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MANILA, Philippines - We didn’t need to know the exact address of the gym where Manny Pacquiao was training that Saturday afternoon, two weekends ago. The phalanx of big vehicles―big as in VIP-big―parked on the roadside was sufficient marker. Seeing the battleship of a Dodge parked right in front of the gym, we presumed that was the champ’s car and that the champ was indeed inside.

The afternoon was so hot and humid you knew it would rain in a bit. Inside the Wildcard boxing gym in BF, Parañaque, you found no refuge from the heat outside. Worse, you felt like you were packed with bodies that were coming to a boil in a cauldron. Peeking into one small air-conditioned room, we espied Macy Pineda, our longtime PR friend who’s the wife of Eric, now Pacquiao’s close-in associate (thank God for connections). It was Macy who talked Pacquiao into doing Playtime.
In the room with Macy were Pacquiao’s wife Jinky and Jinky’s identical twin sister, and Pacquiao’s mother who wore what looked like post-operation glasses that wrapped around her temples.

Macy led us by the hand to the next room, also cramped. There, in the mesh of bodies, you couldn’t make out the head of the champ. Another strong tug from Macy and we were face to face with Pacquiao. He was in a white shirt with pink stripes (a Banana Republic, we’d learn later) and denim pants.

We shook his hands. They were noticeably soft and smooth. Are these the hands of a boxer? Or is that a clueless question?

We were there not to talk about boxing because we’re not from Sports, we told him, but from Lifestyle. That was when his face broke into a grin, as if he was glad―or relieved―that boxing wasn’t the agenda.

We noticed there were numbers or letters―they were too small to be legible―tattooed on both his hands. We would learn later what they were.

Before Playtime could get on track, a woman, apparently from his entourage, kept on shoving before him phone bills to sign, and later during the lull in the interview, some checks. Each time, he would ask her and scrutinize the documents. The champ is learning.

He was telling the guys around him how happy he was that his mom could see again, after her eye surgery. So that explained those huge glasses. He had the same surgery done on another old friend, he said, and she could see again also.

Pacquiao seems like a simple, ordinary guy―no airs or affectations. Yet, as apparent in this Playtime, he has what our staffer called “native intelligence.” What he didn’t have the chance to learn from books, he learned from daily existence.

You suspect he learned a sizeable part of it from recent celebrity existence. After all people know how he’s been taken advantage of many times.

He loves playing chess and has many hobbies. After Playtime, he wanted so much to play chess to kill time, so that his aides had to send out for a set from a nearby bookstore. He wanted us to grab a bite before leaving so he sent out for food as well. We ate merienda as he focused on chess.

Amid all this, two old women entered the room to greet and hug Pacquiao. They wept unabashedly as they said how much they wanted to see him, ticked off the places they went to just to get a glimpse of him. Pacquiao must have been used to such adulation by now―he acted so.

When we left he was losing in chess. But then he has already won many a match of a lifetime, and will still do.

Gaano katagal ka nagte-train araw-araw?

Three hours.

Kailan pumapasok ’yung excitement mo sa laban?

Actually ngayon excited na ako sa fight ngayong June 28.

Ano pa’ng gusto mo sa buhay, parang nagawa mo na lahat?

Nag-aaral ako ngayon.

Anong pinag-aaralan mo ngayon?

Management, sa Gen San (General Santos City).

Ano’ng pakiramdam mo ngayong nag-aaral ka?

Happy ako. Feeling ko para ako’ng teenager na estudyante.

Ano’ng year ka na?

Mag-second year na.

Hindi ba natatakot sa ’yo mga teacher mo?

Hindi, mababait sila lahat.

Parang ordinaryong estudyante ka, ganun?

Hindi, separate ako eh, separate ako sa mga estudyante.

So one-on-one, solo?

Oo.

So nagbabasa ka ng libro, you do your homework?

Oo, lahat.

What else do you want to learn?

Gusto kong makakuha ng degree, maka-graduate ng Management para ma-manage ko nang husto yung kinita ko.

Sino ba’ng idol mo? ‘Di ba si Elorde na-manage niya ‘yung kinita niya?

Oo, kasi ang nagma-manage nun ‘yung biyenan nya eh.

Eh sa ’yo sino’ng nagma-manage ng kabuhayan mo?

Ako lang. Kaya ako nag-aaral. Ayokong matulad sa ibang boksingero na hindi nag-isip. Iba ako sa kanila. May sarili akong pangarap.

Ano ‘yung pinakamalaki mong pangarap? Ano ‘yung gusto mo pa, sa dami na ng nagawa mo?

Actually ‘di na masyadong malaki ‘yung pangarap kasi ang pinakamalaking pangarap ko sumikat at maging champion. Pangarap kong makapagtapos ng pag-aaral.

‘Yung mga anak mo, papayagan mong maging boksingero?

Siyempre hindi ko papayagan. Maganda na ang buhay nila. Ako nga eh, kung may kaya lang kami sa buhay, aba hindi ako magba-boxing ah.

Paano ka nagre-relax?

Back to training ako ngayon eh. Pag wala akong training nasa Gen San ako nag-aaral every day, Monday to Friday.

Anong subject ang nahihirapan ka?

Wala naman, wala namang subject na mahirap basta naka-focus ka lang.

Sino’ng gumagawa ng homework mo?

Ako. Sa eskuwelahan ko ginagawa. Doon mismo, regular class.

So bahay-eskuwelahan ka lang?

Nine o’ clock ang pasok ko, hanggang 12. Tapos 1:30 to 5.

Ano’ng pahinga mo?

’Pag nasa bahay ako syempre may mga bisita.

Hindi ka ba nahihirapan na wala kang privacy? Kasi kahit sa bahay mo maraming tao, ’di ba?

Kasama ’yan eh, kasama sa tagumpay ’yan.

Balita ko magaling ka daw mag-chess. Ano pa’ng hilig mong gawin bukod sa boxing at chess?

Ang hilig ko basketball.

Saan ka nagba-basketball?

Sa Gen San.

Sino’ng kalaro mo?

Kami-kami lang, brother ko.

Ano pa’ng hilig mo?

Basketball, chess, darts.

Puro sports ah.

Oo.

Ano ‘yan, Manny (pointing to the small tattoos on his hands)?

Guardians.

Member ka niyon? Sila nagpanalo kay Gringo (Honasan) ah, kahit saan organized sila.

Buong Mindanao ako ang chairman sa Guardians.

Gaano katagal ka na Guardians?

Matagal na.

Ano’ng bisyo mo ngayon?

Dati nag-iiinom ako, sugal, pero wala na.

Paano mo hininto ’yun?

Control lang. Bago ka matawag na matalinong tao, sa aking paniniwala, kailangan ma-control mo lahat ng gusto ng katawan mo. Maraming nagsasabi, matalino akong tao pero hindi nako-control ‘yung gusto ng katawan nila. Hindi matalino, bobo ‘yun. Ang matalinong tao nako-control ‘yung gusto nya, ‘yun ang matalino. Hininto ko na ’yung bisyo ko, kaya kong i-control ang sarili ko.

Kanino ka nakikinig? Sino nag-a-advise sa ’yo?

Nagbabasa lang ako ng mga libro. Kung tayo matalinong tao hindi natin kailangan (na may magsabi) kung ano ‘yung mabuti at masama. Alam natin ‘yun, automatic. Kahit mga bata alam kung ano ang masama o mabuti. Hindi natin kailangan (itanong), ano ba ang mabuti, ano ba ang masama? Mabuti ba ito? Alam na natin kaagad yun.

What books do you read?

Iba-iba. ‘Yung “Purpose-Driven Life.” Bible. Parang Bible din ’yun eh, ’yung “Purpose-Driven Life.”

Parang matatag ka na ngayon. Ano’ng epekto sa ’yo pag mayroong bad publicity tungkol sa ’yo? Kung nili-link ka kung kani-kaninong “chicks”?

Alam mo ’yung mga ganyan, pagdadasal ko lang ’yan. Kasi hindi naman ako masisira. ’Yang mga taong naninira, alam nilang naninira lang sila. Hindi ako maaano. Kung baga sa sili, hindi naman sili ’yan para maging maanghang agad ang paghiganti sa kanila. Si Lord na ang bahala. Ako ipagdasal ko sila na sana malaman nila ‘yung ginagawa nila. Masamang maghusga eh.

Nakalimutan mo na iyong pagkatalo mo sa pulitika?

Wala sa isip ko ’yan. Alam mo, in-offer ko ’yung serbisyo ko sa kanila, hindi naman nila tinanggap. Naintindihan ko. Ngayon nga lang busy na ako, ano pa kaya kung nag-serbisyo ako eh di mas lalo na ako’ng busy. Okay lang, nabawasan ’yung trabaho ko. Pero ngayon, sa akin sila lumalapit. Hindi ko lang masabi sa kanila na dapat ilapit niyo kay Darlene (Antonino-Custodio) ‘yan. Pero siyempre alam mo naman, sa akin sila lumalapit. Like our fishing industry, nagkaroon ng malaking problema. Our place is known as the tuna capital. Ngayon wala silang mapag-isdaan kasi hinuhuli na ’yung bangka nila sa ibang bansa. Nagkaroon sila ng problema. Hindi sila tinulungan ni Darlene, ni hindi ng mayor. Ang sinabi sa kanila, maghanap na kayo ng ibang trabaho, huwag na fishing. Tapos sabi sa kanila, kung ayaw niyo dito, eh umalis na kayo dito.

Eh ikaw ano’ng gagawin mo?

Kung ako, gagawin ko lahat ng aking makakaya. Ngayon ginagawa ko pinakiusapan ko si Presidente dahil 70 percent ng livelihood ng Gen San ay fishing. Pag nawala ‘yun, paano na ang Gen San? Wala na. Tinutulungan ko pakiusapan si Ma’am na kung puwede magkaroon ng agreement ‘yung Philippine and Indonesian government. Kumbaga, ginagawa ko’ng lahat para matulungan sila. Pero sila, ano’ng sinabi nila sa mga tao? Magpalit na kayo ng trabaho. Kung ayaw dito, umalis na kayo.

Hindi ka ba nabibigatan ‘pag ang daming taong humihingi sa iyo ng pera o tulong?

Alam mo ang daming bumabanat sa akin pero tinatawanan ko. Sabi ko, sana ma-realize nila, sabi ko, “Lord, ikaw na ang bahala diyan sa kanila. Alam ko namang hindi ka natutulog.”

So hindi ka nabibigatan pag maraming humihingi sa iyo ng tulong, pera? Ano’ng pakiramdam mo?

Hindi naman. Bihira akong tumanggi sa humingi ng tulong sa amin, bihira. Although hindi naman lahat natutulungan ko siyempre kasi ordinaryong (tao) lang ako eh, hindi naman ako gobyerno.

Hindi ka natatakot na mauubos ang kinita mo?

Hindi ko na isa-isahin. Alam ni Lord ‘yan. Kaya mabait sa akin ang Panginoon na magbigay ng grasya dahil hindi ako madamot sa kapwa.

Manny, Lifestyle kami kaya ang mga tanong namin hindi tungkol sa boxing. Ano’ng healthy diet mo?

Mahilig ako sa isda, gulay.

’Pag nagte-train ka ’yun din ang diet mo?

Oo, gulay at isda.

Hindi ka umiinom ng supplements?

Umiinom ako ng vitamins.

Magnesium?

Umiinom din ako ng magnesium pero ang magnesium at potassium―magkasama ‘yan eh―nakapagpapalaki ng katawan. Pang-bodybuilder ’yan. Lalaki ’yung katawan mo, mag-e-expand.

Ano’ng taste mo sa clothes? Saan ka nagsa-shopping?

Kahit saan lang eh. Iba-iba naman. Lacoste. Minsan bumibili akong ordinaryong damit. Basta magustuhan ko, depende sa style.

Saan ka nagha-hang out na bar?

Ngayon wala na, hindi na ako pumapasok sa mga ganyan.

Eh ’di ba mayroon ka daw video sa Embassy?

Matagal na ’yun.

Pero hindi ka na mahilig mag-bars ngayon?

Wala na. Bawal na sa relihiyon ko.

Bakit, ano ba’ng relihiyon mo?

Catholic.

Akala ko may bago kang relihiyon. Eh ang “chicks,” bawal sa relihiyon mo?

Bawal din ’yan. Nag-scuba diving na lang ako.

Saan ka nagiis-scuba diving?

Kasi ako Task Force Kalikasan. Kahit saan, sa Cebu.

Saan ka naman nagiis-snorkel?

Sa Boracay.

Ano’ng favorite mong TV show? “Pinoy Records” on GMA7?

Siyempre.

Bakit ka nag-e-enjoy gawin ang “Pinoy Records”?

Kasi marami kang madidiskubreng talent ng iba’t ibang tao na hindi natin nakikita at nalalaman natin.

Mahilig ka manood ng movies?

Minsan oo, minsan hindi.

Mayroon ka bang matatawag na best friend?

’Pag may pamilya syempre mahal mo ’yung family mo. Ako kasi basta kaibigan, makipagkaibigan ako. Pantay lahat. Ganyan ako. Lahat ng mga kaibigan ko, alam nila ‘yan.

Ano ang payo mo sa mga lalaki to keep their marriage?

Ang payo ko siguro communication, komunikasyon lang. Laging mag-usap. Kapag may problema, pag-usapan, huwag talikuran ’yung mga problema.

Nagpapalusot ka ba? ‘Di ba lahat ng lalaki nagpapalusot?

Iwasan makapagsinungaling ka.

Kahit na gusto mo umiwas ng away?

Iwas sa away na?

Iwas sa away with a girlfriend or with your wife. Ano’ng payo mo sa mga lalaki? Hindi magsinungaling?

Alam mo ‘pag dating sa babae automatic nagsisinungaling ang mga lalaki. Alam mo namang ganun eh. (laughing)

Mahilig ka din sa music, ‘di ba? May banda ka?

Oo. May concert nga ako sa July sa Canada.

Tumugtog ka din ng instruments?

Kanta lang. Gitara. Piano.

Nag-aaral ka mag-piano?

Oo.

Sino’ng teacher mo?

Doon lang sa amin, ’yung magaling.

Hindi ba masama ’yung piano sa kamay?

Exercise nga eh.

May foundation ka ‘di ba?

Mayroon akong foundation, tapos may medical mission kami this coming Tuesday.

Saan?

Sa amin lang.

Ilang taon ka na Manny?

Twenty-nine.

How much are you worth?

Huwag mo nang isipin ‘yun. Isipin mo ordinaryong tao lang, katulad niyo rin. Kasi isipin ng mga tao, si Manny dollar ‘yan, dollar, maraming pera yan. Dapat isipin natin na pareho lang, tayo-tayo lang. Maiilang ako niyan.

Ano’ng ginagawa ng foundation mo?

May mahigit 200 estudyante ako na pinapaaral sa Gen San. Medical missions. Pero hindi ko sinasabi ‘yan, tumutulong lang ako. Kung ano’ng ginagawa ng kanan, kailangan hindi alam ng kaliwa. Kung ano’ng ginagawa ng kaliwa kailangan hindi alam ng kanan.

Bakit ganoon?

Nasa Bible ‘yan eh. Kapag tumulong ang kanan mo, kailangan hindi alam ng kaliwa. Pag tumulong ka, kailangan hindi mo na ipagsabi. Hindi kailangang ipagkalat na tinulungan ko ’yan, ’yung magpapabilib ka na marami kang tinulungan. Bawal ’yun. Kasalanan ’yun. Kahit na nakatulong ka, nagkasala ka pa.

Kailan ka nag-umpisa talaga magbasa ng Bible?

Sakristan kasi ako noong bata ako.

Ano’ng gusto mong ginagawa kasama mga anak mo?

Wala, laro-laro kami. Kung ano ’yung gusto ng mga bata.

Mahilig ka din mag-computer?

Oo.

Internet?

Siyempre. Flat one ako sa Computer.

So nagyu-YouTube ka, nagda-download ka ng mga kanta?

Bawal ’yun. May mga kanta din ako eh. (laughter) Nagda-download ka ng mga kanta? Bawal ’yun.

As we chatted after Playtime, he asked for sanitizer or moisturizer to apply on his hands. They were dry, he complained. We told him to stop using alcohol, and switch to moisturizer instead. He didn’t know moisturizer.

We patted him on the shoulder and arms as we left. Those arms were as hard as rock.

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