LINGAYEN—Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. thanked Clairyenne “Yen” T. Malanyaon, a Pangasinense and the resident painter of Pound- for-Pound King Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao, for bringing honor not just to the province but to the country thru her artistic talent.

During the visit of the artist to the province on January 6, she gifted the Governor a painting of Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto during their fight.

Malanyaon, whose mother Syncletica Bugayong-Toledo was born and raised in Pangasinan, said the subject was a personal choice of the Governor, which incidentally is one of her favorites having seen the action in full length from the ringside of the boxing arena. “I saw how Pacquiao smashed the giant Cotto so much like David and Goliath,” she noted.

The 36-year old artist expressed her desire to do a mural depicting Pangasinan – its famous products, tourism spots, development programs of the present administration, the Urduja House, the elegant Capitol, and the overall scenario of the province featuring its past, present and future state under the stewardship of Gov. Espino.

“It would be a great honor for me to be allowed by the Governor to work on this,” she said as she added that if she can paint Pacquiao and other renowned sports personalities like Kobe Bryant, why not Pangasinan where she traces back part of her roots.

Gov. Espino welcomed the idea even as he said that the province will fully support the endeavor.

The governor mentioned that he has kept a collection of photographs taken during the Palarong Pambansa in 1995 that can be included as subjects for her painting as well as the Lingayen Gulf landings, one of the most significant events in the history of Pangasinan.

Clairyenne’s exhibit is set to be held during the celebration of Agew na Pangasinan on April 5.

Malanyaon started painting professionally when she joined the Saturday Group of Artists under Malang in 1998 and affiliated with the Arts Association of the Philippines. In the same year, she crossed paths with the boxing champion thru then Mayor Lito Atienza. She has since started painting Pacquiao and now has less than a hundred in her collections with Pacman as subject.

She attributed her international exposure thru Pacquiao when he brought her to LasV egas in 2009. Since then, doors of opportunities opened to her that earned her the honor of becoming the resident painter of the boxing champ, earning her the title as the “first sports artist in the Philippines.”

Some journalists call her the “knockout artist” of Manny Pacquiao.

Clairyenne’s masterpieces are now handled by Gallery Michael in Beverly Hills and Jack Gallery in Las Vegas, USA.

“I want to do something significant and worthy and I am looking forward of working with Gov. Espino for a one-time show in Pangasinan,” the artist said.

Yen’s maternal great grandfather, the late Benito Bugayong, was a classmate of renowned Filipino master painter Amorsolo. (PIO/Ruby R. Bernardino)

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