Typhoon-hit Tacloban gets to watch Pacquiao fight live

MANILA, Philippines - In an effort to take the victims' minds off the devastation of super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) even for just a brief period, the government will give them a chance to watch Manny Pacquiao's fight in Macau from wide screens at the Taclocan airport on Sunday.

National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council chief Eduardo del Rosario announced on Friday that a widescreen is already being set up at the typhoon-damaged airport for the live streaming of Pacquiao's bout against Mexican Brandon Rios in Macau.

The airport, after being cleared of debris days after the onslaught of the super typhoon, is being utilized as the main staging area for the massive relief operations for the surviving victims.

More than 4,000 people have been confirmed killed and four million were displaced by the super typhoon in Tacloban City and other areas in Eastern Samar, particularly in the provinces of Samar and Leyte.

Del Rosario said that aside from the airport, the live streaming of the event will also be set up at the Taclocan city hall and its typhoon-hit Astrodome, for the survivors of the typhoon who have been flown from Tacloban.

"We would like to announce na nagse-set up sa airport, sa city hall, at sa Astrodome para mga kababayan natin na nasalanta sa Tacloban City ay makakita ng live streaming ng laban ni Pacquiao this coming Sunday," Del Rosario said in media briefing at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

Pacquaio said during the pre-fight press conference last Wednesday that he is fighting for the millions of Filipinos affected by Yolanda, the strongest typhoon to hit land and one of the strongest cyclones in history.

Pacquiao's team is confident that the Filipino boxer will win the match with Rios.