Live in the Philippines

Live in the Philippines helps expats with visas, moving and other services regarding the Philippines.

The Congressman wants what?

Philippine Politics / by

Do you remember a couple of months ago I had an article where I advocated the Jeepney fares should be determined by the private sector, not dictated by the government?  Over the years I have had numerous columns where I pointed out that the Philippine government, in my opinion, gets too involved in matters that really should be private.  Also, many Filipinos, in my opinion, look for the government to tell them what to do, to protect them, etc. instead of taking care of their own needs.

So, do you know who Manny Pacquiao is?  I have written about him before, and he is quite famous anyway, so I am sure that the vast majority of you know who he is.  Manny is a boxing champion who hails from General Santos City, a place where I used to live.  Pacquiao is a World Champion, and almost all of his fights occur in Las Vegas, so he is not just a regional fighter, this guy is a world known (and feared) talent.

Manny is currently preparing for his biggest fight of his career.  On December 6, he will be fighting Oscar de la Hoya.  de la Hoya is much bigger than Manny is, but this fight will pay a huge amount of money for Manny, and I believe that although he is smaller, he still has a chance to emerge victorious – he is that good.

I was rather surprised the other day when I saw an article in a local newspaper about a Philippine Congressman, Rufus Rodriguez from Cagayan de Oro.  Congressman Rodriguez is urging the World Boxing Council (WBC) to cancel the fight.  He is also urging the Philippine Games and Amusement Board to freeze Pacquiao’s boxing license until after December 6.  Why is he seeking these actions?  Because he feels that Pacquiao may lose the fight!  My goodness!  Shouldn’t it be up to Manny Pacquiao to decide if he wants to take the chance of losing?

Congressman Rodriguez has also said that he fears that Pacquiao may get injured in the bout.  Isn’t it possible that any boxer could get hurt in any fight that he participates in?  If so, maybe boxing should be outlawed?  Certainly legislation should not be inacted any time that a Philippine boxer “might lose or get hurt.”

Doesn’t this just glaringly point out that the Philippine Government steps into places where it simply doesn’t belong?  I admit, I am conservative, and I tend to push for smaller government in almost every instance.  But, in this case, I think that a person of any political persuasion should be able to come to agreement that the Congressman is over-reaching his role by a long, long ways.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. I am inclined to agree with you on this one Bob, although I am also a fairly passionate advocate of the international banning of boxing. After all, the object of the exercise is to knock out your opponent; i.e. to inflict brain damage of a temporary or permanent nature on your opponent. We don't alow people to shoot each other under legal circumstances, so quite why we allow them to box is quite beyond me. It's the same kind of thing as moaning about people who take canabis, but are quite happy for them to use far more dangerous drugs such as alcohol and nicotine. It's a mad mad world.

    heh heh

  2. Hi Bob,

    Is this congressman serious? I mean, does he think for one moment the World Boxing Council will take this request seriously? I hate to say it, but the WBC is probably laughing at the congressman's request as they count the profit potential from this fight.

  3. Hello Bob,
    I have to wonder about some people's I.Q levels, when they make comments like you have just mentioned. I am sure that Manny would be most embarassed as to what this congressman has said.
    I could imagine the opposing fighters comments,"are you going to fight me or hide behind your government's skirt". I am sure Manny is thinking of giving that congressman an uppercut to the jaw about now.
    Sport is all about winning and losing, you just cannot keep on winning.
    As for that congressman I would be more worried about what is going to happen with the economy more than a boxer who knows how to look after himself.

    Enjoy your day
    Steven

  4. …I say we have a match between Congressman Rodriguez and Manny….I'm sure Manny would do it as a benefit for the Darwin Awards !!

  5. Hi Jim Hannah – Yes, I agree with you too. I am not a big boxing fan, although I don't necessarily think it should be banned. Funny thing is that this congressman has no problem with Boxing, he just doesn't want Manny to lose!

  7. Hi Steven – Yeah, the Congressman seems to be saying basically that Manny is too stupid to decide for himself. That's just crazy!

  9. You know I'm pretty sure the congressman doesn't give a hoot about Manny's health and that this whole move has everything to do with "Philipino Pride". If Manny loses then the Philippines as a whole loses… and worse yet to a Mexican boxer! (Have you ever heard a Philipino talk about Mexicans?) I met Manny and his trainer Freddie Roach up in Cebu last year. Nice people, very down to earth.

  10. Hi BrSpiritus – Yes, I totally agree about the Pride, or Ego thing. A loss would devastate the country, and this is a grasp at stopping that.

  12. Hi Larry – Good point there. You know, when the Congress is distracted with issues like stopping people from making a living, that is when these pork bills are snuck through!

  13. Hi Bob – Well, as Andy Worhol said, "In the future everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes." Politicians in the Phils. appear to take that for gospel, on filipino time of course. 😆

  15. That is the way it goes and our government in the U.S. too busy to notice bad loans from mortgage lenders. 🙄

  18. I would hope Manny could seek asylum from the overreaching Congress and GAB and be a champion Phil-AM boxer! 😀

  19. Bob: To quote "Black Adder": I don't think he thought through his "cunning plan". Pacquiao is so popular and Filipinos love boxing so much, the congressman might have a problem at election time if he follows through with his cunning plan.

  20. Hi RobAZ – I read the other day that Manny is taking a serious interest in the US Presidential campaign, so maybe it's possible!

  22. I read that article too, Bob, and shook my head in disbelief. Once agin it comes up that the differences between US ideas and Filipino ideas go much deeper than many people seem to think at first. It's something that people have to figure out if they can stomach or not before they make a decision, because this is nothing unusual … government intervention in what should be a person's private business.

    Of course a guy with the kind of viewpoints I have might make a guess tat someone had bet big on the fight and then wanted the fight not to happen because of a 'better's remorse' situation … put only a cynic would hold they view.

    Here we have a country with an actual shooting ware going on, a population out of control, an agricultural system that can't feed the population, a world-wide reputation for corruption, hundreds of unsolved politcal assassination per year and probably a couple other issues I could bring up … and Congress has it's eye firmly fixed on the ball … the issue of Manny and Oscar fighting or not fighting is clearly the most presisng issue of the day for law makers ….. *sigh*

  23. I am so glad that the US gov't never gets involved in people's lives. Could you imagine if they mandated people wear helmets while riding bicycles or seat belts while in a car? Next thing you know they'll refinance mortgages for those who failed to read the fine print, or bailout financial institutions whose managers made poor business decisions…

  24. Hi Gary – Yep, they do it too, no doubt there. If anything I wrote implied that it only happens in the Philippines, that certainly was not my intention.

  25. Wow, I am speechless,

    With all of the problems in the Philippines..this congressman is worrying about this…..wow.
    Well..at least he got his name in the papers and the news media…I guess that is what he really wants, but I should refrain..I don't know this congressmans record and what he has done for the people he is representing.

    Salamat,
    Danny 😉

  26. Hi Dave Starr – It certainly is a different way of looking at things. It would be like a US Congressman trying to stop the Super Bowl because his team might not win.

  28. Maayong adlaw Bob, ug kumusta sa imong pamilya.

    Whatever the real motives of 'Tong'gressman Rufus Rodriguez, I'm pretty much sure that he wont gain anything on stepping in to this matter but instead deteriorate his credentials as one of the lawyers of deposed president, Pres. Erap. I actually admire Mr. Rodriquez but not on this one. He is simply out of tune to sing a lullaby!

  30. Hi Bob, Tama jud ka. Ngil-ad paminawon ang tingog ni 'tong'gressman (by the way: FYI for you guys! 'tong' in bisaya means a 'cut off' or a commission from any financial deals/projects) sa iyang kanta. Maayo pa mag-Cha-Cha na lang siya. lol:)

  32. hi bob,

    the congressman is serious, and i don't have any doubt of his petition, put it this way, philippines is a banana republic run by 99.99% lunatic monkey politicians, so what is there not to doubt it? anything is possible in the philippines. if our politicians are like him i don't see any hope for the philippines,

    as a matter i might as well have my own petition to change the name of my country,

    The Banana Republic of The Philippines, (where lunacy is welcome and sanity is lost!)

  33. Hi dans – 😯 You are quite critical of your homeland! Keep in mind, there are politicians here who are committed to doing good also. Hopefully things like this are the exception.

  34. Hi Bob,

    From a financial point they should be happy he fights. He usually gives some of his winnings to the people of the Philippines. Won or Lose he will earn millions. If I am not mistaken, he gave money from his last fight to familys of the victims of the Ferry sinking.

  36. Once again a Philippino politician gives us proof that the asylum is being managed by the inmates!

  39. Hi Bob,

    😯

    Whether its sounds stupid or sooo stupid…the Filipino congressman is only looking after Pacquiao's welfare.. 😯

    Can we say the same thing with the US represenatives and senators?
    Majority of these fools voted to go to war in Iraq under false pretense….blood and money cost? more than 2,500 young americans lost their lives (for what?), more than 20,000 soldiers wounded and scarred for life…costing taxpayers $4.4 billion a month and total cost could reach to $2 Trillion dollars… with the current financial mess, these same fools were found sleeping on the job…joe public's house' have lost significant value, they've lost considerable amount of money invested in the stock market….

    President MLQ is right! He'd rather see the Philippines run like hell by Filipinos!!! :mrgreen:

    Dont get me wrong, I love USA, this my adopted country, I love this place as much as I love Philippines…

    Everybody has their own village idiot….and Philippines is far from monopolizing it…

    peace….

    Atong Estrada

  42. Hi bob,

    not too critical here, i am just sick and tired of how my country is run by the politicians, this congressman character is prevalent in the philippines, instead of doing their job making their constituent lives better, they choose to interfere with someone else's life, the "I am a Hero" thing is what makes me puke, instead of meddling one's personal life, why not improve the lives of thousand? this congressman thinks that he will emerge as a "Hero" for looking after pacquiao's welfare.

    anyways, here's a news break… 200 million insertion fund is being investigated by the banana republic of philiipine senate, and the people involved is the senate itself! what a country!

  44. Wow I'm glad that congressmen in the Philippines use their time and our money to get involve in such important matters ,

  46. Boy Bob, this is a scary article. As you know on my site I am writing about my journey from America to the Philippines and I have to say reading articles like this gives me second thoughts. While America is not quite to this point it is getting closer everyday and I shutter to think what type of political control the Philippines will have in years to come.

    The fact the citizens wait for answers and to be controlled by the government of the Philippines can only lead to many more lack of rights down the road. I hope this trend will stop.