Seventh Heaven for Manny Pacquiao

AND so it has come to pass.

Wala lang. I always wanted to start an article with that sentence. Yun lang. Oh, you guys can read this pala. Sorry. Take two. Here we go:

And so it has come to pass.

We all saw what happened and read all about it later in print and online. Manny Pacquiao wins a world title for the seventh time in convincing and oh, yes, graphic fashion.

But the big question is where did you watch this historic boxing match unfold? If you're not in Las Vegas, then you're probably in any of the countless viewing parties all over the metropolis. Malls, restaurants, hotels and anywhere else who found a way to access the exclusive pay-per-view event made a killing that morning.

Me? Well, along with my brother Edmund and three more friends, we found ourselves trekking to the very exclusive, by-invitation-only viewing party of the fight hosted by Nike Philippines at White Space in Pasong Tamo Extension in Makati. With good, brunch-worthy food, cozy ambiance with strong airconditioning, free Wi-Fi access and of course, all things Pacman and Nike, it was a well-attended affair graced by such celebrities like Sarah Meier, Marc Nelson, the members of Sandwich, Chicosci and Kjwan, basketball star Jeffrey Cariaso, Reema Chanco and even classic character actress Ester Chavez to name a few.

Aside from the fight itself, other highlights of the event was the unfolding of a mural created by celebrated graphic artist AJ Dimarucot on a special boxing ring canvas that served as "a place of honor" at the venue. The ring celebrates Manny’s Just Do It spirit and highlights the defining moments in his history, from his humble beginnings as an aspiring amateur boxer to the world boxing champion that he is today.

Also on display were signed Manny Pacquiao merchandise auctioned off to fans (the proceeds of which will be turned over to Gawad Kalinga for the education of GK youth communities affected by Typhoon Ondoy) as well as special edition T-shirts released by Nike a week before the fight.

There's the Nike MP Team Pacquiao Eagle Tee that comes in bold red, showcasing a gold foil outline of the Philippine Eagle head in the center front, with a screenprint of an outlined Eagle wing in the background. The back carries the Team Pacquiao statement in bold letters, with the Nike–Manny Pacquiao logo below it.

The Nike MP Tee, on the other hand, comes in black, and showcases the iconic Nike logo on the front, accompanied by Manny Pacquiao’s initials MP in red and blue respectively and a sun to the lower right, reminiscent of the Philippine flag. The localized version of this tee differs in the writing on the reverse side, which says, “Lamang Gawin Ito,” a Tagalog translation of Just Do It.

Just Do It? Manny Pacquiao certainly did. And so it has come to pass.

Check out these Special Edition tees in select Nike stores nationwide including Nike Park The Fort, Trinoma, and Glorietta 4.

Here's a YouTube video of this special viewing party: