LAS VEGAS – PBA legend Manny Paner is in town to witness the Manny Pacquiao-Timothy Bradley Jr. fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena here this morning (Manila time) with wife Daisy Romualdez and daughter Danita. It’s his first time to watch Pacquiao live in action abroad and Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis (Chavit) Singson made it possible.
Paner, 63, is a enthusiastic boxing fan and follows the careers of Filipino fighters Donnie Nietes, Brian Viloria, Marvin Sonsona, Nonito Donaire Jr. and of course, Pacquiao. He still remembers trooping to the Big Dome in 1975 to join thousands for the historic “Thrilla In Manila.”
But basketball is still the closest to Paner’s heart. He was named one of the PBA’s 25 greatest players during the league’s Silver Anniversary and played on the 1972 Munich Olympic national team. Paner also saw action on a pair of Asian Basketball Confederation (now FIBA-Asia) champion squads in 1971 and 1973.
“I can’t believe why it’s so hard for us to even make it to the semifinals in Asia,” said Paner. “During my time, we were disappointed if we placed second. That’s how competitive we were. In my PBA career, my fondest memory was when I played on the San Miguel team, coached by Tommy Manotoc, that won the championship with import Norman Black.”
Paner said the key is to train the Gilas national team over an extended period in the US. “China does it all the time,” he said. “They get better with the exposure. If we just play in the PBA, we get used to playing each other and when we go abroad, we find the game is completely different. The national team should train for several months in the US. When I played, we won two ABC titles before the PBA was organized so the national team didn’t really compete with the pro league.”
Paner said he was once invited to coach the Surigao franchise in the defunct MBA but his work at the Bureau of Immigration wouldn’t allow it. “They’re very strict at the Bureau where I’ve worked for over 10 years,” said Paner. “Coaching would’ve cut into my work hours and it wasn’t fair to the Bureau.” Several of his contemporaries remain involved in the PBA as coaches or assistants or managers like Biboy Ravanes, Pido Jarencio, Black, Hector Calma and Samboy Lim.
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Paner, who used to be the PBA’s highest salaried player at P8,000 a month in the 1970s, said he isn’t totally out of basketball. “Two years ago, I played on the legends team that toured the US and Canada, organized by Abe King,” he said. “It was fun to play with guys like Allan Caidic, Vergel Meneses, Atoy Co, Bernie Fabiosa and Alvin Patrimonio. We were 20 in all and played in Seattle, San Diego, Daly City, Sacramento and Vancouver.”
One of five children, Paner goes back to his hometown of Naga City, Cebu, at least once a year to visit the family home. His parents and two siblings have died. Paner and his wife have four children – Rommel, Kristina, Danita and Karl.
“Rommel is our oldest and he’s 6-1 but never really took basketball seriously although when he was about 14, he was dunking with two hands even earlier than his contemporary Jun Limpot,” said Paner. “Kristina is now 40 and has lived in Barcelona with her husband, a half-Fiipino, half-Spanish, and their daughter since 2003. She owns a travel agency which allows Daisy and me to visit her at least once a year. Danita is a recording star and actress. She has a contract with ABC-5 and is booked to do movies with Regal Films. Carl is 18 and still in school.”
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Paner said he now hardly gets in contact with another PBA legend Ramon Fernandez, a Southern Leyte native now living in Cebu. Fernandez is now married to Karla Kintanar. He recently developed a special concoction of fermented coconut nectar and fresh spices to produce “Suka Ni El Presidente,” an export-quality vinegar. Fernandez exports the vinegar through the company Profood International Corp. of Mandaue.
Others who are here for the fight include former Rizal Gov. Ito Ynares and wife Nini, former PBA players Boyet Francisco and Django Rivera, former Manila Mayor Lito Atienza, Bacolod City Mayor Bing Leonardia, former PAL president Jimmy Bautista, former Secretary of Education Jesli Lapus, Rep. Sandy Ocampo, Rep. Kimi Cojuangco, Rep. Victor Ortega and wife Mary Jane, Rep. Mark Enverga, Rep. Cutie del Mar, Rep. Pido Garbin, Rep. Mark Sambar, Onyok Velasco, Weng Aldanese Juan, Cristy Bernasconi, Herma Group chairman Hermie Esguerra, Lito Mondejar, Sen. Ramon (Bong) Revilla, Jr., Louie Vega, Tommy Ong, Kitchie Benedicto, RPN chairman and CEO Tonypet Albano, Solar chairman William and Aida Tieng, Solar president Wilson Tieng and Solar chief operating officer Peter Chanliong.