Manila slated to welcome Pacquiao

The Manila City Hall might be willing to roll out the red carpet for boxing sensation Manny ‘The Pacman” Pacquiao, but Mayor Alfredo Lim yesterday said they would still insist that the boxer pays the P120,000 concessionaire’s fees it owes the local government.

Lim said that the city government could not just simply disregard the debt accumulated by the bar owned by the 28-year-old boxer to the MCH because it could create a bad precedent that the local government gives special treatment to some delinquent taxpayers.

The country’s boxing champion Manny Pacquiao, who owned the Knock Out Bar, was one of the food establishment removed when Lim took over.

The bar along the Baywalk reportedly accumulated about P120,000 in concessionaire’s fees for a period of four months, from April to July. The MCH imposes a P30,000 monthly concessionaire’s fee from each establishment.

The MCH-City Treasurer’s Office earlier reported that eight or nine establishments that lined up along the nightspot allegedly incurred an estimated total of P7 million in unpaid taxes.

Besides, the 77-year-old mayor said they have already sent out notices to the managers of these establishments that previously occupied the nightspots along the Baywalk, and informed them about the need to settle their debts.

Lim said he also believes that Pacquiao was unaware that his bar owed the MCH. “I will presume that Manny Pacquiao did not know that his bar manager was not paying the fees. Maybe they have just forgotten about it.”

If his visit to the MCH pushes through, out of courtesy Lim said he would not mention the debt to the boxer.

Officials of the MCH has been trying to coordinate with representatives of Pacquiao to relay the message that the mayor is opening the doors of the MCH to welcome the city’s “adopted son.”

Lim said that even if Pacquiao decides to return to Manila City on Thursday or Friday, wherein government offices would be closed in celebration of the end of Ramadan or Eid il Fitr holiday on Friday, they would be at the MCH to pay tribute to the famed World Boxing Confederation (WBC) superfeatherweight.

“Even if it is a holiday, we would be around to welcome him. We would prepare the vehicles that would be used, and coordinate with the Manila Police District (MPD) for the security to be given to him and traffic rerouting,” Lim said.

Pacquiao reportedly earned $2 million during his bout with Marco Antonio Barrera. This excludes his commission from the pay per view.