MORALE BOOSTER: The priceless smiles of evacuees from Eastern Visayas who watched Manny Pacquiao’s fight at the barangay Tinago sports complex where they are temporarily sheltered. A giant TV screen was put up where an ad-free broadcast of the fight was shown.
For a moment, the distressing trauma caused by supertyphoon Yolanda was forgotten by the people who were evacuated to Cebu from Eastern Visayas as Manny Pacquiao battled his way into boxing supremacy yesterday.
Thousands of survivors of supertyphoon Yolanda erupted with wild cheering to celebrate the boxing icon’s victory over Brandon Rios in Macau. The bout, which was shown on TV screens set up in evacuation centers in Cebu as well as in Tacloban City and in Manila gave them a brief respite from the enormous destruction and rebuilding that lies ahead.
Joel Gonzaga was glued to the screen in the barangay Tinago sports complex, holding his cellphone camera to record the fight.
“Nakakatuwa! Nawala yung kaba ko sa nangyaring bagyo,” he said. (I forgot what I felt during the typhoon.)
Together with hundreds temporarily sheltered in barangay Tinago, Gonzaga busted his lungs as he jumped for joy. He said he wants to keep the cellphone video recording as a memento. He had watched all of Pacquiao’s fights and was glad he didn’t miss this one.
“Maganda ang kondisyon ni Pacquiao ngayon. Kalmante lang siya, hindi kabado. Hinda gaya nung laban nya kay Marquez na gusto niyang matapos agad,” he said. (Pacquiao was in a better fighting condition now, unlike when he fought Marquez.)
Right after the fight, he and his family packed their bags and headed to the pier to board a ship for Manila. He and his nine family members will be visiting his brother in Tondo, Manila before proceeding to Olongapo City to stay with another brother for good.
Rosito Signo, 75, noticed that although Pacquiao still prayed before and after his fight, he didn’t make the sign of the cross.
“Hindi na siya nag-sign of the cross di gaya noon na lagi nyang ginagawa. Pero kahit na, masaya pa rin ako kasi nanalo sya. Maupay yung umpisa ng laro,” said the elderly man, who was wearing a rosary around his neck. (I’m still happy he won.)
A telecommunications company provided the live broadcast of the fight, said Tinago barangay captain Joel Garganera.
Residents of the barangay also watched the fight.
The crowd eagerly watched and cheered. They also applauded when Filipino-American and American Idol finalist Jessica Sanchez went inside the ring to sing both the US and Philippine national anthems.
The same scene was replicated in the Looc gym in Lapu-Lapu City where the city government placed wide screens and projector for the evacuees.
Paulino Limboy was amazed at how the Lapu-Lapu City government has taken care of them: “Kon mahimo pa lang nga anhi na lang mi mopuyo dinhi kanindot unta pero kahibalo mi nga tempiraryo lang ni.” (if only we can stay here for good, but we know all these is temporary.)
Paulino and his pregnant wife intend to return to Barangay Dubarob in Guiuan, Samar with their son. They left Samar because food was scarce there.