Home is the champ: Pacquiao arrives with wife Jinkee

(Updated 3:05 p.m.) Newly-crowned World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao and his entourage – led by wife Jinkee with whom he shared a much-applauded kiss – arrived in Manila early Friday morning to begin a long day filled with interactions with an adoring public, including a mass at Quiapo church, a mall press conference, and a motorcade. The Pacman arrived on board PAL Flight No. PR 103 from L.A. at around 5:20 a.m., marking yet another triumphant return from yet another victory overseas (over Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico), this feat placing him in the record books as the first-ever seven-division champion in boxing. Accompanying the 30-year-old Pacquiao in his flight, aside from his better half, were his parents Dionisia and Rosalio along with his good friend Deputy National Security Adviser Chavit Singson and other members of his training team. Rosalio, who had long been separated from the champion's mother, was in Las Vegas to see his famous son fight for the first time at ringside. With Jinkee by his side, the “Pacman" immediately looked for his children, Princess, Michael and Jemuel, hugging and kissing them before he addressed the welcome party and well-wishers led by DENR Sec. Lito Atienza and Philippine Sports Commission chairman Harry Angping. “Gusto ko lang pasalamatan ang mga kababayan ko sa walang sawang pagsuporta at pagdasal sa huling laban ko at sana masaya kayong lahat sa naging resulta," Pacquiao said in his arrival speech. The world’s top pound for pound fighter fielded a few questions from the media before ending his brief Q & A session the airport by planting a peck on Jinkee's lips. The couple sat down for an interview with Unang Hirit, a session again highlighted by a pair of lip locks to demonstrate that all's well within the Pacquiao family. "Okay naman kami, walang problema," the boxing champ said. Asked about the reason she cried during a Thanksgiving Mass earlier in the US, Jinkee explained: "Meaningful kasi yung homily, na-touch ako at saka na-miss ko lang ang mga anak ko." From the airport, Team Pacquiao went to New World Hotel in Makati City, where the champion, Jinkee and the rest of the gang were welcomed with balloons and confetti. Pacquiao had his breakfast and brief rest at the hotel after which he motored to the Basilica of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Manila to hear Thanksgiving Mass at around 8 a.m. His next stop after Quiapo was the DENR office in Quezon City for his traditional courtesy call to Atienza. After this, he started his victory motorcade around the metro, where again the notorious traffic came to a halt and thousands lined up streets and footbridges to cheer their returning hero. The boxing superstar's motorcade passed through Quezon Avenue, Espana Blvd., Lacson Street, Taft Avenue and Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue before ending at the Pag-ibig Head Office along Makati Avenue in Makati City. After lunch and siesta at the New World, Pacquiao trooped to the SM Mall of Asia atrium for "Pitong Panalo ni Pacquiao: Pacman's Homecoming Concert Party" organized by GMA 7 and featuring Pacquiao's fellow Kapuso artists. From the concert, the champion would head to the Quirino Grandstand, where he would be conferred the "Order of Sikatuna" with the Rank of Datu (Katangiang Ginto) for his achievement. Capping the Pacman's day would be a dinner with executives of Solar at the Manila Hotel. - GMANews.TV
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