Pushcart hero and Pacman call for unity and nation-building

The Philippines' two iconic global personalities met in Las Vegas, Nevada last May 4, a few days before the awaited Pacquiao-Mosley fight. The elebrated CNN Hero Efren Penaflorida Jr. and the world's number one boxer Manny Pacquiao met at the Top Rank Gym last Wednesday (Vegas time) where Pacquiao was training in preparation for his big fight on Saturday night. The two are both committed to uplifting the lives of their countrymen in their respective capacities. Pacquiao immediately recognized Penaflorida upon seeing him and said "Ikaw yung nagtutulak ng kariton di ba? Salamat sa lahat ng mga ginagawa mo para sa mga bata!" (You are the one pushing the cart right? Thank you so much for the things that you are doing for the kids!). Penaflorida in his usual style shyly smiled as he nodded and said that he is so proud and honored to finally meeting this boxing champ. Penaflorida was asked how he felt about meeting Pacquiao and if he will be staying in Vegas to watch the fight, he said "It was an honor and at the same time I am happy that a boxing great like our people's champ Manny Pacquiao will fight not for just fame or fortune but with the welfare of our people in his heart and mind. "I will be cheering him back home and we will be painting one of our kariton yellow to show our support to our country's need for every Filipino to take part in nation-building just as Pacman will actively fight against poverty." Penaflorida ended by saying that "Pacman is a great fighter! Helping the poor rise above poverty is a win for our nation and an inspiration to the world. As he fights Mosley with yellow gloves to underscore his call for unity among all of us Filipinos, we at the Dynamic Teen Company will paint one of our karts yellow in support of this call in doing our share in nation-building. Let's all knockout poverty, let's all push for change!" Efren Penaflorida is the most celebrated CNN Hero todate and continues to push for education of the poverty-stricken children in the Philippines, while Manny Pacquiao has his eighth world boxing title, a congressman in his hometown in General Santos and now has committed to join the fight against poverty in the Philippines. With these two Philippine icons leading the campaign to unite every Filipino to give back to their Motherland and their people, the future looks very hopeful for the Philippines.