Bautista, Viloria, and Pacquiao

Several times in the last 24 hours, I have been asked: "Kamag-anak nyo ba yung boxer na Viloria?" (Translation: Are you related to the boxer Viloria?) To which I usually reply: Siguro kamag-anak. Nanalo e. Kung natalo, hindi siguro. (Most likely, we are related, he won, right? If he lost, he's probably not a relative.)

Well, together with the rest of the Filipinos who have been battered to death by politics, we rejoice in the triple victory of our boxers: Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista, beating Felix Flores; Brian Viloria beating Eric Ortiz; and of course, Manny Pacquiao beating Mexico's Hector Velazquez.

Erik Morales lost to Zahir Raheem but we still look forward to a rematch with Manny Pacquiao in January 2006.

We watched the fights on TV yesterday but some of our countrymen (my dad and brother included) trooped to SM Megamall to watch the fights beamed as live (meaning: none of those irritating commercials). Tickets cost P200 each and 3 cinemas were booked. Most of those who came to watch were of course, male -- and we were told that each time Manny Pacquiao would connect with a punch, "palakpakan at sigawan ang mga tao." The Filipinos were also rooting for Morales' foe -- I guess to get back at Morales for dealing Manny Pacquiao defeat in their last outing.

It was really strange that there were two boxers yesterday named Bautista and Viloria. My maiden name is Bautista and my married name is Viloria. Now, I tell people basta Bautista at Viloria, pinagsama, suwerte talaga. =) Pacquiao lahat!