Manny, as he is fondly called, earned a sobriquet in our language as “Pambansang Kamao.”  It means literally, “National Fist.” But, to me, he is not only the National Fist but also our National First. What is that? He is the first boxer in the world to be in Congress! And if the halls of Congress will be transformed into a boxing ring, Manny will have its ninth title even before knocking out Shane Mosley on May 7.

There are also rumors that Manny might be the first boxer to be in Malacanang Palace. Who knows? We do not really know what he and President Obama had discussed about during his first, another first, visit to the White House. I have no qualms about Manny’s chances of becoming a president. That will be better for Mindanaoans like me. Manny is from the southernmost tip and I am from the northernmost tip of the Philippine archipelago. He is from South Cotabato and I am from Surigao del Norte.

But, don’t you know that Manny became a champion in just a couple of minutes even without the benefits of undergoing the usual training? That’s how good he is! Wanna bet? Here is his story:

One day, his mother, Mommy Dionisia, sent him for an errand to buy a vinegar from a neighborhood store. When the storekeeper who would become his wife, Jinky, handed to him the bottle of vinegar, a mob tried to seize it from him. They wrestled which resulted to Manny punching the mob and he was down on the ground just like Hatton. Manny was very lucky because Freddie Roach witnessed the whole incident and he was amazed by the strength of Manny’s punch. Manny went home and proudly showed his mother the eight championship belts wrapped around his body. Mommy Dionisia got mad and scolded Manny, but Freddie Roach came to the rescue of Manny. He appeased the angry Mommy Dionisia. Surprised? Well, that was what the advertisement of Datu Puti vinegar shown in television was all about!