Covering Manny Pacquiao

Just like millions of other Filipinos all over the world, I celebrate when Manny Pacquiao conquers his opponents on the ring. Just like them, I also feel sad when he stumbles and look forward to sweet revenge in the return bout.

While I also strongly believe that the boxing hero has the charisma to make millions, if not billions of pesos, for the products that he endorse, what doesn't suit well with me is how some media are covering his day-to-day activities.

Well, it's probably because reality shows are such a hit to us Filipinos that we've turned Pacquiao's life into one.

In journalism school, one of the lessons I learned that prominence is an element that makes something newsworthy. Pacquiao is so popular that anything he does could be news.

Well that is if what's reported is really true.

Recently, there was a controversy about a piece in an Internet website about how Pacquiao knocked down a much heavier prizefighter in their sparring session. It wasn't true and the camp of the boxer, who was allegedly knocked down, denied such claim.

The other day, a TV report showed Pacquiao strumming his guitar and asking Erik Morales if he knows how to play the instrument. Huh?

Well maybe Morales started it commenting about Pacquiao's singing ability.

When I was a kid, Muhamad Ali was the world's biggest boxing star. He was always in the news, but I never remember anything that seemed to have been so far off from his boxing career.

I'm pretty sure that modern technology had changed the way media does its coverage. Now, we can watch them do all sorts of things in real time.

What I still hope for though is honest to goodness reporting and telling the people true stories and not rumors.

I'd like to see Pacquiao floor Morales in their bout. I'm raring to see that and I hope that as his supporters we also help him focus on the real issues ahead of him.

This is the best way to show our support to Pacman.

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I received a disturbing e-mail about a badminton tournament that failed to impress the participants because of many technicalities that somehow discouraged some people.

While I give the organizers the benefit of the doubt, I'd like to remind those organizing such events to make sure that things are done right.

Badminton is a sport that has grown by several leaps and bounds in the past four years. There has been no growth as spectacular as what we are seeing now.

You can see all the badminton courts that have been put up, the badminton specialty stores that are opened and the players of all ages and sexes and walks of life with their rackets and gear.

We don't live in a perfect world, but in order to sustain the rapid growth of badminton, all stakeholders have to cooperate.

I'd like to see the sport grow even bigger even if I haven't played for many months now.

The e-mail was probably a wake up call for me to start sweating in the badminton courts again if I have time so I can lose some of the extra poundage.

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I'd like to remind the golfers aged 55 years old and above of your tournament this Saturday at the Mercedes Plantation Golf and Country Club in Medellin.

Those who are not yet 55 years old are also welcome to join according to the flyer that was faxed to my office.

This is a good reason to drive over a hundred kilometers up north. Entry fee is only P1,000.