As in previous fights, city streets were once again empty, rebels and criminals took a break, and everyone was glued to the TV set as boxing champion Manny Pacquiao faced Oscar de la Hoya yesterday in Las Vegas. Because the odds were heavily against Pacquiao, the cheers were louder when his victory by technical knockout was officially proclaimed.
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In a nation drowning in bad news, Pacquiao’s victory is particularly appreciated. Everybody loves a good fight, and though winning isn’t everything, victory is still the preferred outcome rather than defeat. The public reaction to the Pacquiao fight should spur sports officials to intensify efforts to make the nation’s athletes achieve similar victories in other sporting events.

Pacquiao’s victory eases the nation’s disappointment over the performance of Team Philippines at the Olympic Games in Beijing last August. The team, small as it was, failed to bring home a single medal in what sports watchers described as one of the worst performances by a Philippine Olympic contingent.

That dismal performance led to a lot of handwringing and calls for a review of the country’s sports program. There is no certainty that the Philippine contingent in the next major foreign sporting event will do better. The lamentations and recriminations over the Olympics have died down, and those in charge of the country’s sports program may again see no urgency in doing better at their jobs. Instead they are content to watch from the sidelines as someone like Pacquiao – using his own resources, driven by his dedication to his sport – strives to be at the top of his game.

In Las Vegas Pacquiao said he was dedicating his fight to the Filipino people. The nation will appreciate having more athletes like him. But the typical Filipino athlete has an acute lack of resources for training. If the nation wants more of its athletes to win in other sports, it should be ready to make the necessary investment. And the training must start now, long before the next big bout or competition. Manny Pacquiao has shown that Filipinos can be the best in boxing. Now let’s excel in other sports. (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com)