Taxpayers’ money won’t support luxurious trips to watch Manny Pacquiao
Taxpayers’ money will not go towards Philippine congressmen seeing the upcoming November 13 mega-bout between Manny Pacquiao and Antonio Margarito.
Philippine House of Representatives Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said that “hardly any” government personnel will get a free ride when it comes to traveling to Arlington, Texas, to see the bout, which expects to house 70,000 eager fans.
“Let me put it this way: people who are traveling on government money, hardly any,” Belmonte Jr. said. “I am happy to say that they simply wanted to get travel authority so that they can facilitate their travel documents, but nobody is asking for money
to pay for their fare or other expenses.”
It is unclear how many House members will be traveling to support Pacquiao in his bid to gain an eighth world title in as many divisions—but Pacquiao’s role as mega-superstar in the Philippines will undoubtedly help his cause.
Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II indicated if his colleagues leave Texas the morning after the bout, a Sunday, they will be arriving in the Philippines on Tuesday morning, thereby missing a Monday session.
Gonzales speculated not many would be leaving to see the bout. “There are not many [leaving] because we have sessions and we are scheduled to take up the proposed 2011 budget on third reading. I am sure that we will have an overwhelming number of members
present for the sessions.”
Manny Pacquiao is the No.1 boxer in the world, according to Ring Magazine. In May, he was officially proclaimed congressman of the lone province of Sarangani, a title he won in a landslide victory.
One of the first pieces of legislature Pacquiao helped pass since taking office has been making his boxing trainer, Freddie Roach, an honourary Philippine citizen.
Pacquiao is busy training in Los Angeles for his Margarito fight. While he is a favourite for the bout, many insiders have been careful not to misrepresent Margarito, and downplay the internal conflicts that have defined Pacquiao’s training camp this time
around.
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