Pacquiao to open national amateur boxing championships in Bacolod City
BACOLOC CITY -- Bacolod Lone District Congressman and Philippine Olympic Committee Chairman Monico O. Puentevella confirms that boxing hero Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao will be the guest of honor in the opening ceremonies of the 2009 Smart National Amateur Boxing Championships on January 16, 2009 in Bacolod City.
"For a national boxing event that aims to discover new sports heroes in our country there is no other befitting personality that can give honor and inspiration than Manny 'Pacman' Pacquiao," declared Puentevella who is also vice chairman of the Congressional Committee on Youth and Sports Development.
"What makes it more memorable is that this is Pacquiao's first trip to Bacolod City after he won the momentous Dream Match against Oscar de la Hoya in Las Vegas last December 2008. We are elated he gladly accepted our invitation," Puentevella added.
Pacquiao will have a motorcade around the major thoroughfares of the city after which he shall proceed to the Negros Occidental Multipurpose Activity Center at the Provincial Capitol for the opening ceremonies.
The 2009 Smart National Amateur Boxing Championships slated on January 16 -23, 2009 is expected to draw around 300 amateur boxers from all over the Philippines including Bacolod City and Negros Occidental. The event is sponsored by Smart Telecommunications in coordination with the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP), Bacolod Congressional District Office, Philippine Sports Commission and the Negros Amateur Boxing Association (NABA).
Another highlight of this event is the staging of the Boxing Congress on January 22, 2009 at the L'Fisher Hotel to formulate a blueprint in discovering new boxing heroes in preparation for the Asian Games, Southeast Asian Games and the Olympics.