Pacquiao is Jinkee’s true love

By Al S. Mendoza

HERE’S a snappy salute to Jinkee Pacquiao.

Why, first things first.

Who is Jinkee Pacquiao again?

She’s “just” the wife of Manny Pacquiao, our boxing sensation, who is more popular now than Ate Glue.

I say more popular because in Europe, say Scotland or Wales or

In Africa’s Nigeria, Zimbabwe or Zaire, Pacquiao is a byword but not Ate Glue.

Even in China where Pacquiao was flag-bearer of the Philippine delegation to the Beijing Olympics’ opening ceremonies on Friday, Aug. 8, Pacquiao was in everyone’s lips among the 10,078 athletes parading at the Bird’s Nest Stadium.

Poor Ate Glue. She’s been suffering record-low trust ratings at home and there seems to be no remedy in sight for that.

High gas and food prices and all, Ate Glue is bombarded with domestic problems left and right, ranging from hunger to unemployment and lack of efficient services from government.

Many Filipinos working overseas find it hard to even sell her.

“Who she?” would be the standard reply an OFW gets from a foreigner.

But for the record, who is Ate Glue again?

Your ubiquitous tenant at the Palace by the Pasig.

By dint of constitutional design, Ate Glue would abdicate her throne in 2010.

Until then, let’s bite the bullet, so to speak.

* * *

I salute Jinkee Pacquiao because she truly loves Manny Pacquiao.

“No, I don’t like Manny to fight (Oscar) De La Hoya,” said Jinkee. “De La Hoya is too big for Manny.”

Does Jinkee know how much money Manny would lose if he doesn’t fight De La Hoya?

Almost $20 million!

Easily, Pacquiao would become an instant billionaire once he fought De La Hoya.

How many Filipinos can achieve that plateau?

With a billion, Manny and Jinkee can ill-afford to live five lifetimes. Even their three kids (and counting?) can’t spend all of that in their lifetime.

* * *

But I admire Jinkee, really.

With her strong objections to the proposed Pacquiao-De La Hoya fight, Jinkee proved she was not only after the money after all.

Yes, they have millions in the bank already as Manny is now the world’s No. 1 money earner, next only to De La Hoya and the now-retired Floyd Mayweather.

But refusing a billion-peso purse? Isn’t that madness?

It is. But more strange things have happened in the name of love.

True love can defy anything, even death as proved in the classic, immortal story of Romeo & Juliet.

* * *

To be sure, Jinkee has an absolute faith in the ability of her husband to win fights.

But by sternly declaring her objection to the De La Hoya bout, she was realistic enough to admit that Manny would be in precarious position against such a great fighter like Oscar.

At 5-foot-11, De La Hoya is six inches taller than Manny.

De La Hoya weighs 160 lbs to Manny’s 135 lbs.

Definitely, it would therefore be a mismatch in height and weight, even if they’d fight in the catch-weight 147 lbs.

Manny would be put in a very dangerous position and Jinkee knows that by heart.

Anybody who genuinely cares for the welfare and safety of Pacquiao is absolutely the person who truly has an unsullied baffection for the National Fist.

Without a doubt, Jinkee fits that to a T.

Here’s a glass to true love.

(Readers may reach columnist at also147@yahoo.com. For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/general-admission/ For reactions to this column, click “Send MESSAGES, OPINIONS, COMMENTS” on default page.)

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments