Killing Me Softly With His Song

Today’s Philippine Daily Inquirer ran this headline from its ‘Pacquiao Files’:  “Pacquiao mulls singing anthem in next bout“.

Hmmm, isn’t that like killing his opponent, whoever he will be, even before Round 1?

“Reacting to the brouhaha caused by Martin Nievera’s rendition of the national anthem in Pacquiao’s fight against Ricky Hatton last May 3,” the Inquirer said, “the boxing champ had a good laugh at the suggestion that he himself should sing the national anthem.”

Pacquiao, an aspiring singer who already had released two albums, said, “Pwede naman siguro ‘yun, sa susunod ako kumanta…”  By the way, when Pacquiao’s hands are not wrapped in boxing gloves landing with surgical precision on some opponent’s glass chin on an equal opportunity basis, his fingers can do some artistry on his guitar.

Actually, Pacquiao maintained that he saw nothing wrong with Nievara’s rendition. “Sa tingin ko walang mali,” he said. He also said those who slammed Nievera’s rendition were “pumapapel lang. Yung mga yun, sumasakay lang para makilala. Parang mga KSP [kulang sa pansin].”

The Inquirer also noted that other singers have signified their intention to sing the national anthem at one of Pacquiao’s fights. They are teen sensation Charice Pempengco and former Miss Saigon star Lea Salonga.

Well, now, should Pacquiao ever get serious about flirting with history by being the first ever to sing “Lupang Hinirang” at his next fight, I can’t begin to imagine his next opponent making two-time Grammy Award winner Roberta Flack his least fav singer:

Lupang Hinirang II: Much Ado About Nothing

I know we have these types in the Philippines:  sourpuss splattered over an exquisite da Vinci painting.  I mean these types who are wound up so tight such that when you have them squeeze something, anything in their sphincter you come out with a diamond!

Where in the world do you have the singing of the National Anthem so legislated–with penalties if the singing or “appropriate” rendition is violated–as in the Philippines? And yet you still have some–including some big names–sing it like a dirge instead of a march as it was intended–and legislated?

I, for one, don’t see any reason for Martin Nievera to apologize for singing “Lupang Hinirang” the way he did at the Pacquiao-Hatton fight in Las Vegas on May 2, 2009.  Did Nievera put a bit of his personal touch to it?  Yup, but who doesn’t? Why, even the masters delighted on hopscotching on variations on a theme.  Frankly, I thought Nievera did a beautiful, powerful rendition of the Philippine National Anthem in the originally intended march beat, with such fervor to boot.  It was truly moving, except for Hatton who, for what seemed like more than a few moments, remained scaringly motionless on his back on the floor following that devastating fight-ending blow on his chin with some 8 seconds left in the second round.

And dang, if that fervor could carry on and rouse Manny Pacquiao to finish business with Ricky Hatton in 2 rounds instead of Freddie Roach’s estimated 3 (did Pacquiao really act with dispatch because he just didn’t want to scratch an early dinner appointment?), I’m all for it!

Mabuhay!

And down with Teddy Atienza (Chief, Heraldry Section, National Historical Institute), the sourpuss in the above video and his ilk!  You’ve got better use of your time and whatever, sir, instead of trying your best to stifle talent, or injecting yourself as the sour note to the best Pacquiao masterpiece ever.

Hatton to Pacquiao: HIT(ME)MAN

It must have been like the sound of gun fire.  PAC, PAC, PAC, MAN…  And every time, Hatton HIT (THE FLOOR) MAN…   Kevin Mitchel, sportblogger for The Guardian, put it aptly:  “And when he (Pacquiao) got into those sniping positions, he picked off Hatton as if he were shooting squirrels. The punches came more like bullets from a machine gun, though, and Hatton fell under a hail of shots as expertly delivered as any thrown in this ring in recent times.”

[Don’t miss the post-fight thoughts video in the comment section below.]