photographers hounded him.
Near the lake at around 3 p.m., many of the park's visitors were still watching the delayed telecast of Pacquiao's bout.
Members of the Nanglihan family sat near the lake to watch the fight through their mobile phone.
Although news about Pacquiao's victory was already being broadcast over radio, the family continued watching.
In Benguet, Pacquiao's victory was welcome news to the storm-battered town of Kibungan.
Access to Kibungan is still difficult because of a damaged bridge and road cuts, but its residents at the poblacion (town center) were able to watch the fight live through cable television pay-per-view sponsored by the municipal government.
“It was good our power supply was restored. Otherwise, many would complain if they failed to watch the fight,” said Kibungan Mayor Benito Siadto.
In Batanes, hundreds of Ivatans in the capital Basco town watched the fight live through cable television, paid for by a local businesswoman.
“Ang galing ni Jesus at ang galing ni Pacquiao (Jesus and Pacquiao are both great),” said Guillermo Ponce, 6, who said he prayed that Jesus Christ would bless Pacquiao so the champion could win the bout.
In Pampanga, Monsignor Damaso Jingco, parish priest of the Our Lady of Pillar parish in the City of San Fernando, noted that few Catholics attended the 8:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday due to the fight.
“Hindi man lang nakalahati ang mga upuan (Not even half of the pews were occupied),” Jingco said before the end of the Mass.
Still, he asked the devotees to pray for Pacquiao's victory.
Ruben Cabigting, 63, bought souvenir shirts sold at a Pampanga shopping mall after watching the fight.
“I will bring these shirts to my friends in the US so they will know how amazing Pacquiao is,” Cabigting said.
In Isabela, at least 3,000 people stomped their feet and erupted in cheers in Gamu town as Pacquiao was declared winner.
“Piyesta na naman (It is fiesta time again),” Dominador Amigo, 29, of Upi village said.
In Nueva Ecija, Celso de Asis, 57, a tricycle driver in Cabanatuan City, joined hundreds of tricycle drivers watching the fight at the gym of the Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology.
“Many tricycle drivers stopped ferrying passengers to watch Manny fight. Never mind that we didn't earn as we really enjoyed Manny's victory. He is the best fighter in the world,” De Asis said in Filipino.
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