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An Asian Journal Magazine
The Asian Journal N E W YO R K / N E W J E R S EY OcTObER 16, 2015
Pacquiao honored with Asia Game Changer Award For using his sport, and his star power, as forces for good
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by MoMar
G. Visaya/AJPress
SIA Society honored Manny Pacquiao with its Asia Game Changer Award Tuesday at the United Nations. Pacquiao joins last year’s awardees Jack Ma, CEO of Alibaba; Malala Yousafzai, icon of girls’ rights from Pakistan; Illac Diaz, founder of MyShelter and Liter of Light and other inspiring Asian personalities who are making a transformative impact on the future of Asia. This is the second year that Asia Society is honoring the dreamers and leaders who are making a positive impact on the future of Asia. This year’s batch of awardees include Nobel Laureates in Physics from Japan, a ballet dancer from China, an educator in India, a communications mogul in China, a comedian from the United States and the UAE’s first female fighter pilot. These inspiring men and women represent the spectrum of achievement – those who have led from positions of power, as well as those who have done so from groundlevel laboratories of innovation, according to Asia Society. Against the backdrop of New York’s East River and Queensboro Bridge, Pacquiao and his fellow awardees mingled with Asia Society trustees, officers, and other guests from around the world. Josette Sheeran, Asia Society’s President and CEO, began the ceremony by noting that Asians have received insufficient recognition for their contributions to the world. “More than 950 Nobel prizes have been awarded since 1901, and less than six percent have gone to Asians — even though 60 percent of the world’s population is in Asia and Asia has 50 percent of the world’s patents. “We at Asia Society want to recognize the brilliance of Asia — those who are changing the world for the better.” In his five-minute acceptance speech, Pacquiao related his story as a young boy who desired to help his mother move their family out of poverty. “That desire became big and I never expected and imagined that I will accomplish all I have done. This award is a very prestigious award and it is a big honor to my family and me and the whole Filipino people because of their support,” Pacquiao said. Pacquiao also expressed his thanks to Asia Society and the people who have been supporting him. “I’m so thankful and blessed by God because of this honor
and blessing. I experienced a life that you never experienced, a life that sometimes we have food, sometimes none. We had no shelter. I tried to sleep on the streets. My success in life...I will never forget my past that’s why I help them by giving them a house, jobs, free education and health care - everything that I can do to help them.” “Thank God for giving me strength and good health every day and because of the inspiration that the Filipino people and boxing fans from all over the world have been giving me that’s why I am still here, and I keep on fighting and punching,” he added. Tennis legend John McEnroe presented the Asia Game Changer Award to Pacquiao. “He is an amazing champion,” McEnroe said, and added that he has similarities with the boxing hero. “We are both left-handed, we both play one-on-one sport and we’re both extremely tough.” In his introduction, McEnroe shared a story about Nelson Mandela who told him that sports have the ability to change the world. “Manny Pacquiao is a living proof. He is one of those individuals who has done that. He is a humanitarian who has given back in his own country to people who are much less fortunate,” McEnroe said. The tennis champ then went on to commend Pacquiao for his guts in venturing into politics. “To go into the world of politics, that is really unbelievable. I think you’re used to hitting people above the belt, now people are hitting you below the belt all the time,” he said, directly addressing Pacquiao. A short video about Pacquiao’s life from the slums to his achievements as a boxer and as a humanitarian was shown. In addition to his athletic career, Pacquiao is also a philanthropist, musician, and, since 2010, a politician: He represents Sarangani in the Philippine House of Representatives. Earlier this week, Pacquiao confirmed his interest in seeking a seat in the
Manny Pacquiao speaks after being awarded the Asia Game Changer of the Year award on Tuesday, Oct. 13.
Tennis star John McEnroe poses with Asia Game Changer of the Year Manny Pacquiao.
Philippines’ Senate, and would not rule out an eventual run for the presidency. This year’s honorees were nominated by thought leaders in Asia. Asia Society’s global network generated more than 130 nominations of individuals and institutions. Among the other game changers recognized this year were Lei Jun, co-founder of Xiaomi, China’s leading smart phone vendor and the world’s third largest phone manufacturer; Chanda Kochhar, the first female to head an Indian bank; Li Cunxin, ballet dancer from China who is now the artistic director of Queensland Ballet in Australia; Aasif Mandvi, a comedian on Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with Jon Stewart who used this platform to tackle Islamophobia; Mariam al-Mansouri, UAE’s first female fighter pilot who has led airstrikes against ISIS in Syria. Also recognized were Kiran Bir Sethi, who founded The Riverside School to offer an alternative to a rigid education system with an emphasis on encouraging youth volunteerism; Isamu Akasaki, Hiroshi Amano and Shuji Nakamura who won the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics. Pacquiao visited the Asia Society Museum on Monday for a 30-minute tour of Philippine Gold: Treasures of Forgotten Kingdoms, an exhibition displaying the country’s precolonial tradition of golden jewelry, armaments, and ornamentation. As he was guided by Florina H. CapistranoBaker, consulting curator
Manny Pacquiao signs an autograph for a fan at Asia Society Museum.
Manny Pacquiao tours the Asia Society Museum exhibitionPhilippine Gold: Treasures of Forgotten Kingdoms on Monday, October 12. Photos by Ellen Wallop/Asia Society
from the Ayala Museum in the Philippines, Pacquiao appeared loose and relaxed, frequently expressing amazement that the items on display were made of actual gold. The conversation during the subsequent press conference, naturally, turned to boxing. Five months after an injured shoulder contributed to his defeat to Floyd Mayweather, Jr. in a muchanticipated welterweight match, Pacquiao says his shoulder is now “80 to 90 percent healed” and that he could fight again as early as March. And while he still hasn’t settled on an opponent, he’s keeping the 28-year-old British boxer Amir Kahn in mind as a possibility. “Although we’re friends, I think that when we’re doing our job in the ring, there is no friendship,” Pacquiao said. “This is sport — we allow each other to hit each other.”
Photos by Ellen Wallop/Asia Society
Edwin Josue, Loida Nicolas Lewis, Pacquiao and Consul General Mario L. De Leon, Jr. at the Photo by Edwin Josue Asia Game Changer Awards reception.
Congressman Manny Pacquiao with Fernando Zobel de Ayala, Asia Society’s Board of Trustee Photo by Edwin Josue
Pacman: In His Own Words
MANNY Pacquiao, at a press conference Monday at Asia Society in New York, had a freewheeling Q-and-A with the media and some members of the Filipino-American community. He responded to questions about his run for the senate and how similar politics is with boxing, among other topics. The following are excerpts – • On overseas Filipinos registering to vote If they still love the country, they should register and vote. Their vote is important for our country, to choose who the next leader will be. • On the healing of his injured shoulder My shoulder is 80 to 90% healed and I believe I can start training on November or December so I can fight early next year, maybe around March. • On who he is supporting for president of the Philippines Duterte is not running, so… (laughs). Anyway, I’m PDP-Laban and we don’t have a resident so I can file a candidacy under PDP-Laban without a president. I will announce on the right time who the presidential candidate I will support. • On why he is running I’m running because I really believe that I can help more people. It was difficult to make a decision before I finally decided to run. It’s a very difficult decision because you have to consider a lot of things, specially your time for your family. When you become a senator, you have to give up other activity just to focus on your job as a public servant. • On being a politician I never expected to be a politician. When I was young, I never thought I’d be a champion all over the world. What I have done in boxing is beyond my imagination when I was young. I’m really thankful to God that He gave me this favor and these blessings. The honor and glory belong to God. • On how he hated politics and politicians before Before, this is the true story behind that, I don’t like politics. I hate politicians before. When people interviewed me, somebody talked to me and suggested that I enter politics so I can help more people. I said I don’t like politics. I just want to help these people, they are starving and hungry and I feel what they are feeling because I’ve been there. My life before, I used to sleep in the streets and I know how to feel hungry. Later on, I realized that more people find out that I give to people who need, more people come to my house asking and begging for help. I’m a person who won’t turn my back. One day I realized that the Lord gave me the desire and wisdom to enter politics, that’s the time I decided to enter politics. My prayer to the Lord is, if I commit sin serving people, it is better for me not to enter politics. In the future, If I am going to commit sin against
God, against man, it’s better for me not to enter politics. • On his vision as a public servant My vision as a public servant is honestly helping people and serving honestly. That’s my mission so that one day when I am gone in this world, that’s my legacy in life. I can enjoy all the money I earned from boxing and go all over the world and spend time with my family but every time that I can hear the voice of these people – the poor people “Oh, I need help. I don’t have money to buy food. Help me.” – Even if I don’t see them, I can hear their voice, I can feel that in my heart. If I turn my back from them, it’s hard for me because I’ve been there. I’m serving honestly with the guidance of the Lord. You cannot please everybody, some people are criticizing me. You cannot just give them money, so give them a sustainable livelihood so they can earn money so they can buy food every day. Give them healthcare, specially the senior citizens. And of course, free education, I think that’s the most important thing that we need to answer and resolve. A lot of people are starving and they really need help from the government. • On Amir Khan as his next fight Actually, that’s one of the names that my promoter has given me but we haven’t decided yet. Although we are friends, when we are doing our job in the ring, there is no friend. I mean, you know what I mean? Nothing personal, just doing your job.” • On thinking about being president in the future Right now, I don’t have that in my mind. I mean, to become a president is not a plan of man, it’s a plan of God. Like Noynoy. Who knows that he will become president? It’s God anointed. If that’s the will of God, then you become a president. If you don’t have that anointing, how can you be a president? What’s in my mind right now is to focus on my job as a congressman and the next election next year. • On politics and boxing If we study politics, we don’t have to fight each other. Let the people choose who they’re going to vote. We have to support each other. If the people want to support a politician (over another one), we have to respect that. The decision of the people is the decision of God. We have to learn that. What is happening right now not only in the Philippines but also around the world, politics has become boxing also. They are fighting each other. • On how frustrating is it to pass bills in the Congress I have a lot of bills that I filed in Congress and those bills are important especially to address human trafficking, about health care center all Continued on Page 4