Manny Pacquiao

The name is Emmanuel. To the boxing world, he is Pacman. To his adoring fans, he is Our Manny. To the boxing pundits, analysts, enthusiasts, commentators, not excluding politician-hangers on, he is Pacquiao. To the millions of starving Filipinos, hungry for heroes, who feed on political bickering breakfast, lunch and dinner with snacks in between, he is the Pambansang Kamao (National Fist).

The PK is the Filipino’s national pride, the Filipino boxing jewel. He has done the country proud. A jewel indeed to be treasured and flaunted. He is of humble beginnings. From his home in General Santos City, somewhere south of the Philippines, the Boy PK PK sold donuts in town and brought home coconuts which he in turn sold to neighbors. PK’s story has the stuff that John Gokongwei’s, Henry Sy’s and Lucio Tan’s million bucks success stories are made of. There’s a difference, however, a huge difference. The Filipino-Chinese Taipans’ idea of a punch is limited to the beverage. earned his and his family’s keep even at a tender, young age.

The PK discovered by recruiters for amateur boxing. This led to his now legendary career and stellar status in boxing. When he loses in a fight, the Filipino nation is not convinced. An icon is not supposed to lose. There may have been some human errors in the judges’ scoring, anything but, certainly not in anyway due to the PK’s human limitations, slight imperfections. When the PK was badly bruised in a fight and still made it to the 12th round standing, during his first encounter with El Terrible, the nation was still euphoric and welcomed him home like they would welcome him in victory. The idol is never fallen in the eyes of his countrymen.

He is a son, brother, husband, father, friend, Mr. Everyman, and PK. He is as human as any one and as Filipino as every Filipino born and bred. During his fights, his wife would always be at the ringside and his mother would always be kneeling in front of their home’s altar holding on to her rosary beads. His two young boys would watch their father’s fight on satellite TV, but no other fan is as privileged as these two who get to sleep, sip and dine with the PK. He is the home grown boy who made good, he is fantastic media copy, a much sought after product endorser, whose material blessings he shares through his charities.

It has been a long time since the traffic-heavy streets of Manila was for once empty when people chose to stay home to watch a delayed boxing telecast and longer still since the time when Filipinos were swept in a united adulation, all because of Manny Pacquiao, the People’s Champion.

Music in Our Lives

We woke up one day and we were in this world. Innocent to everything around us, we search to classify the things that are inevitably part of our lives. With the books, the internet and all of the other resources that can help us in our every query, we seek to define music. But music’s definition requires a whole book to be fulfilled. It is a long ever-present aspect in human life. To give a least definition of it, it is an artistic and crafty organization of sounds to produce an aesthetic and artistic statement. It is a form of communication where sounds and ideas are arranged to convey a thought or emotion in a pleasant or discreet manner and still subject to different interpretations.

In Greeks, music is a way of getting the soul in synchronization with the universal harmony and becoming one with the spirit of the muses. Nowadays, it is still a form of conveying feelings and ideas for the entertainment of the audience. Many contemporary artists have their own style; some acoustic, some fiery while some showcase their powerhouse vocals. However, it proves that musicians who share their feelings in the most transparent manner appeals most to the people and therefore claim more enthusiasts. Music is not about the tune and the lyrics alone, it’s also about the emotions behind it all.

But music to our ears does not need an overt explanation to what it is or where it began. A single tune may be subject to a number of interpretations and emotions to which every individual can dig deep in their personas. Every culture has its own music and an attitude towards it. Those people who spend time chatting in coffee shops would gladly listen to a more classical piece. Punk-rock music is probably adored by a group of skater kids. And as for others, they go into what’s new and hip in town.

It’s a reality! Music is part of our lives, and it is only up to us to discover the music in every circumstances. It may be the soft breeze of the night, the sound of the busy street or the swift rhythm while we press the keys of our keyboards. Thus, it is to our pronouncement that the beats of our normal lives be translated to the music to touch the hearts and souls of others.

Karaoke as a Form of Escape

People in the Philippines are definitely diligent. Working overtime comes not as a surprise, but as part of the working habit. Contrary to the misconstrued notion that Filipinos are a bunch of Juan Tamad, Filipinos are actually workaholics whether they live in the City or at some distant province or even at a foreign land. Notice the diaspora of Overseas Filipino Workers all over the world. Foreigners tend to hire Filipinos because they are known for their faithfulness, diligence, and integrity. However, in spite of Filipino's enthusiastic working routine, Filipinos are still famous for being a happy person. Studies actually show that Filipinos are in the top list of the happiest people in the world. Filipinos have developed a skill to find pleasure in the midst of tumult.

In a place where people work from dawn till dusk, pleasure is much needed. People's frenzy lives yearn for a better side of the story. Everyday, work becomes too tedious, exhausting and unbelievable. The need for pleasure becomes a need for air to breathe. In the eyes of a worn out person, the workplace becomes a jail where he or she is slowly stripped of life and essence. For this reason, he or she seeks to find an alternative world where he or she can really breathe; can really live; and can really be free. Oftentimes, Filipinos see Karaoke Bars as the paradise of pleasure. In this context, singing, although out of tune, becomes a form of their escape. There are two ways of how Filipinos use Karaoke as an exodus from their stressful lives. On one hand, they often choose to feel the passion in the song which purgates their emotions. On the other hand, they let singing sever the "self" from verity.

A typical Filipino loves to put himself/herself in the shoe of the other. This is why Filipinos weep over the predicaments of the characters in their favorite soap opera or abhor the antagonist of the novel that they are reading. Filipinos put too much emotion in singing. They sing the lyrics of a sad song as if they were the ones who were hurt. Whenever they sing happy or love songs, you can actually feel the rush of their adrenaline. According to Plato, a person undergoes purgation after weeping over a sad story of any form of literature. His/her soul is cleansed. Afterwards, he/she feels more contented with his/her life, happy that he/she lives a better life than the overly sensationalized stories of various media.

Similarly, Karaoke puts Filipinos in jubilant state. Upon entering the bar, a Filipino leaves everything at the doorstep including his business worries, financial problems and relationship concerns. As soon as they find a good position, they play a good song, grab the microphone and belt out the lyrics with all their might forgetting the harshness of their respective lives. Karaoke sends people to a temporary euphoric condition where life becomes nothing, but bliss. But this bliss is transient for after the singing, the Filipino goes back to reality where he faces his problem, now reinvigorated.