NHI Slaps La Diva on Lupang Hinirang

The National Historical Institute (NHI) as a government agency is so obscure we are only aware that there is such a thing every time Manny Pacquiao has a fight, or when the general population of a certain city moans that somebody had coated their most historic symbol with shocking green paint. The NHI only came to our consciousness when it demonized Martin Nievera after Pacquiao stunned Ricky Hatton last May, and when it painted Jose Rizal’s house green.

But we have to admit it, the NHI headed by historian Dr. Ambeth Ocampo, is doing its job well – acting as killjoys after every Pacman victory.

While the nation was celebrating Manny Pacquiao’s date with history – vanquishing elite welterweight Miguel Angel Cotto, taking his WBO belt, enroute to seizing his seventh title in seven weight divisions, cementing his claim to the pound for pound top spot, and to being widely acknowledged as the greatest boxer of his era and one of the greatest ever – the NHI was busy nitpicking on La Diva’s rendition of the Lupang Hinirang.



Certainly, La Diva’s rendition was splendid. Yet again, Ocampo didn’t like it, citing the same reason his deputy (a certain Mr. Atienza) mentioned when they rebuked Nievera – that the national anthem is a march and should be sung in a marching rhythm. But what has the NHI done in between the Nievera and La Diva incidents to correct the situation? Nothing!

Given the NHI’s penchant for radical moves – such as repainting heritage houses in shocking green, powder blue and banana yellow (if there is such a color) – I wouldn’t be surprised if it issues a regulation requiring that the Lupang Hinirang should only be sung with an accompanying marching band from now on. Drat!

Pacquiao the Greatest Doesn’t Need a Mayweather

Manny “Pac-man” Pacquiao doesn’t need Floyd “Money” Mayweather Jr. Manny already proved to the world that he is, indeed, the greatest boxer of his era, by methodically breaking the younger and stronger, the elite welterweight champion Miguel Angel Cotto, in a 12th round TKO in their match dubbed “Firepower” in Las Vegas last November 14.


This bystander now dares to say that Mayweather, a.k.a. “Fraud” and “Gayweather”, is not in Pacquiao’s league. Whereas Manny seeks out and triumphs over the most challenging opponents, ‘Lil Floyd cherry-picks the weakest challengers. And while Pacquiao chose to fight with the naturally bigger and younger Cotto, Mayweather picked the much smaller and much older Juan Manuel “Dinamita” Marquez in their latest matches.


Mayweather is not a fair fighter, too. In his bout with Marquez, he did not abide by the stipulated catchweight, which could have given the natural super featherweight a better chance of putting up a good fight with him, a natural welterweight. Instead, Mayweather opted to pay a hefty fine for his extra weight, just so he could stack up more advantages over the already much handicapped Marquez. As a result, he looked “impressive” in his win over the Dinamita. But it was a mismatch, really. The fight should never have happened in the first place. It was like a fight between a ferocious bull and a helpless goat. It was a travesty of boxing as a sport.

Sports columnist Kevin Iole, the erstwhile Mayweather fan and Pacquiao skeptic just had an epiphany. When asked for his opinion after the Pacquiao-Cotto fight, Iole said: “I always thought Floyd Mayweather Jr. is the best boxer of this era. Manny Pacquiao just changed that today.” – Or words to that effect.

Without a doubt, Manny “Pac-man” Pacquiao is the greatest boxer of his era, and one of the greatest of all time along with Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard, among others. Floyd “Money” Mayweather is nothing but the most hated jester on the boxing ring – of all time.

So Pacquiao really doesn’t need Mayweather. But for the sake of all those who are eagerly waiting to once and for all see the Fraud crawling on all fours on top of the ring – this bystander included – let us bring it on. Let us have Pacquiao-Mayweather pronto!