PHILIPPINES: Philippine typhoon survivors jubilant over Manny Pacquiao's boxing victory, amid devastation in Tacloban City

Record ID: 734855

  • Title: PHILIPPINES: Philippine typhoon survivors jubilant over Manny Pacquiao's boxing victory, amid devastation in Tacloban City
  • Date: 24th November 2013
  • Summary: TACLOBAN CITY, LEYTE PROVINCE, PHILIPPINES (NOVEMBER 24, 2013) (REUTERS) PEOPLE WALKING INTO TACLOBAN CONVENTION CENTER, KNOWN AS ASTRODOME VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING PAST SECURITY CHECK PEOPLE WATCHING PHILIPPINE BOXER MANNY PACQUIAO FIGHT AMERICAN BRANDON RIOS PROJECTED ON SCREEN CHILDREN SITTING ON FLOOR WATCHING FIGHT SPECTATORS WATCHING FIGHT MAN WEARING PIG HAT WATCHING FIGHT SPECTATORS WATCHING TELEVISION SCREEN AND CHEERING DURING FIGHT CHILDREN WATCHING FIGHT SPECTATORS CHEERING PEOPLE SITTING WATCHING FIGHT ON TELEVISION SCREEN SPECTATORS CHEERING AS PACQUIAO IS ANNOUNCED WINNER VARIOUS OF SPECTATORS CHEERING SPECTATORS HOLDING PHILIPPINE NATIONAL FLAG (SOUNDBITE) (English) 22-YEAR-OLD TYPHOON SURVIVOR JACOB MADO SAYING: "It's hard to explain because, because when he's fighting you forget, you forget something that's happened here. You don't feel the sadness that's happened here. You just feel happy." VARIOUS OF SPECTATORS CHEERING SPECTATORS WALKING OUT OF CENTRE (SOUNDBITE) (Filipino) 70-YEAR-OLD TYPHOON SURVIVOR FILEMON CORRO, SAYING: "His win has given strength and confidence to the people, and helped us to forget the terrible things that happened here. Everything doesn't seem as bad now." SPECTATORS STANDING OUTSIDE CENTRE CROWD WATCHING FIGHT SHOWN ON LCD MONITOR ON TOP OF TRUCK CROWD CHEERING WHEN PACQUIAO IS ANNOUNCED AS WINNER (SOUNDBITE) (Filipino) TYPHOON SURVIVOR NENITA MALE SAYING: "It was a good fight by Pacquiao. He fought for the typhoon victims. He fought for us. We will rise again. Pacquiao lifted us up." SPECTATORS CHEERING MANILA, PHILIPPINES (NOVEMBER 24, 2013) (REUTERS) SPECTATORS GATHERED IN PARK SPECTATORS SITTING ON GROUND SPECTATORS SITTING/ MAN SITTING WITH JACKET OVER HIS HEAD SPECTATORS STANDING IN FRONT OF BIG SCREEN SPECTATORS GETTING UP FROM GROUND SPECTATORS PUTTING UMBRELLA'S UP AS IT RAINS SPECTATORS STANDING UNDER UMBRELLAS SPECTATORS STANDING IN THE RAIN SPECTATORS CHEERING, WHILE COVERING THEMSELVES WITH PLASTIC SHEETS OR UMBRELLAS SPECTATORS RAISING FISTS AND CHANTING "MANNY! MANNY!" (SOUNDBITE) (Filipino) MARIKINA RESIDENT CECILIO DIGAMON SAYING: "All of his fights are dedicated to Filipinos. That's one asset of Manny -- because of his good heart, the Lord granted him with blessings." VARIOUS OF SPECTATORS CHEERING AND CHANTING "MANNY! MANNY!"
  • Embargoed: 9th December 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Philippines
  • Country: Philippines
  • Topics: Disasters,Environment,General,Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA1X195CRFSCJANUGXUPGC2UQB5
  • Story Text: Filipinos in typhoon-ravaged central Philippines erupted in jubilation as boxing hero Manny Pacquiao thumped American Brandon Rios to clinch the WBO international welterweight title in Macau on Sunday (November 24).
    Crowds gathered in Tacloban's convention centre jumped to their feet and cheered as Pacquiao, the only boxer to win world titles in eight weight divisions, scored his victory against Rios.
    One resident felt the fight helped him forget the surrounding sadness.
    "It's hard to explain because, because when he's fighting you forget, you forget something that's happened here. You don't feel the sadness that's happened here. You just feel happy," said 22-year-old Jacob Mado, who is staying in a temporary shelter.
    There was no sign of the pain of the disaster on their faces as they cheered noisily and clapped every time Pacquiao landed a blow on Rios.
    70-year-old Filemon Corro, who was left homeless after the typhoon struck, said Pacquiao's win has made a difference to the Tacloban people.
    "His win has given strength and confidence to the people, and helped us to forget the terrible things that happened here. Everything doesn't seem as bad now," Corro said as he left the convention centre.
    The death toll from Typhoon Haiyan has reached 5,235, while 1,613 people are still missing and more than 4 million left homeless.
    Local authorities set up wide screens in three locations in Tacloban City, including one at the damaged airport for foreign and local aid workers and security forces helping clear debris and collect dead bodies.
    Some residents gathered in an open field amid debris from Typhoon Haiyan, to watch the match projected on a big monitor fixed on a van.
    Spectators shielded themselves from the midday sun with plywood, cardboards and styrofoam scraps. For a clear view, some climbed trees, and sat on top of jeeps and forklifts, used for clearing debris.
    "It was a good fight by Pacquiao. He fought for the typhoon victims. He fought for us. We will rise again. Pacquiao lifted us up," survivor Nenita Male said.
    More than his victory, the fighter, also a congressman from Sarangani Province in the Philippines, wanted to shift focus on the hardships faced by his countrymen following Typhoon Haiyan, which slammed into the nation on November 8. The eight-time world champion thanked his countrymen for their support, and promised typhoon survivors he would visit them.
    In Marikina, an eastern suburb in Manila, around 2,000 residents packed into a public park, to catch the fight. Local governments covered the costs of the pay-per-view, so their residents could watch for free.
    Rain poured during the 12th round, sending spectators to scramble for cover, but the skies cleared as Pacquiao's victory was announced.
    "All of his fights are dedicated to Filipinos. That's one asset of Manny -- because of his good heart, the Lord granted him with blessings," Marikina resident Cecilio Digamon said.
    Police authorities have said crime rates drop every time Pacquiao enters the ring.
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