An open letter to Manny Pacquiao

IT IS apparent you are in a highly confused state. Therefore, as one who is pleased—not happy, just pleased—that you lost your last two fights, may I offer a Christian point of view for you to consider?

First off, you wanted to be a boxer, obviously worked awfully hard to get to the top, and got there.

Once on top of the heap, however, without your brain being addled by anyone, you became confused on your own. You hung out with scum-of-the-earth politicians, gamblers, ladies and ladies of the night. You bought mansions (not tastefully designed or appointed, but mansions nonetheless), the fastest, sleekest, most expensive automobiles and the most expensive jewelry (not tastefully designed, but expensive nonetheless).

Then, as if you didn’t have it all, you ran for Congress and won. I had hoped you would lose, as we have enough buffoons in Congress, but you won. Hmm, okay, maybe he’ll do the right thing, we thought.

But no, hardly hide nor hair was seen of you there. How could you not have done the right thing as a congressman when you were badly needed in sessions of that “august body”? Then again, if you had attended sessions faithfully, would you have been a good legislator?

So you collect your pork barrel, on top of your gazillions, and give to charity a few shekels. You have contributed nothing to help improve our country in some way, by being a congressman, notwithstanding that opportunities for congressmen to do good are rife, should they desire to properly serve the Filipino people.

Then you decided you should be a Born Again minister. Has that move, which, if properly harnessed, helped anyone? Doubtful.

Your last two bouts with Juan Manuel Marquez were duds. Why? Because you did not prepare for them as you should have—training, training, training for months on end.

Who do you think you are, training seven weeks (if that) to Marquez’s 16 weeks? The people of the Philippines trusted you, expecting you to do the right thing. You didn’t.

In every respect, notwithstanding all your shenanigans, the Filipino people were proud of you. You gave a nation with so little to hope for, hope big-time. Hope you hardly deserved.

So hang it up, Mr. Pacquiao. Stop making Pinoys hope when it’s obvious you are a hopeless case.

Still, should you prove me wrong, I’ll be okay with that.

—JOAN ORENDAIN