What vacation? Beehive of activity in store for Pacquiao

When seven-division champion Manny Pacquiao said he’s taking a vacation after beating Miguel Cotto via technical knockout, that doesn’t mean the Pacman will be merely whiling away time during the next couple of months until his next fight. Knowing the "Energizer Bunny" that he is, the world’s top boxer actually has a lot of activities to look forward to while he waits for his next engagement inside the ring.

There’s the political arena he wants to conquer, an ambition he claimed is borne out of his desire to help the people. Pacquiao has been longing to become a lawmaker since 2007, when he vied for a House seat for the district of his hometown General Santos. He was “knocked out" by "lightweight but political heavyweight" Darlene Antonino-Custodio. But treating it like a boxing loss, the 30-year-old fighter is making another go at politics, this time in the home district of his wife Jinkee in Sarangani. He’s set to face off with yet another formidable rival in the Chiongbian family. The 30-year-old Pacquiao is expected to be more visible in the province to boost his political shot. A certified multimedia star, Pacquiao will also be all over various media during his boxing layoff - unless of course the Commission on Election (Comelec) bars his numerous commercials and other projects on the grounds of premature campaigning. 'Superhero' Foremost of the Pacman’s non-boxing gigs is Wapakman, a superhero movie intended for the Metro Manila Film Festival this Christmas. But as to Wapakman posing a threat of disqualification due to possible violation of the Election Code (premature campaigning), Pacman defers the matter to his election lawyer, Romy Macalintal. The Comelec is prohibiting actors and politicians from appearing on movies and TV shows once they filed their certificate of candidacy (COC) before the body, endangering the showing of Wapakman and Panday of Sen. Bong Revilla. “Mahirap mag-comment diyan. Siguro ang attorney ko na lang ang magbibigay ng pahayag about that. Pag-usapan muna natin ang boxing, yung panalo ko, malaking karangalang ito para sa atin," said Pacquiao, who bared he will file his COC before the Comelec “one of these days." Wapakman pairs the part-time actor (his filmography includes Anak ng Kumander and Lisensyadong Kamao, among others) with controversial young actress Krista Ranillo. The rumor mill has been continuously swirling for the two co-stars who are said to be an item. Adding fuel to the fire was a clip showing the Pacman driving his Mercedes with a woman, who’s covering her face with her hands (allegedly Krista) after the Jimmy Kimmel Show in the US. Jinkee was still in the Philippines when her husband made such guest appearance. Speculations abound that the alleged affair has strained Pacquiao’s relationship with Jinkee, further spiked by Mrs. Pacquiao’s tears during a thanksgiving mass in the US. “Meaningful kasi yung homily," she explained in an interview with Unang Hirit Friday. “Na-touch ako saka na-miss ko yung mga anak ko." As if demonstrating that all’s well in the Pacquiao family, Manny planted a peck on Jinkee, not once but thrice (first during his arrival statement and brief Q & A session where he granted fans' clamor and two more during the succeeding Unang Hirit interview). Other than Wapakman, Pacquiao revealed he had initial talks with producers in the US for a reality-based TV show just before he left for Manila. Locally, he has two TV programs, Pinoy Records and the sitcom Show Me Da Manny. Bring on Floyd While Pacquiao goes about his “vacation," his promoter, Bob Arum of Top Rank is preparing to start negotiations for a potential megabuck fight with comebacking Floyd Mayweather, Jr. The Filipino ring icon has declared his willingness to tangle with Mayweather. “Kung magkakasundo sila sa negosasyon, walang problema. Ako naman willing to fight Mayweather, basta magkasundo lang." He is of course, referring to the fight terms, including share of the purse and weight at stake. Mayweather, the former P4P king, has time and again insisted he deserves the bigger share but Pacquiao thinks otherwise. “Pero hindi namin pinipilit na labanan siya kasi kung ako ang maghamon sa kanya syempre manghihingi siya nung gusto niya sa share. Kailangang siya ang maghamon dahil nakita naman natin mas mataas naman PPV ko kesa kanya," he said. Mayweather’s recent gig with Juan Manuel Marquez hit one million PPV buys, according to official report by the HBO. Although the official numbers for Pacquiao’s showdown with Cotto is yet to be released, Arum was quoted by Fanhouse as saying it is nearing 1.5 million PPV buys, making it “the highest performing PPV event of the year." The final and official PPV figures of Pacquiao-Cotto are expected to be released soon. Amid all these activities, Pacquiao, who reportedly earned at least $13 million for destroying Cotto, will of course get a “real" vacation. “Sa ngayon, bakasyon muna, pahinga makasama ko pamilya ko malaking bagay na," said Pacquiao, who was away from his kids Michael, Jemuel, Princess and Queen Elizabeth for a good two months while he trained in Baguio City and L.A. “Mag-relax muna, at pagalingin ang tenga ko na namaga." - Olmin R. Leyba, GMANews.TV