39,000 feet up in the sky with Pacman

Even for a million, I wouldn’t dare as much as spar with Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao and risk being sent to Kingdom Come by his killer (left) punch. But for nothing, I would fly with him anytime as I did last March 8 when I found myself on the same PAL flight (102) with him to Los Angeles. He was seated on 1K in Business Class and I happened to be right behind him on 2K, thanks to my nearly-expiring UTC (Upgrade Travel Certificate).

In blue jeans and black leather jacket over a black-and-green striped shirt, Manny was with several companions but those I recognized with him in our class were his brother Bobby (also a boxer, I understand) and Michael Koncz (said to be Manny’s adviser), plus a foreigner who introduced himself as Manny’s personal photographer. 

I first saw Manny and his entourage headed for the Mabuhay Lounge a few minutes before the scheduled 10 p.m. departure. They were the last to board. Along the way, Manny was acknowledging his fans with a wide smile, some of them having their picture taken with him. As soon as Manny entered the plane, I greeted him and had a photo op with him. Soon, other passengers, some of them from the Economy Class, joined the picture-taking. Manny was “game,” a winner all the way, never showing any displeasure unlike most celebrities who begrudge fans the rare opportunity of recording the “event” for posterity.

Manny said he was ready for his rematch with Timothy Bradley on April 12 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. He asked what I was doing in L.A. and I said I was attending the junket for Divergent, touted to be the next Hunger Games, based on the trilogy by first-time author Veronica Roth who was ranked No. 1 Best-Selling Author by The New York Times, with Shailene Woodley and Theo James as lead stars (more on them in tomorrow’s Conversations with Ricky Lo).

I spent some of the 12-hour flight observing Manny (without his knowing it, of course!). A few minutes after the pilot announced that we were 140 nautical miles from Manila and the plane would be at its assigned 39,000 feet altitude, there was a mild turbulence. I noticed Manny look out of the window, maybe to check.

From the flight purser Gina Jocson, I learned that, for dinner, Manny ordered Beef Tenderloin with Port Wine Sauce by Chef Clifton Lyles with Potato Cake and, for breakfast, Beef Tapa by Chef Fernando Aracama with Ubod and Carrot Achara, Spiced Vinegar and Kalo-Kalo Rice.

While other passengers read books and watched  TV (like me; I reviewed The Descendants to see how good Woodley’s performance is as George Clooney’s rebellious daughter), Manny read The Bible, with several verses highlighted. When I stood up to go to the restroom, I saw Manny in fetal position on his seat adjusted to “Sleep” position, looking like a baby in sweet slumber. No, he didn’t snore; neither did he sleepwalk nor talk in his sleep.

Like everybody else, when Manny woke up, his hair was disheveled. He went to the restroom and stayed there for 25 minutes (yes, I timed him). He was served breakfast as soon as he came back.

Then, more picture-taking followed not just with other passengers but also with the flight attendants that, aside from Jocson, included Cherie de Roca and Jayson Senga (assigned to First Class), and Olive Cabal, Dindin Carayag, Wei Dungao and Nico Sanchez (Economy Class). Captain Filomeno Tacan greeted Manny on his way to the cockpit from the restroom and also posed with Manny.

At the queue to the Immigration Officer’s booth at LAX, some fans (mostly Filipinos) were surreptitiously zooming in their cameras on Manny. When Manny’s turn came, the immigration officer (who looked like a Filipino) talked to Manny for several minutes, as if interviewing him for a sports magazine story. At the arrival area, more fans swarmed around Manny who was as charming as ever, with no jetlag showing.

I won’t be in Las Vegas to watch Manny’s bout with Bradley but I will surely watch him on TV. I wish him luck.

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