Here’s a portion of the news that came out in the front page of this paper’s Nov. 15 issue under the headline “Councilor wants boxing clinics to search for ‘the next Manny.’”

“After Manny Pacquiao’s victory, a Cebu City councilor said he wants the Cebu City Sports Commission to build up its boxing clinics in the barangays. These clinics, said Councilor Alvin Dizon, may help the city discover ‘the next boxing hero.’

“Dizon, who chairs the committee on housing, also wants the sports commission to expand its boxing program and include the urban poor and resettlement areas.

“Cebu City hopes to discover a new breed of good boxing fighters in the mold of the Filipino champion Manny Pacquiao from our city’s barangays, said Dizon in his resolution.

“The program is also in line with the local government’s thrust to keep a training pool of amateur boxers who will be representing the city in various boxing tournaments in other parts of the country, he added.

“Dizon will propose that the sports commission provide free boxing gloves for each child or teenager from a poor family who signs up for the boxing clinics.

“The clinics should ‘incorporate valuable lessons on gang prevention and drug abuse deterrence, to those kids who are truly interested in the sport of boxing,’ he added.”

Mayor Michael Rama supports the plan. Rama said, and I dare quote: “In the interest of advancement in the field of sports and in all fields for that matter, I, in as far as I look after the welfare of the Cebuano populace, support through and through the move to build not one, not two, not even three, but mind you, plenty and numerous boxing clinics all over the city, in order that, and I say this with all humility, as epitomized by our great hero Manny Pacquiao, who is humble in victory and generous in wealth, the great people of Cebu will be united and become one in boxing, so that progress, peace and stability can be enjoyed by all and everyone.”

I’m wondering, what if it was not boxing? What if Pacquiao excelled in another kind of sports that is equally brutal, violent, life-threatening and popular, say beer-drinking? If you don’t consider beer-drinking a sport, here’s one Google definition for boxing that very well applies to drinking: “A chance for two men (or women) to square off without pretense and determine who is superior. It is one of the last honest expressions of the human condition, an outlet for the aggression each person keeps bottled up.”

Last Nov. 15’s news would have read:

“After Manny Pacquiao’s victory, a Cebu City councilor said he wants the Cebu City Sports Commission to build up its beer-drinking clinics in the barangays.

“These clinics, said Councilor Alvin Dizon, may help the city discover ‘the next beer-drinking hero.’

“Dizon, who chairs the committee on housing, also wants the sports commission to expand its beer-drinking program and include the urban poor and resettlement areas.

“Cebu City hopes to discover a new breed of good beer drinkers in the mold of the Filipino champion Manny Pacquiao from our barangays, said Dizon in his resolution.

“The program is also in line with the local government’s thrust to keep a training pool of amateur beer drinkers who will be representing the city in beer-drinking tournaments in other parts of the country, he added.

“Dizon will propose that the sports commission provide free beer for each child or teenager from a poor family who signs up for the beer-drinking clinics.

“The clinics should ‘incorporate valuable lessons on gang prevention and drug abuse deterrence, to those kids who are truly interested in the sport of beer drinking,’ he added.”

Of course, Mayor Rama would support the plan. But no, we don’t want another quote from him.

(SUN.STAR CEBU, NOV. 23, 2010)

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