Pacquiao snubs Malacañang's Independence Day invitation

Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, who had just been elected congressman of Sarangani Province, snubbed Malacañang's invitation to attend Saturday's Independence Day celebrations at the Rizal Park in Manila.

"Mukhang busy si Congressman Manny sa abroad (It seems Congressman Manny is busy abroad)," Ludovico Badoy, executive director of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, told NBN television after the flag-raising and wreath-laying ceremonies at the Rizal Park.

Badoy said Pacquiao was invited to join the civic-military parade, which will include 10 floats representing President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's 10-point agenda.

The government spent P10 million for the parade, which will start at 3 p.m. at the Rizal Park.

Pacquiao was supposed to be on one of the floats with CNN hero Efren Peñaflorida and other Filipino "global achievers."

Badoy said they were told that Pacquiao has important activities to attend to abroad.

'Fabulous' Mexico vacation

In his article in PhilBoxing.com, sports analyst Ronnie Nathanielz said Pacquiao, with his wife Jinkee and children, are expected to return to the Philippines on Sunday morning.

Pacquiao is returning from a vacation in Mexico.

Nathanielz said that according to Pacquiao's adviser, Michael Koncz, the Mexico vacation was "fabulous, unbelievable."

The sports analyst also quoted Koncz as saying that Pacquiao, during the vacation, was "very relaxed, spent time with the kids and that's what a vacation is all about."

Before the vacation in Mexico, Pacquiao received the Fighter of the Decade Award from the Boxing Writers’ Association of America (BWAA).

Pacquiao returns to the Philippines as a congressman. He will officially take his seat in the House of Representatives on July 1.

Instead of running under Mrs. Arroyo's political party, Lakas-Kampi-CMD, Pacquiao ran under a local political party and coalesced with the Nacionalista Party of losing presidential candidate Sen. Manny Villar.

After the elections, Pacquiao met with President-elect Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III and assured Aquino of his support.