No celebration on Manny’s birthday

Three-time world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao, now in Los Angeles training for his Jan. 21 rematch with Erik Morales, turns 27 today and for the first time in his life, won’t be with his family to celebrate his birthday.

"This is a big sacrifice for Manny," said his close associate Jake Joson yesterday. "He told me he’s postponing celebrating his birthday, Christmas and the New Year until after the fight. He plans to celebrate with the whole country when he comes home from beating Morales. Right now, his only focus is to win for the Filipino people."

Joson said the word from Los Angeles is Pacquiao is pushing himself to the limit in preparing for Morales whom he faces in a 12-round bout at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas.

Pacquiao left Manila for the US last Dec. 3 after two weeks of training in Cebu. He’s in deep training at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles.

On days when he isn’t sparring, Pacquiao jogs up and down the hilly terrain of Griffith Park at dawn. On days when he spars in the afternoon, he runs at the LaBrea Park near the Palazzo apartment he shares with trainer Buboy Fernandez and writer Winchell Campos.

"He has never trained as hard before," said Joson. "Even (trainer) Freddie (Roach) has noticed the difference. He wants to prove a point against Morales. Manny’s not interested in what Morales is doing in training. His focus is on himself. This is Manny’s biggest challenge, his biggest fight, and he’s dedicating it to the entire nation."

Although he’s far away, Pacquiao is leaving something of himself to his Filipino fans on his birthday. His eight-track CD "Para Sa ‘Yo Ang Laban Na ‘To" will be launched today. Radio stations will begin playing Lito Camo’s original compositions to mark Pacquiao’s birthday.

Final details on the licensing and marketing of the CD are under negotiation but it will likely be distributed by Star Records under a label that will be either Paqman Records or Pacquiao-Camo Recording Company.

"The CD is dedicated to all Filipinos," said Joson. "It’s Manny’s way of reaching out to our people on his birthday even if he’s not with us.

He wants to inspire all of us to achieve and unite through his songs.

If it will take him to fight just to unite our country, he’s willing to sacrifice himself to bring honor to our country."

Aside from reaching out to his fans through his CD, Pacquiao is funding a six-month feeding program for underprivileged kids under the auspices of the Parish of Jesus, Lord of Divine Mercy, in barangay Holy Spirit on Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City. Joson said the budget is P1,200 a month for each kid. The program will be for 50 to 100 kids.

In General Santos City, Pacquiao’s wife Jinkee and their two sons will start the day with a Mass and entertain close friends and relatives at home for lunch and dinner.

In Los Angeles, it will be business as usual as Pacquiao will stick to his training routine like any other day.

"For Manny, there will be no birthday party, no Christmas, no New Year’s Day," said Joson. "He calls up Jinkee every day and texts his friends. This is the hardest part of being a dedicated athlete."

Jinkee will fly to Los Angeles on Jan. 15. Pacquiao’s brother Bobby will also leave next month for the US to start training for a rematch against former world superfeatherweight champion Carlos (Famoso) Hernandez of El Salvador in February.

Before he left for the US, Pacquiao made the rounds of Metro Manila to thank fans for their support and ask for their prayers. He appeared on TV’s "Big Brother House" and "Wowowee" to say goodbye the day he flew out.

While filming episodes for his TV show "Manny Pacquiao Sports Idol" (IBC-13 every Friday at 6 p.m.), he visited fans at barangay Bomber in Sampaloc, barangay Hulo in Mandaluyong (where commuters pay P2 for a boat ride across the Pasig River), Teresa in Sta. Mesa (where he rode the trolley along the railroad tracks), barangay Ugong in Pasig (where he saw how enterprising craftsmen use recycled materials to make quality products) and Marikina (where he inspired shoemakers).

Pacquiao and TV co-host Champagne Morales also visited gifted students at the Quezon City Science High School and the senior citizens at Golden Acres Home for the Aged near SM North EDSA.

At Golden Acres, Pacquiao distributed gifts and met probably his oldest fan, 105-year-old Mercedita de Leon. He promised to visit the old folks and share more of his blessings upon his return from Las Vegas.

Pacquiao was mobbed by fans during his visits to Metro Manila barangays and told them even as he won’t be in the country for his birthday and the holidays, his heart will always be with the Filipino people.