ApacmanSunday

It was another Pacman day last Sunday, the day Manny Pacquiao did the country proud yet again by way of an 8th round knockout over the previously undefeated Jorge Solis. I could tell as soon as I woke up a little past eight in the morning. The whole neighborhood was eerily quiet, even for a Sunday. The last time this happened was in the middle of November last year, when everyone and his uncle and his uncle''s uncle waited with bated breaths for free TV to show the third of the Pacquiao-Morales trilogy.

I live along the perimeter of a residential area. Right outside our house, there''s a daily cacophony of banging and clanging and vroom-ing because the "dead-end" that opens to a squatter area is host to tricycles waiting for passengers, a fishball cart, and a makeshift autoshop. We''ve made battle with these people and their noises, although most days we''ve come to accept their presence with resignation-so long as they don''t come to close to the gate and make the dog bark. That morning, however, not a sound was to be heard. I began my usual morning rituals-drink my coffee, eat my breakfast, read the paper, go online. But fast-tracked. I wanted to be free of all duties by noon, just in time for the fight. I had never been a big fan of boxing-it''s still mostly pointless violence for me - but I think movies like the Rocky series and Cinderella Man, and the reality show The Contender have endeared boxers to me. Besides, it''s one of only two sports Filipinos have come to excel in internationally, so why not root for-and share in-a world-renown compatriot''s victory?

Even if he is running for public office and all. Right around noon, I opened the television to Solar Sports. "Bakbakan na sa Solar!" I texted my sister, who was waiting for the fight with her husband at the in-laws'' house. I was quoting something Manny said long ago, without the Solar part of course.

"Mas advanced sa Kapuso!" she replied. Earlier, she had said that she probably wouldn''t be so upset if he lost because of his entry into politics.

I had just switched to GMA 7, and Manny was just entering the ring to the tune of his own song (beat that, Solis!), when my mother, on her way to Pampanga, informed me by way of text about the 8th round win. Such is the bane of people who watch on free TV and don''t spend on pay-per-view. But I''d fallen victim to text jokes before, so I did the next best thing-I googled the results. When the news was confirmed, I texted my sister about it.

"I hate you," she replied, "and of course you had to look it up online! Now I can''t tell my husband because he''s going to be pissed I told him the results."

Having known that Manny had already won, I stayed online and just waited for the television to blare out Round 8. A friend of mine was there, and she told me her father was also watching the fight on Solar. Which was a few minutes lagging behind GMA7, by the way. I cheerfully told her the results, and she said her father had ordered her to switch off the cellphones and not pick up the landline filter out any spoilers. Men and their boxing.

I cooked my lunch to the tune of men all over the neighborhood intermittently yelping out things like, "Pak!" and "Yah!" and whatever growl a good Pacquiao punch inspires among men. I wanted to tell them he had already won-I''m an evil spoiler at heart, especially when it comes to the victory I''m also emotionally invested in-but few things make the Filipino really happy these days, and one of them is a Manny Pacquiao victory. So I let the Pacman Sunday be.

We can talk about politics next time.