Golden Boy vs Pacman

^^^ hindi pala natuloy ang laban na 'to? nyahahaha!



It hasn’t been an easy match to make. Both boxers must make physical sacrifices for the 66.5-kilogram (147-pound) bout, with De La Hoya dropping down to welterweight for the first time in seven years while Pacquiao bulks up to the heaviest weight of his career by far.

At any rate, observers believe the fight could easily rival the blockbuster encounter between De La Hoya and Mayweather last year which reportedly grossed $120 million, including the pay-per-view buys which generated a record $2.4 million.

If the fight earns $100 million, Pacquiao stands to get his biggest paycheck ever—estimated at $15 million.

Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach also said a victory would open the floodgates for even bigger fights for the Filipino icon.

The two boxers agreed to fight at a catch weight of 147 pounds and use eight-ounce gloves.

De La Hoya would be banking on his size but he will have to shed pounds and thus give up some strength to make the 147-pound weight. The 1992 Barcelona Olympic lightweight gold medalist fought heaviest at 160 lb against Felix Sturm for the WBO middleweight title.

The last time De La Hoya (39-5-0, 30 KOs) fought as a welterweight was in 2001. In his last fight, against Steve Forbes last May, he weighed in at 150 lb but entered the ring at 154 lb.

De La Hoya has won six titles in six different weight classes and has taken on practically every fighter who has donned the mythical best pound-for-pound crown.

However, he lost to the four biggest names he has encountered—Shane Mosley twice, Felix Trinidad, Bernard Hopkins and Mayweather Jr.

Roach said speed and youth would be the weapons of Pacquiao (47-3-2, 35 KOs), who started his career at 106 lb. He has won four titles in four different categories, snatching the lightweight title from David Diaz last June.

Pacquiao will have to move up to welterweight to fight De La Hoya, a surprising weight surge for a fighter who began his career as a minimum weight boxer.

Roach has said his fighter won’t have trouble maintaining his peerless hand speed at that weight, since Pacquiao routinely puts on 4 kilos (10 pounds) or more in the 24 hours between weighing in for his bouts and actually stepping in the ring.

What is your stance on this circus?
Vote on my poll located at the left side just below the shoutbox.

HILONGOS sundown

City nightlife won’t really lure me but instead it gives me time to relax by painting some photos. Sometimes we hanged out just to break the monotony of our daily routine but not that often. After a long strenuous habit in my work, I often go home by weekend spending time with my family and recurrently visit my parents who are still residing near the sea. Albeit in just a matter of a day, my weeklong exhaustion has been soothed by the grin of my daughter (Alexandra) and a care from my loving wife (Mailyn) but it’s all worth it. Our life is not for complaint but for satisfaction. It was also relaxing taking some photos of the sunset in our place especially when the sun seemed like floating in the sea with a fire-like burning rays and reflection. Sitting in the sand, watching my daughter playing and running around and feel the placidity of the sea was so invigorating. Children playing in the shore, as the sun changed its color, somehow made me reminisced my past. I’ve been there and done that. During my elementary days, I used to draw in the shore after school till murkiness fall. Stick was my pen, the sand was my canvas and the shore was my playground. Nobody of any real culture, for instance, ever talks nowadays about the beauty of sunset. Sunsets are quite old fashioned. To admire them is a distinct sign of provincialism of temperament. Upon the other hand they go on. I used to love its beauty thus, whenever Im home, I used to stay in my parent’s house after noon waiting for the sun to sink below the horizon.

“When I admire the wonder of a sunset or the beauty of the moon, my soul expands in worship of the Creator”… Mahatma Ghandi.

Nature's Fury

I have searched all my stored photos for the pictures taken late last year in front of my parents' house before it was hit by the unlikely waves just recently. I just want to compare it with the present situation. Actually, 18 years ago, fronting our house was the barangay road and the neighboring houses. And currently, my parents house is just a meters away from the shore (see picture of a window below). Although I got no pictures to show those existing residential houses before, I draw it for your visualization.




Since we’re located in a typhoon prone region, Eastern Visayas, just a low pressure that swirls off the area yields serious effects. In the early 80’s, LGU built a barrier to protect our coast from the force of waves which we locally called sea wall (breakwater).



Due to this occurrence, gradual changes are apparent along the shoreline in our place (Brgy. Pontod, Hilongos, Leyte). Houses in this area were slowly destroyed until fully eradicated by the mid 90’s.






Since nature’s wrath is irrepressible, our parents decided to relocate their house for a safer place though their source of living rely only in fishing. In point of fact, just a moderate waves during hide tide, living, dining and kitchen areas will be washed with water and sand.



Residents accused the reconstruction of our port as the main cause why our shoreline has been slowly swallowed. I won't totally agree BECAUSE in a broader sense, these changes are the result from GLOBAL WARMING due to humanity's negligence.

sakayan ni tatay

This picture was taken after a stormy weather in our place, specifically Hilongos, Leyte. Fishing boats usually conceal from the rough and wavy seas when low pressure hits the area. So I took a picture of my father’s boat that was anchored at the nearby creek just a few meters away from our house. As I uploaded all the pictures in my camera, this photo enticed me to paint it in watercolor. Thus, without hesitation, I just let my time after work to pass till I felt sleepy with this painting and made 5 sessions to complete. This artwork was added to the personal collection of my own paintings.





Medium: Watercolor
Size: 22” x 18”
Title: Sakayan

My Mother for 4 years

SR. ELIZABETH B. MERIÑo, SM

Born: March 4, 1959
Joined the Sisters of Mary: June 8, 1986
First religious Profession: May 26, 1989
Born into Eternal life: August 9, 2008

Sr. Elizabeth Meriño, SM was born on March 4, 1959 in Leyte, Philippines. On June 8, 1986, with her desire of helping the Lord in the person of the poor, she joined the Sisters of Mary which at that time was newly established by the Servant of God, Msgr. Aloysius Schwartz.
Throughout her religious life, she continuously took care of children at Boystown and Girlstown of the Sisters of Mary. She was always simple, cheerful, gentle and loving. She was always concerned with the children's welfare not just their material and physical needs but above all their spiritual improvement. Thus, she had a lot of zeal in teaching catechism even if at times, she had severe sore throat and even lost her voice. She loved teaching the last mysteries in order to prepare the children for eternal happiness. She taught not only in words but also through her hard work and her practice of virtues. Whenever she was offended, she was ready to forgive and forget the past. She also loved recruiting the children even how difficult the travel and circumstances were. She endured all with patience and joy in order to save souls. She had special concern for those who are orphans and abandoned children to the extent that sometimes she was misunderstood by others.
She always some little physical pains but it did not bother her nor complained. When she could no longer bear the pain, she informed the superior about it. Then she submitted herself to medical check-up and was found out that she needed surgery.
On October 8, 2007 she underwent operation at Doty Memorial Hospital in Seoul, Korea and was diagnosed that she had cancer and it was in an advanced stage. She accepted it with serenity and total resignation to God. Since May of 2008, she could not go out from her room anymore but she remained cheerful and even cracked jokes to those who visited her. According to her, she was like Jesus nailed to the cross. She continued praying the rosary and listening to Fr. Al's recorded religious tapes.
On June 13, 2008, on a wheelchair with dextrose, she managed to attend Mass and joined her sisters in renewing their religious vows. For the last time, she joined the sisters' breakfast and happily shared her laughter with them.
On August 8, 2008 at around 4:00 p.m., she felt difficulty in breathing. A priest administered the last sacraments and after communion, she smiled beautifully. She was looking for Mother Michaela, the superior of the Sisters of Mary, to ask permission to go to. The sisters asked where should she go. "To heaven!" she said loudly.
Finally, the following day at exactly 5:00 a.m., her breathing stopped. After a few minutes her face shone with much peace and serenity describing the joy of a faithful, a true disciple and a spouse of the Lord Jesus.
"I have fought a good fight. I have kept the faith. From now on, the crown of righteousness awaits me, which the Lord, the just judge will award me." (2Tim.4)