Famous Filipino Personalities
Politician
First, who would forget the ever
infamous former President Ferdinand Marcos? He declared Martial Law and is
still the subject of many court battles and convictions up to this day. The
alleged amounts stolen by then His Presidency along with the equally infamous
“Marcos cronies” are not yet wholly determined. In fact, its “only here (in the
Philippines)” that despite of the hardships and damages his dictatorship has
caused, his family was actually allowed to come back and run for public office
in the country. Two of President Marcos’ offspring, are presently very active
political figures in Philippine politics, namely: Senator Imee Marcos and
Congressman Bong-bong Marcos. His then very influential and equally
controversial wife, Imelda Romualdez Marcos is again and still, a big figure in
society. Together they pose an active force in the country’s political future.
On the other hand, the president who
succeeded Mr. Ferdinand Marcos, who was greatly involved in the People Power
Revolution of 1986 that finally ousted him, is a woman. She is the widow of
then Senator Benigno Aquino, who was a very vocal figure in opposition to the
Marcos dictatorship. Former President Corazon Aquino might be just a plain
housewife to some of her critics, but she proved to be the hero when she
finally accepted to run against President Marcos in the snap presidential
elections of 1986, therefore uniting all parties of the opposition. It was not
an easy decision for her, but given her unwavering faith, attending Masses
every day and leading rallies after the death of her husband, she was the
ultimate choice of the masses to represent them, believing she was the one
choice who could topple the Marcos regime. The difficult duties and the
corresponding responsibilities following that tumultuous time required total
“cleansing” and over-all “renewing” of the Philippine nation and was not an
easy feat. A nation badly tarnished which suffered physically and economically
under the Marcos dictatorship for eleven long years, the Philippines needed
someone firm and honest in his/her reforms as the succeeding leader. President
Corazon C. Aquino more than deserves to be praised in uniting and reshaping a
nation in shambles. And she has received numerous awards given here and abroad
to honour this truly great woman.
The
third famous leader in the political scene up to this day is former President
Joseph Ejercito Estrada, who to many could now be easily referred as the
“infamous Erap” because of the impeachment trial which ousted him from the
Presidency. He was a popular Filipino film actor and was elected the 13th
President of the Philippine Republic on June 30, 1998. His tenure became
controversial when he was alleged to be playing a big role in the illegal
numbers game of the entire country and many other corrupt practices. He was the
only Philippine President who was successfully overthrown because of the
transparent bias of his political allies during his aborted impeachment trial.
Hundreds of Filipinos resorted to the streets to show their protest against his
anomalous and corrupt presidential term and to overthrow his government. This
was eventually called EDSA II, in reference to where the first People Power
Revolution took place to overthrow the Marcos dictatorship. He got back by
saying his political enemies are just implementing dirty tactics, and tried to
prove it through the staging of protests of his followers and fans to the
streets, which came to be known as EDSA III. Nevertheless, he was still found
guilty of plunder “beyond reasonable doubt” by the Sandiganban and was
subsequently punished with reclusion perpetua, detained in his resthouse
located in Tanay, Rizal. On September, 2007 he appealed his case by filing a
motion for reconsideration, but in the next month of October, 2007 through his
lawyer, he filed a withdrawal and sought pardon and release from detention,
declaring his mother’s ailing condition to be the reason. Finally, some days
following that, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo granted Executive Clemency to
convicted plunderer Joseph E. Estrada, restoring his civil and political
rights. The effect of this decision in the political arena is still hounded by
controversy in both the opposition and ruling parties. Today, despite his fall
and disgrace, Former President Joseph Estrada is still a force to be reckoned
with on the future of Philippine politics.
Business Men
* Lucio Tan
Proclaimed
to be the richest industrialist in the Philippines, Mr. Lucio Tan manages a
diverse conglomerate within South East Asia. His business empire includes
tobacco manufacturing (Fortune Tobacco), the second-largest brewery (Asia
Breweries), a rum maker which is one of the largest in the world (Tanduay
Holdings), the country’s flagship airline, Philippine Airlines, leading bank
institutions in the country (Philippine National Bank and Allied Bank), one of
the most financially stable university in the Philippines (University of the
East), and most recently Eton Enterprisers, the planned leader in real-estate
development in the country. These are just some of the 300 companies he holds
and controls. He has an estimated personal net worth of $2.5 billion and is
listed in Forbes Magazine as the third richest man in the country and is among
the 400th plus placers in the whole wide world. His wealth has been hounded by
controversies because of his close ties with political figures, and is known to
contribute money for a presidential campaign. Most notable is during the Marcos
reign, where he was accused to have evaded tax in millions of pesos and was
given many favours by then President Marcos in exchange for some loyalties.
Still, one cannot argue that his rise to wealth and staying on top of it is not
an easy feat.
* Jon Ramon
Aboitiz
He is
currently the President and CEO of Aboitiz & Co. and the Aboitiz Equity
Ventures, Inc. He hails from Cebu and has Spanish origins. After graduating in
1976 with a degree in B.S. Commerce, major in Management from the University of
Santa Clara, California, he came to join the Aboitiz Group as a manager. In
1976, he became its president along with being the CEO of Aboitiz & Co. and
the Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc. He also holds various positions in the vast
Aboitiz Group conglomerate. To help his fellow countrymen alleviate poverty, he
stands as trustee of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc., the Aboitiz Group
Foundation, Inc., and the Association of Philippine Foundations. These charitable
organizations are helping the country through education grants and programmes.
He is also a member of the Board of Advisors, Washington Sycip Policy Forum, at
the Asian Institute of Management. Among his many business involvements in the
business sector, his vision and belief in the Filipino people is inspiring. To
quote him in Sun.Star Cebu’s interview of him as one of the 23 Most Influential
Cebuanos: “I see growth in Cebu business not only in our traditional exports,
but more so in tourism, call centers, business process outsourcing. Our
shipbuilding projects in Balamban will also continue to grow and expand.
Hopefully, the mining sector in Cebu can also be rehabilitated, which will not
only expand employment but also exports.” This just proves how positive his
outlook is through his local countrymen and Filipinos as a whole.
* Eduardo
Cojuangco Jr.
This wealthy scion stirs controversy
in the political field as well as the business sector. He had his share of
sensation throughout the country because he is a key player in presidential
campaigns, specially being a close advisor and personal friend to the late
dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos. He was one of the Rolex 12, a group closest to
Marcos and allegedly was the enforcers of Martial Law. He himself run for the
Presidency in 1992 but lost to Fidel V. Ramos under his own party, National
People’s Coalition (NPC) of which he is also the founder and currently the
Chairman Emeritus. He also chairs the Philippines’ largest food and beverage
industry, San Miguel Corporation. According to Forbes.com, he is the 13th most
richest man in the Philippines with estimated net worth at $540 million. He
also owns a large stud farm in Australia and New Zealand. It involves
thoroughbred racing and breeding of race horses. The government won a 27% stake
in a court decision, and he’s still facing a civil suit for the alleged
“ill-gotten” wealth he acquired during the Marcos regime. He is a devoted
basketball fan, which is manifested in his company sponsorships of basketball
leagues and hosting of other sports events. Presently, SMC owned three teams
all playing in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). At the age of 72,
Eduardo Cojuangco Jr. continues to influence Philippine politics and economy by
having his stand on certain major issues.
Entertainers
* Regine Velasquez
Her full name is Regina Encarnacion Ansong Velasquez and through the suggestion
of good friend, “Concert King” Martin Nievera, she went on to use the stage
name, Regine Velasquez. Her parents played a major role in honing her singing
craft during childhood. They supported her through singing competitions in
local areas. Her father trained her to have longer breathing by letting her
sing submerged neck-deep in the sea. Her mother would sew her gowns used for
competitions using her own hands. Regine achieved the grand championship win in
an international singing competition called “The Asia Pacific Singing Contest”
in 1988. This win marked the beginning of her celebrity status. She had
collaborated with a variety of international artists such as Mandy Moore, Ronan
Keating, 98 Degrees, and David Pomeranz, to name a few. She is the first
Filipino to stage a concert at the Carnegie Hall in line with their Centennial
Celebration at the young age of 21. Various albums since the launch of her
singing career had garnered multi-platinum status. Singles such as “In Love
with You” a duet with Jacky Cheung, have reached the MTV Asia and Channel V
music charts. She is called Asia’s Songbird due to her smooth and flawless
singing style. Throughout the years, she has subsequently held concert tours
around the globe. Having ventured into acting too, she won the Best Actress in
Star Awards for Television in 2002 for playing a retarded woman in an episode
of Maala-ala Mo Kaya. She has started her own weekly variety show called
“Songbird” that can be watched at GMA-7. Presently, she continues to balance
her acting, singing, producing, hosting, and advertising careers, as well as
loving girlfriend to fellow multi-awarded singer, Ogie “Da Pogi” Alcasid.
* Dolphy
His
real name is Rodolfo Vera Quizon. He is the King of Comedy in Philippine Cinema
because of his ability to crack jokes with seemingly no effort at all. He has
eighteen acknowledged children by five different women. His showbiz career has
now spanned to more than five decades. Starting out early in his career, he had
struggled to be recognized as a good comic actor. He was given his first break
by the late Fernando Poe Sr., as a character actor. This paved the way for
other projects and consequently launched him to the mainstream. He has Chinese
descent through his mother’s side. Golay and Pidol are the names he had used
before when he was with Sampaguita Pictures. Dolphy, together with his comedy
partner Panchito, did the opening number for the Beatles concert at the Rizal
Stadium in Manila. His comedy sitcom that has lasted for 17 long years, John En
Marsha, with Nida Blanca as her partner, is well-remembered, with his character,
John Puruntong. In 2001, through the film “Markova: Comfort Gay” which he
played along with his two sons, Eric and Eppy Quizon, all won the Prix de la
Meilleure Interpretation which is equivalent to a Best Actress Award in
Brussels, Belgium. To the younger generation, he is well-known as Kevin Kosme
in ABS-CBN’s sitcom, Home Along Da Riles, which also included another son,
Vandolph. Aside from his sons mentioned here, others are well-known Philippine
actors too. His playboy image when it comes to women has become quite a usual
controversy following him, until his relationship with his present domestic
partner ZsaZsa Padilla, also an actress and foremost a singer. He is known to
lend a hand to struggling comedians and help those friends who have retired from
acting, even offering financial assistance to their families. Dolphy is a big
personality in the Philippine showbiz industry and is a pillar in the comedy
genre.
* Gary Valenciano
Also
known as Mr. Pure Energy of Philippine Showbiz for his smooth, energetic dance
moves, Gary V. is a Filipino singer (a Gospel singer too), actor, composer, and
producer. His career is managed by no less than his wife Angeli Pangilinan
Valenciano through their own talent agency “Genesis”. He was born to Vicente
Valenciano and Grimilda Santiago Ortiz, a Puerto Rican, and of Italian descent,
so it is from her where he got his mestizo looks. His mother was a popular
opera singer during the 1960s, and this is where Gary got his singing talent
too. During his high school days, he joined a group called Kundirana which
inspired him in deciding to focus his time on music. His performances in the TV
shows “Germspesyal” and “Penthouse Live” finally led him to be noticed locally.
His first major concert was in 1984, held at the Araneta Coliseum, and jampacked
with fans. Twenty-one albums followed with three international releases
including “Out of the Dark”, a Christian-inspired album. Throughout his singing
career, he has held countless concerts here and abroad. His international
concert tours proved that he is indeed a great singer. He is also one of the
main hosts of ASAP ‘08 noontime weekly show in ABS-CBN. He has three children,
Juan Paolo Martin, Jose Angelo Gabriel, and Kristina Maria Mikaela. The two
sons are into show business too. Through living a true Christian life together
with his family, he is a continuing role model for the young and for all
Filipinos.
* Boy Abunda
Aside from being a PR man & a local talent manager, Boy Abunda is also a
popular TV personality, having hosting jobs in four TV shows with his current
home network, ABS-CBN. Born in Borongan City, then a poor municipality in the
province of Eastern Samar, he tried odd jobs there when his father died and
which also prompted him to stop schooling at an early age. He later worked as
an assistant to Conching Sunico who taught him about Public Relations. He later
came to regard her as one of the most significant benefactors that paved the
way to his success in the Press Relations industry back when he was still
starting out. After a few years, he eventually succeeded to put up Backroom,
Inc., his very own PR company. He had produced a best-selling album entitled
“Melodic Conversations”. He was also able to attend Ateneo de Manila
University, but choosing survival over education, he wasn’t able to get a
diploma. He won his first award for hosting from the STAR Awards for Television
and says it felt like winning in a beauty contest. He has always been open with
being gay and with the fact that he has been living with his male partner for a
number of years now. Speaking from his seemingly rags-to-riches experience, he says
the best advice he could give in order to achieve success is not to be afraid
to commit mistakes. “Don’t be afraid to bleed hard. Work hard. Play hard. Pray
hard.” This exactly what makes him a dynamic force in his chosen field. Whether
in press relations or in entertainment, this bloke is worth watching for.
World Renowned Filipinos
Inventors or Scientists
* Gregorio Zara
Gregorio Zara is one of the most famous Filipino inventors. He was born in Lipa
City, Batangas, Philippines and graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (MIT) with a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering in the year
1926. He received his Master’s degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the
University of Michigan, and in 1930 graduated with a Doctorate of Physics from
Sorbonne University. On September of 1954, he successfully tested and flew his
alcohol-fuelled airplane engine at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
Among all his inventions and contributions, the three most notable are: his
discovery of the Zara Effect, which is the physical law of kinetic resistance;
second is his invention of a propeller-cutting machine; and third, his design
of a microscope with a collapsible stage. He also invented the videophone, a
two-way television telephone patented in 1955, and he helped design a robot
called Marex X-10. Among his awards are the Presidential Diploma of Merit and
the Presidential Gold Medal and Diploma of Honour for Science and Research.
This man is truly a great Filipino genius in the field of science.
* Angel Alcala
From his humble beginnings in the small town of Cauayan, Negros Occidental
Philippines, Angel Alcala rose up to be a world-class authority in ecology and
geography of amphibians and reptiles. He was the eldest child of Porfirio
Alcala, Sr. a public school teacher, and Crescencia Chua, one of his father’s
students, with Chinese descent. The family home was simple, with thatched roofs
and bamboo floor. It has only two rooms, where the growing number of children
lined up to sleep. But food was fresh and abundant because they lived in a wide
land of natural resources. Plus, the nearby sea offered them fresh seafood
whenever they go fishing. Since a child, Angel had been exposed early to marine
life and its habitat.
Although his original dream
was to become a doctor, the family’s financial standing left him to consider
his other siblings; therefore, he decided to pursue a degree in Biology
instead. That paved the way to a teaching career in the University of Siliman.
This is where he got the chance to meet Professor Walter C. Brown from Stanford
University, whose field was herpetology, and came to the Philippines to study
and to research on amphibians and reptiles. It was also Professor Brown who
encouraged Angel Alcala to pursue his enthusiastic studies and experiments.
Thus, they formed a partnership for fieldwork expeditions to the mountains and
rainforests throughout the islands. They first published their own scientific
findings jointly. From that time on, there was no stopping Angel Alcala for
more discoveries, writing and documenting them on his own. All of these led him
to be the authority behind the invention of artificial coral reefs which
started in the Philippines and expanded out to fishing grounds in Southeast
Asia today. He has been given numerous awards and merits by the government and other
prestigious scientific award-giving bodies.
* Pedro Escuro
Dr. Pedro Escuro is born on August 23, 1923 and is best known for his
discovery of how to isolate rice into nine varieties, namely: Milpal 4, HBD-2,
Azmil 26 and C-22 and C-18, C4-63, C4-137, C-168 and C-12. This is very useful
for commercial release as rice is the most important food supplement in the
Philippines. He got his B.S. degree in Agronomy in the University of the
Philippines in 1952. In 1954, he obtained his Master’s degree in Plant Breeding
at Cornell University and earned his Ph.D. in Genetics and Plant Breeding at
the University of Minnesota in 1959. The DOST Philippines listed his
accomplishments as follows: “Dr. Escuro has 18 honors and awards to his name.
These include two Presidential awards, Presidential Plaque of Merit for
outstanding accomplishments in rice improvement (1967) and Rizal Pro Patria
award for outstanding contribution to rice breeding and genetics. He is also a
recipient of the University of the Philippines Distinguished Professional award
in agriculture (1973), and D.Sc. (honoris causa 1974) and the 1974 Ayala award
in agricultural science.”
Entertainment
*
Lea Salonga
The site www.celebritiesph.com on Miss Lea Salonga: “This Tony Award-winning
Filipino singer and actor is best known for her portrayal of Kim in the musical
‘Miss Saigon’. Lea Salonga has achieved both domestic and international
recognition in the fields of acting, theatre, and singing. However, her fame in
the highly competitive international arena remains unparalleled, and she is the
only Filipino actor to have achieved such popularity and won various awards for
one single role in the field of musical theatre.” Obviously, every Filipino
pumps with pride whenever we speak of Miss Salonga’s awards and accolades
especially in international theatre. She is indeed all that and more!
* Kuh Ledesma
Ma. Soccorro Ledesma or Kuh Ledesma
for short has a music career that spans 25 years, which includes three hundred
performances and various awards given locally and internationally. She is known
as the Pop Diva of the Philippine music industry. She was born on March 16,
1955 in Bacolod City, Philippines. She has a daughter named Isabella Gonzalez.
While taking up Nursing in college, she joined the Ensalada band, later to be
called the Lastiko band. With some of her band mates, they went to Manila to
form the Music & Magic, band which proved pivotal to her career. In the
1990s, she collaborated with the best American and Filipino musicians,
arrangers, and composers to launch the “Precious” album. She advocates classic
songs and feels strongly in preserving them. To date, she has a recording
company Bravo Records which gives her more freedom in promoting her kind of
music. She is also known to help new artists in developing their talents. In
her official website, kuhledesma.net some international appearances are as
follows: “In March 1990, Ledesma appeared as a guest performer in a Gilbert
Becaud’s television show in Paris where she sang Bulaklak (The Rose) in three
languages (Filipino, English and French). In July 1990, she was the
Philippines’ representative-performer at the international television special
“Earth 90”. Earth 90 was a show that celebrated the importance of the
environment and was aired simultaneously around 80 countries. Ledesma was then
on stage with artists such as Olivia Newton-John and John Denver. On the same
year, Ledesma also joined the NHK-KAYO parade in Tokyo.” Several other
international performances add to her credit but what is most important is that
she also travels widely here and abroad to “deliver values formation lectures
and inspirational and motivational talks”, according to wikipedia.org.
* Cesar Montano
Cesar Manhilot, or more popularly
known as Cesar “Buboy” Montano, was born on August 1, 1962 in Malate, Manila to
a lawyer and a Seventh-day Adventist mother. He is a known Filipino actor and
director. He first started as a stunt man for famous action actors before going
into playing a major role himself. Then, he played numerous B movies before
venturing into the action genre. This is where he got more recognition as an
actor. Wikipedia.org on his awards: “He has won numerous acting awards,
especially in his internationally acclaimed movies, such as Hollywood’s The
Great Raid, Panaghoy sa Suba (The Call of the River), José Rizal, Muro Ami
(Reef Hunters) and Bagong Buwan (New Moon)”. He ran for a Senate seat in the
May 2007 Elections but unfortunately lost by landslide. He has also released an
album and singles to share his passion for singing, and also models for various
wholesome products. He is presently the host of Singing Bee, a TV show aired
daily in ABS-CBN with ordinary folks inclined to singing as contestants.
Sports
*
Efren “Bata” Reyes
Efren Bata Reyes is called the
“Magician” of the game of billiards (specially nine-ball and one pocket)
because of his ability to shoot the cue ball to target the designated object
ball with precision. He has also a cunning skill in hiding balls for safety or
shooting. He was born in Angeles City, Pampanga on August 26, 1954. At the
young age of three, he already helped around in his uncle’s billiards hall and
would dream of playing pool at night with his bed as the pool table. When he
grew older, particularly in the sixties and seventies, he would play for money
with the usual game of “carambola billiards” or three-cushion billiards. This
is very popular in the Philippine billiards scene. After competing in local
tournaments, he started winning in the US, Asia, and Europe. He became to be
known as one of the world’s most profitable players, topping AZ Billiards Money
List 5 Times from 2001 to 2006. He set a record in 2006 by earning $646K in a
single year. Among his many titles and achievements is his being appointed as
Philippine Sports Ambassador of the 2005 South East Asian Games, along with
other great Filipino athletes. He was also the second top player in the “2007
Pool & Billiard Magazine Fans’ Top 20 Favourite Players”. His humble
persona will certainly get you. Efren Bata Reyes continues to entertain and
amaze billiards fans all throughout the world.
* Rafael “Paeng” Nepomuceno
Rafael “Paeng” Nepomuceno is a Filipino all-time great athlete in the field of
bowling. Wikipedia.org lists his winnings in the World Cup of bowling four
times as follows:
In Tehran, Iran on November 19,1976
In Jakarta, Indonesia on November 1,1980
In Le Mans, France on November 8,1992
In Belfast, Northern Ireland on November 23,1996
He is listed in the Guinness Book of
World Records and has two unbroken records up to this day, one, for being the
only athlete in the world to win world titles in three different decades, and
the other, for being the youngest ever to have won the Bowling World Cup at 19
years old. In total, Paeng has won over 118 tournament titles, which is
recognized by the World Tenpin Bowling Association as “a World Record for the
most career titles.”
Furthermore, “he is the only bowling
athlete who has received the prestigious International Olympic Committee
President’s Trophy, which is the highest sports award that can be given to an
athlete. Paeng was the first international male bowling athlete to be enshrined
in the International Bowling Hall of Fame in St. Louis, Missouri in 1993, and
his seven-foot image is displayed at the entrance of the International Bowling
Museum and Hall of Fame. In November 1999, the Federation Internationale des
Quilleurs (FIQ) named Paeng as the “International Bowling Athlete of the
Millennium”.
This is truly a Filipino worth of
praise and honour. His athletic skills in the field of bowling are very rare
indeed. Definitely, you can watch out for more and be prepared for the next
championship this truly great athlete would achieve.
Paeng have another
guiness record, making it his third guiness record
* Emmanuel Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao
Known as “Pacman” in the boxing ring
because of his ability to punch like a Pacman, (a computer game that hungrily
gobbles dots along its way), he is famous for his series of punches that
usually result in a knockout. Born on December 17, 1978 in Kibawe, Bukidnon,
Philippines, he had his humble beginnings at the age of sixteen and started in
the light flyweight division at 106 pounds. His early bouts took place in small
venues and are usually shown in Vintage Sports’ “Blow by Blow”, an evening
boxing show. His professional début took place on January 22, 1995 against
Edmund Ignacio; he won by decision and instantly made him into an instant star
of the program. A bout against the Mexican boxing idol Marco Antonio Barrera
defined his career and greatly helped him to be recognized as a real good
fighter. He defeated Barrera by TKO in the 11th round and brought his power in
this first fight in the featherweight division. This victory was recognized by
Ring Magazine as Pacquaio being the World Champion. He ran for a congressional
seat in the first District of Cotabato opposite Darlene Antonino-Custodio but
lost by a landslide of votes. This move was frowned on by fans and critics
alike, fearing politics would mar his boxing career. The defeat in the
elections gave them hope again that Manny can now focus more on his upcoming
boxing fights. He is also a top endorser of various commercial products. His
main sponsors are Nike and No Fear sportswear, and he also owns a lottery
outlet for PCSO. He won his fight against David Diaz last June 28, 2008 at the
Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, winning the WBC lightweight belt, and is now the first
Asian to have won in four weight categories.
Emmanuel "Manny" Dapidran Pacquiao, is a Filipino professional boxer and politician.
He is the first eight-division world champion, in which he
has won ten world titles, as well as the first to win the Lineal Championship in four different weight classes.
He
was named "Fighter of the
Decade" for the
2000s (decade) by the Boxing
Writers Association of America (BWAA), World Boxing Council (WBC) and World Boxing Organization (WBO). He is also a three-time The Ring and BWAA "Fighter of the Year," winning the award in 2006, 2008 and
2009, and the Best Fighter ESPY
Award in 2009 and
2011.
He was long rated as the best pound for pound boxer in the world by some sporting news
and boxing websites, including ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Sporting Life,Yahoo! Sports, About.com, BoxRec and The Ring. On April
2012, Pacquiao dropped to number two in the rankings, behind Floyd Mayweather, Jr. However on May 7, 2012, The Ring declared the
top position vacant and jointly ranked Pacquiao and Mayweather in the number
two spot.
Aside from boxing, Pacquiao has
participated in acting, music recording and politics. In May 2010, Pacquiao was elected to the House of Representatives in the15th
Congress of the Philippines, representing the province of Sarangani.
Sources: http://www.dedelsdec.com/