BY NICK GIONGCO
When Manny Pacquiao began showing his training on social media recently, one guy who wasn’t at all surprised was busy attending to his constituents in Polangui, Albay.
Still, vice-mayor and Pacquiao lead trainer Buboy Fernandez took a short break from his busy schedule of caring for the people of the first class municipality that is 43 kilometers north of Bicolandia’s heart and soul of Legaspi City.
“Hindi na ako nagulat kasi kilala ko si Senator (Pacquiao),” Fernandez. “Siyempre natuwa pa rin ako nang makita ko na nag-eensayo sya.”
With activities put a halt owing to the pandemic, Pacquiao has been forced to camp out inside his Dasmariñas Village home in Makati while directing the operations of relief efforts in Luzon and in Visayas and Mindanao.
The quarantine is strictly being observed in the National Capital Region where the big number of cases of COVID-19 in the entire country are located.
Like his childhood friend, Fernandez is doing the same thing although on a much smaller scale.
In fact, Fernandez had just gone home after a whole day’s work of going around town making sure the basic needs were being distributed.
Though the coronavirus has yet to make its presence felt in his province, Fernandez is not lowering his guard.
“’Di tayo magkumpyansa…mahirap na,” said Fernandez, sounding as if he was discussing the battleplan for Pacquiao’s ring return.
Instead of staying behind closed doors, Fernandez feels it is his duty to personally call the shots.
“Ito tamang panahon na makita ng mga kababayan mo na umaalalay sa kanila,” he said. “Hindi pwedeng magtago ka sa oras na ito dahil sa panganib ng coronavirus. Kailangan nila ng masasandalan.”
A few days ago, Fernandez’s pickup truck was emptied of freshly-harvested vegetables for people to partake in.
Later that day, Fernandez took part in carrying sacks of rice for distribution to the people of Polangui, the hometown of his wife Claire.
Turning to boxing once again, Fernandez feels that even at 41 (Pacquiao is turning 42 in December), the fighting senator remains a force to be reckoned with in the welterweight division.
“Si Senator kasi ang tipo ng boxer na hindi mo na kalingan pang sabihan na mag-ensayo. Bihira ang ganyang boxer. Kapag walang laban, hindi nag-eensayo ang mga boxers. Pero iba si Senator…may kusa.”
But not Pacquiao, whose friendship with Fernandez stretches back to their days in General Santos City.
It is for this reason that Pacquiao continues to make heads turn even after winning eight world titles in as many weight classes.
“Kundi man sya nag-eensayo, basketball naman ang kanyang nilalaro.”
Although everything is still up in the air as when boxing is going to be back, Fernandez believes his comeback is going to be another explosive one.
“Kahit sino ang iharap mo pero mas gusto ko yung si Mikey Garcia,” said Fernandez, stressing that the rugged Garcia being of Mexican lineage has an added zing to the matchup.
Fernandez insists Pacquiao still has a lot left in the tank.
“At this point in time sa career nya, magandang ensayo lang ang kailangan nya para manalo.”
A fighter of Pacquiao’s caliber is extremely rare, Fernandez pointed out.
“Iilan lang ang mga boxers na katulad nya. Wala ka na pwedeng ituro sa kanya pagdating ng laban. Alam na nya lahat. Sa kundisyunan na lang talaga magkakatalo.”