President Benigno S. Aquino III has released his official statement in response to the historical achievement of our very own Manny Pacquiao after defeating Antonio Margarito and claiming his 8th world title in different divisions. And we quote:
Pahayag
ni
Benigno S. Aquino III
Pangulo ng Pilipinas
Ukol sa pagkakamit ni Manny Pacquiao ng kanyang makasaysayang ikawalong kampeonato[Nobyembre 15, 2010]
Taos puso kong binabati si Manny Pacquiao sa kanyang pagkapanalo kay Antonio Margarito sa Dallas, Texas, USA. Pangwalong titulo na ito sa anim na weight divisions. Hindi pa ito nagagawa ng sino man, at duda akong magagawa pa ito ulit sa aking tanangbuhay.
Hindi lamang kampeon si Manny, at hindi lamang alamat na kinikilala sa buong mundo. Paulit-ulit nang sinabi ito, ngunit uulitin ko ngayon: Manny, isa kang bayani na binigyan na naman tayo ng dahilan upang humarap nang taas-noo sa buong mundo. Matagal mo nang sinasangga ang mga dagok sa ating dangal dulot ng kahirapan at iba pang suliraning hinaharap ng ating bansa. Sa bawat pagkapanalo mo binibigyan mo ang bawat Pilipino ng kumpiyansang harapin ang iba’t ibang problema.
Sa iyong pagkapanalo, ipinakita mo uli kung ano ang kayang abutin ng Pilipinong determinado, disiplinado, at may likas na kagalingan. At hindi lamang sa larangan ng boxing nakikita ang ating kagalingan. Sa JGC, isang kumpanya sa Japan, kung saan tayo bumiyahe sa nakaraang ilang araw, napag-alaman natin na dahil sa husay natin, ang karamihan sa kanilang mga foreign workers ay Pinoy. May pitumpu’t anim na Pilipino na nagtatrabaho dito sa Japan at halos walong daan pang nasa Pilipinas. Yung mga nasa Pilipinas ay parang OFW na hindi kailangang mangibang bansa ngunit ang kanilang ginagawa ay pinakikinabangan ng buong mundo.
Si Manny Pacquiao at marami pa nating mga kababayan ay tunay na mga bayani. Dahil sa kanila, tunay ngang nababawi na natin ang ating pambansang dangal.
[ Translation:
Statement
of
Benigno S. Aquino III
President of the Philippines
Regarding the achievement of Manny Pacquiao on his historic 8th title[November 15, 2010]
I sincerely congratulate Manny Pacquiao on his victory over Antonio Margarito in Dallas, Texas, USA. This is the eight title on six weight divisions. Nobody has ever achieved this, and I doubt nobody ever will in my lifetime.
Manny is not only a champion, and not only a legend known in the world. I have repeatedly said it before, but I will say it again: Manny, you are a hero that gave us a reason to face the world with heads up high. For a long time now, you have been shielding us from the challenges to our honor due to poverty and other problems faced by our country. On your every victory, you give every Filipinos the confidence to face different challenges.
On your victory, you’ve shown once again on what a determined, disciplined and a naturally-talented Filipino can achieve. And not only in the field of boxing does our talents can be seen. In JGC, a company in Japan, where we have travelled the previous days, we’ve learned that because of our qualities, majority of their foreign workers are Filipinos. There are seventy-six Filipinos that are working here in Japan and almost eight hundred more in the Philippines. Those who are in the Philippines are like OFWs that don’t need to work abroad but their works are utilized by the world.
Manny Pacquiao and many of our fellow Filipinos are real heroes. Because of them, we’ve truly regained our national pride. ]
Such an amazing feat deserves only the best praises from Filipinos all over the world. And now this time, I wonder, if Manny won his 8th world title right after the infamous Manila Bus Hostage Tragedy, will the state of the country be any different in the eyes of the world?
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