Manila readies six venues for free screening of Pacquiao fight

(Updated) The Manila city government is readying six venues where a live telecast of the boxing fight between Saranggani Rep. Manny Pacquiao and Antonio Margarito will be shown for free on Sunday morning. Pacquiao's World Boxing Council (WBC) super-welterweight fight is slated on November 13 (November 14, Sunday in Manila) at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. At the Tondo Sports Complex, a 24 feet x 15 feet projector, made of plywood, was set up. The venue can accommodate up to 1,500 people. It will be open as early as 6:00 a.m. on Sunday but the live telecast will start at around 8:00 a.m. The other locations where the free screening will be held are:

Patricia Sports Complex in Gagalangin, Tondo;

Rasac Covered Court at Alvarez Street and Rizal Avenue;

Dapitan Sports Complex in Instruccion Street, Sampaloc;

San Andres Sports Complex in Malate, and

Teresa Covered Court in Sta. Mesa. Complimentary tickets will be given to residents on a first come, first served basis through the barangay halls near the venues. City officials advised the residents to refrain from bringing alcoholic drinks, tobacco products, and deadly weapons. Running out of tickets Meanwhile, the private establishments that will be showing the fight said tickets are running out. The management of Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City said patrons have been trooping to buy tickets for the fight, according to a report of Tina Panganiban-Perez on GMA News' "24 Oras."
General admission tickets cost P165 each, while Upper Box A and Lower Box tickets are priced at P565 each. "They'll have the feel of like being in Dallas, Texas with a 30-foot-wide screen, plus the prices are very popular," said Tina Sandejas, Araneta Center's corporate communication manager. The management said around 85 percent of the tickets have been sold as of Friday, two days before the fight. Meanwhile, the management of SM cinemas said tickets for Pacquiao's previous fights were all sold out and they are expecting the same enthusiasm from boxing fans for the upcoming fight. The management said about 70 to 80 percent of SM cinema tickets for Pacquiao's fight on Sunday have been sold. SM cinemas are selling the tickets at P550 each. "SM cinema on Sunday is also offering our patrons an experience to watch the fight in high-definition in our selected SM digital theaters. Images will be sharper and clearer, and even the sound will really be a lot better," said Allan Florendo of SM Cinema's sales and marketing. Crowds have also been gathering to watch Pacquiao's previous fights on TV screens at SM cinemas even if they already know the results of these bouts. Amusement tax Meanwhile, the Quezon City administrator issued a reminder to private establishments charging a fee for showing Pacquiao's fight. The administrator said these establishments have to register at the city government and pay a 10-percent amusement tax. The registration involves getting a mayor's permit for P550 and paying a cash bond of P5,000. The local government said it will strictly implement the tax and assign personnel to monitor establishments showing the fight. "Hindi naman namin ipapasara 'yung bout. 'Yung task force on amusement, may anim na tauhan para sa bawat isang distrito na magmomonitor kung ilang tao ang manonood," said QC administrator Victor Endriga. (We won’t stop the showing of the bout. The task force on amusement has six personnel for each of the city’s districts to monitor how may people will watch the fight. Those who failed to register will still have to pay the mayor's permit and the amusement tax. They will also be charged a P5,000 fine, 25 percent surcharge, and two percent interest for every month they are unable to pay. The local government expects to collect at least P1 million in amusement taxes for Pacquiao's fight. Cops on alert Meanwhile, the police assured the public on Friday that they will not let their guard down on Sunday even though they are used to "zero crime" whenever Filipino boxing icon Pacquiao's bouts are aired. In Manila, radio dzBB's Allan Gatus reported that the Manila Police District (MPD) has instructions to secure the venues where Pacquiao's fight will be shown. MPD head Chief Superintendent Roberto Rongavilla said he instructed his men to look out for thieves and muggers out to take advantage of patrons of sports bars, theaters and hotels that will show the bout. Rongavilla also said while he will not stop his men from watching the bout, the police in the city have to remain alert. People's Champ Manny Pacquiao or Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao is a seven-division world champion, the first boxer in history to win nine world titles in seven different weight divisions. The Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) has named him "Fighter of the Decade" for the 2000s. Pacquiao is currently the WBO Welterweight World Champion (Super Champion). He was rated as the number 1 pound-for-pound boxer in the world by several sporting news and boxing websites, such as The Ring, Sports Illustrated, ESPN, NBC Sports, Yahoo! Sports and About.com. He is the first active boxer to become a congressman in the Philippines. – VVP with Jerrie Abella/JV, GMANews.TV