PACQUIAO AND VARGAS (AP PHOTO)
THERE will only be a few pay-per-view venues for today’s fight between Filipino boxing champion Sen. Manny Pacquiao and Jessie Vargas in Cebu City.
Cebu City Councilor and concurrent Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) president Philip Zafra said most of the barangays in Cebu City won’t sponsor a free live showing of the Pacquiao fight.
Unlike Pacquiao’s last April’s fight that had barangays agreeing to sponsor the live showing, Zafra said there was no agreement this time since they considered Vargas “not as challenging” as Timothy Bradley, who beat Vargas previously.
Cebu City Councilor Joel Garganera, who usually initiated a free living showing in the past Pacquiao fights at Tinago gym, said he is not doing it now since Vargas is not a well-known boxer.
Garganera said it seemed that the people have no interest to watch the fight and he’s not even watching it.
Apas barangay chairman Ramil Ayuman said there’s a pay-per-view showing in Apas gym but people must pay P25 each because it is not initiated by the barangay unlike in the previous fight.
The pay-per-view showing is sponsored by the Apas Employees Cooperative which is also renting the gym.
The Cebu Coliseum won’t sponsor a free pay-per-view showing since another event is booked at the venue, coliseum secretary Susan Bacalso said.
Only a few establishments offered pay-per-view like the Ayala and SM Cinemas.
Ayala Center Cebu will open its Cinema 5 at P400 each, which is lower compared to the P500 ticket price for the April fight.
SM is offering a P500 ticket price for those who wanted to watch at SM Cebu, SM Seaside and SM Consolacion, said RJ Leduna of SM Supermalls.
Cebu Business Hotel also offers P500 pay-per-view with unlimited food, said front desk staffer Jo Farenas.
Castle Peak Hotel offered to show the live telecast of the Pacquaio fight at P400 with lunch.
Waterfront Hotel and Casino Mactan added the live telecast of the Pacquiao-Vargas fight to their usual buffet at UNO Restaurant at P810, said front desk Ali Bajenting.
The Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino in Lahug offers P900 with buffet for their walk-in guests but P500 for their in-house guests, said hotel staff Cathy Carin.
Other big hotels said they have no pay-per-view of the fight.
The staff of Parklane hotel said it’s a management decision not to hold a pay-per-view telecast at the hotel.
Yayoy’s Grill will still have pay-per-view at P150 excluding food, which means that the rate is for viewing only, restaurant cashier Mervin John Santos-Iñigo said.
Sky Cable offered pay-per-view at P999/household costumers.
A staffer said only 2,000 customers availed for it, which is lower compared to the previous fights.
SU-PSU Mariners Court Cebu is also offering pay-per-view for its members.
In the province, the towns of Moalboal, Tuburan, Medellin and Daanbantayan are sponsoring a free live telecast of the fight.