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United front for Arroyo, JDV in Pacquiao visit


(Updated 11:21 a.m.) President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr led dignitaries in welcoming boxer Emmanuel "Manny" Pacquiao during victory rites Thursday in Malacañang Palace. Radio dzBB reported that Mrs Arroyo and De Venecia walked the red carpet with Pacquiao, who made the courtesy visit as part of his homecoming itinerary. The President, who wore a plaid dress, gamely took on the role of interviewer when she and Pacquiao were on stage at the Palace's Kalayaan Grounds. Mrs Arroyo introduced Pacquiao to the Palace employees by praising him as a "world-class Filipino" and "kampeon sa puso nating lahat (champion in our hearts)." "The headlines said the military put its guns down and the crime rate went down during your fight ... your promise to fight every day if only to unite the nation is beautiful. We thank you for that," she told Pacquiao. Pacquiao – one of today's most dreaded fighters of the boxing ring – was caught off guard when Mrs Arroyo presented him a specially designed cake. "Ay, may cake na naman (Oh, I have a cake again)?" a surprised, yet elated Pacquiao blurted. The banana roti cake was layered with fondant, topped with figurines representing different Filipino professions such as nurses, priests, soldiers, doctors and chefs surrounding Pacquiao. It bore the words, "Pambansang Kamao ng Sambayanang Pilipino (National Fist of the Filipino Nation)." A group of 30 chefs headed by Palace executive chef Babes Austria prepared the cake. They started working on it at 7 p.m. Wednesday and completed it at 8 a.m. Thursday. Mrs Arroyo also asked Pacquiao about his pre-fight prayers and his immediate plans, as well as who he plans to fight next. Pacquiao said he would usually pray for God to give him strength, and that he is still waiting for negotiations on who he will fight next. During the interview, Pacquiao expressed his wish not to let his children become boxers. "It's too hard. I want them (my children) to get an education," he told Mrs Arroyo in Filipino. More than 100 Malacañang employees screamed and tried to get near Pacquiao, who was "guarded" by members of the Presidential Security Group. Earlier in the day, Palace workers spruced up a stage at the Kalayaan Grounds while Pacquiao made a courtesy call on President Arroyo inside the Palace. Yellow, red and blue balloons were all over the stage, while employees brought their children to see the boxer. With Pacquiao were wife Jinky, vice president Manuel "Noli" de Castro Jr, Environment Secretary Jose Atienza Jr, and Atienza's son and defeated mayoralty bet Arnold "Ali." The Pacquiao entourage also included Solar Sports head Wilson Tieng, Manila Rep. Miles Roces, and defeated senatorial candidate Luis Singson. - GMANews.TV
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