PACMAN THE DOG

Dogs appearing in movies could be more popular than this canine, but certainly, Pacman is the most-travelled of his kind in the world today.


Pacman, of course, is the favorite pet of World Boxing Organization welterweight and eight-division champion Manny Pacquiao who always makes it a point to tag the Jack Russell along terrier wherever he goes to fight since acquiring pint-sized animal five years ago. Pacman, who is based in Los Angeles, even has a special permit from the U.S. department of foreign affairs to join Pacman wherever he wishes to go.

“Pacman is an American citizen,” Noel Lautengco, an uncle-in-law of the pound-for-pound king’s wife Jinkee assigned to take care of the canine, attested in an interview one day during Team Pacquiao’s three-week stint in Baguio City in the first leg of his preparation for his third fight with Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez. “He’s gone to many places, kasi lagging isinasama ni Manny tuwing bi-biyahe either para lumaban, mag-training o mamasyal,” Lautengco, who is married to Jinkee’s aunt Marlyn Jamora, said. “Kaya nga masasabi kong siya na sigurado and the most-travelled dog sa buong mundo.”

“Well, maybe the kind which appear in movies could be more popular than Pacman is, but, undoubtedly, hindi nila mapapantayan ang dami ng biyahe ni Pacman. Just think of how many times Manny fought since 2006. Ang dami na. Eh yun pang biyahe kapag nag-ensayo? “ Lautengco who now works as an on call plumber in L.A. said.

“Manny nga always tags him along sa mga biyahe niya. Si Pacman kasi ang taga-gising nya kapag tumatakbo sa umaga in the course of his training. Kaming mga nasa Team Pacquiao, alam na namin kapag gising na si Manny kasi nauuna nang bumaba sa Pacman,” Lauterngo related. “Kapag nagising kasi ‘yan sa umaga, pupunta agad kung saan natutulog si Manny at kakatukin nya hanggang magising. Napakasipg naman sa takbuhan. Lagi siyang nauuna kay Manny sa roadwork. Kaya tuloy siya na ang ginagamit ni Manny na Pacer,” he continued.

“Pacman is the only guy who could keep pace with Manny on the road, kaya team up lagi silang dalawa. At si Manny lang nag nakakasabay sa kanya. Mabilis kasing tumakbo at tuwqang-tuwa siya kapag nagkakarera silang dalawa ni Manny,” Lautengco, who claims to be Pacquiao’s confidante even before the boxer wooed Jinkee, said.

The past few days in Pacquiao’s first week in L.A., Pacman, again, shared the limelight with his popular boss as he, as in the past, kept the champ company in his roadwork at the mountainous Griffith Park in downtown L.A.

“Manny and myself were already friends even before he courted my niece, who then worked as a model and endorser for Ponds (a beauty product). “I was, in fact, responsible for introducing him to Jinkee. Lautengco relayed that Pacman is actually a half-breed Jack Russel terrier given to him by boyhood friend and now assistant trainer Buboy Fernandez. “The dog was given to Buboy by a friend. Hiningi ni many kasi nagandahan. Maliit at malikot. Si Buboy na ang nagbinyag ng Pacman.”

“Napamahal na kay many si Pacman. Before Pacman slept besides Manny sa gabi. Pero na-allergy si Manny sa balahibo kaya sa akin na pinatatabi sa pagtulog. Ako ngayon ang binubuwisit, kasi ayaw nang walang katabi. Nilalagaya ko sa lapag ng kama bago matulog, magigising na lang ako nasa paanan ko at kasukob ko sa kumot,” Lautengco related chuckling.

Source: PhilBoxing.com