by Frederick Alain Docdocil
Hundreds of volunteers streamed onto Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA) Headquarters early in the morning on Saturday, March 7th, to heed the call for the Mayor’s Day of Service by L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Groups, associations, and individuals representing not just the Filipino-American Community, but that of Los Angeles in general, came to help beautify and improve Historic Filipinotown.
The special Guest of Honor for this event was 2008 Fighter of the Year Manny “Pac Man” Pacquiao, the boxing star widely considered to be the world's top pound-for-pound fighter. Mayor Villaraigosa honored Manny with “The People’s Champion" award for his historic achievements inside the ring (being the first Asian to win four sanctioned World Titles) as well as for his philanthropic contributions outside of it, and dubbed him Los Angeles’ “Newest Angeleno”, since he trains in Coach Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood. Pacquiao and Mayor Villaraigosa also planted and dedicating a tree in support of the Million Trees Initiative of the LA Mayor.
Manny had just completed a promotional tour in Manchester, in preparation for his upcoming fight against England’s Ricky “Hit Man” Hatton on May 2nd in Las Vegas. This potential Fight of the Year candidate will be for Hatton’s International Boxing Organization (IBO) World Junior Welterweight belt.
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