Pacman honored by House today

by: Jess Diaz of PhilStar.com


MANILA, Philippines - The House of Representatives will confer the Congressional Medal of Distinction on boxing champion and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao when he returns to his law-making job today.


Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II said yesterday the conferment ceremonies “will be our first order of business” in today’s session.


“This congressional award will be conferred by the Speaker. Then we will allow some time for members to congratulate Manny. After that, we will resume session. A modest victory party will follow in the evening,” he said.


Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. has ordered An Waray Rep. Florencio Noel, accounts committee chairman, and You Against Corruption and Poverty Rep. Carol Jane Lopez, a Sarangani resident, to prepare for a welcome and victory party for Pacquiao.


“We prepared a hero’s welcome for our people’s champion, a welcome that he deserves,” Noel said.


“It’s the first time that we have a colleague who is an eight-time world boxing champion. This is going to be a simple yet fun-filled and fitting welcome, and everybody’s going to be involved,” he said.


Noel said the celebrations would not entail any cost on the part of the House.


He said Belmonte has asked every member of the House to contribute funds for the victory party.


 “Many members, aside from contributing money, promised to bring lechon and other food,” he said.


He added that House personnel would be treated to snacks of sandwiches and drinks.       


Lopez said Pacquiao has been “emotionally touched” by the decision of his colleagues to contribute to the victory celebrations.


She said before the session starts at 4 p.m., the boxing champion and Belmonte would most likely meet with media practitioners covering the House.


She said the dinner-party would be exclusive for House members and their wives “as requested by congressmen themselves.


”On the eve of the Pacquiao’s return to his law-making job, Palawan Rep. Antonio Alvarez said the boxing champion should also be honored as the country’s No. 1 taxpayer.


“If the government is running out of awards to give to Manny, then it should think of honoring him for being the reigning champion in the individual income tax payment category,” he said.


A Bureau of Internal Revenue report last April revealed that Pacquiao paid P125 million in taxes for 2008, besting Forbes-listed billionaires whose assets dwarf his prize winnings.


“He’s not only the world’s pound-for-pound boxing king, but he’s also the country’s peso-for-peso tax payments title holder,” Alvarez, a member of the Commission on Appointments, said.


He said honoring Pacquiao as the country’s top individual taxpayer “would spur others more moneyed than him to knock him out of the BIR listing.


”BIR’s list of top taxpayers included some entertainers and prominent businessmen.