Oscar De La Hoya Blog: Mayweather-Pacquiao

By Oscar De La Hoya

Oscar De La Hoya, whose promotional firm represents Floyd Mayweather Jr., was impressed with Manny Pacquiao's performance against Miguel Cotto on Saturday and is as excited as the rest of us about the prospect of a Mayweather-Pacquiao showdown. Here are his thoughts on the Filipino marvel and that potential fight.


Manny Pacquiao was incredible against Miguel Cotto on Saturday. I thought he was very patient. He wanted to be sure to execute his game plan, which is the result of a lot of dedication and hard work during training. As the fight went on, Cotto just realized that he couldn’t hurt Pacquiao or beat him to the punch. It was one of those performances. Pacquiao put on a great show.

I was very impressed. To move up all those weight classes and beat the guys he’s beating is really something. I tip my hat to him. Not too many fighters can move up in weight and do what he’s doing. And he has a lot of fans. That fight probably did a million pay-per-view buys, which would make it back-to-back million-home fights. The Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Juan Manuel Marquez fight also did a million. That’s very rare in boxing.

And that leads us to what everyone is talking about: A Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight. I think it would be the biggest fight in boxing, which already is on such a great roll. The ball is in Mayweather’s court; he calls his own shots. But that’s the fight I believe Mayweather wants, Pacquiao wants and the fans want. It’s a fight that should be done. It could break the all-time pay-per-view record, 2.45 million, which was set in my fight against Mayweather in 2007.

In one corner, you have Mayweather, who many still believe is the best pure boxer on the planet today. When it comes to talent, when it comes to skill, he’s by far the most-talented of the bunch. People recognize that. And in the other corner, you have Pacquiao, a fighter who is explosive and always puts on a good fight.

They are both crossover stars now. They reach not only boxing fans but also non-boxing fans. So this isn’t a case of one fighter carrying the show; you have two fighters who will carry the promotion and make it a blockbuster. When I fought Mayweather, he was extremely talented but not quite the crossover star he is now. If he was, we probably would’ve done 4 million homes.

There is so much money on the table that I don’t see why Mayweather-Pacquiao shouldn’t happen. It could hit 3 million pay-per-view buys. And if two fighters can do it, it’s Mayweather and Pacquiao. It’s going to be up to the fighters, though, up to Mayweather. And then we’ll take it from there.

I believe it will happen. Mayweather wants to make history, he wants to fight the best. He’s out to prove he’s the best. He’s a competitor, a person who is ego driven. He wants to prove he can beat a fighter like Pacquiao. I think we’re coming to a new era in boxing, where fighters realize it’s not good enough to put on just an OK show. Fighters are realizing their careers are short and they want to make the most of them. Mayweather-Pacquiao is an opportunity to show the best side of boxing.

I’ve been through many negotiations for big fights. It takes a lot of work, a lot of back and forth, everything from who enters the ring first to what corner each fighter will be in. It’s a process. But when you have people like Leonard Ellerbe, Richard Schaefer and Bob Arum, people who understand the game and how to promote a fight, it makes it that much easier.

I’ll speak generally about money. We at Golden Boy look at market value (when discussing how the purse will be divided). In this case, Mayweather has not only the skill but also the power to call his own shots. He’s in charge, he’s in control.

My general advice to anyone going into negotiations would be not to let the little points ruin the negotiations. Go in with an open mind and be patient and everything will work itself out. I think that will be the case with Mayweather-Pacquiao. It definitely would be wonderful to be a part of another historic fight.

Pacman does it again on pay-per-view

By Kevin Iole, Yahoo! Sports
Nov 20, 1:19 pm EST


Pound- for-pound kingpin Manny Pacquiao scored his second big knockout victory in a week on Friday, when HBO Sports announced that his Nov. 14 victory over Miguel Cotto sold 1.25 million pay-per-views and generated $70 million in pay-per-view revenue.

Pacquiao, who knocked Cotto out in the 12th round to capture the World Boxing Organization welterweight title, has averaged 1.1 million in PPV sales in his past three outings – knockout victories over Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Cotto.

The win could set up a 2010 match with unbeaten Floyd Mayweather Jr., the other man with a claim to the throne as the top fighter in the sport. That bout would likely shatter all pay-per-view records.

More From Kevin IoleWard's Super chance at breakthrough Nov 19, 2009 Arum won't stand in way of dream fight Nov 18, 2009 Mayweather holds the record for most pay-per-view units sold in an individual bout, with 2.45 million when he won a split decision over De La Hoya in 2007. Mayweather has averaged 1.48 million on pay-per-view in his past three outings, following up the De La Hoya fight with 940,000 in sales against Ricky Hatton and 1.05 million on Sept. 19 in his comeback bout with Juan Manuel Marquez.

HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg said the performance of Pacquiao-Cotto is yet another indication of the sport’s upward mobility. This is the first time since 1999 that there have been two pay-per-view cards in one year that have reached 1 million or more buys. He said sports fans, not just boxing fans, are talking about a Mayweather-Pacquiao fight.

“Boxing is back in the mainstream and this is what we’ve been working for for so long,” Greenburg said. “I am feeling (the excitement for a Mayweather-Pacquiao match) and people are walking around the streets talking about it. These are two guys who are recognized around the world as the best pound-for-pound fighters. They’re in the same class and they’re in their primes.

“It harkens back to the Sugar Ray Leonard-Tommy Hearns fight in 1981. Those are very few and far between. People are so excited. That’s why it feels bigger than most. It’s exciting for the sport, it’s exciting for the fighters, it’s exciting for the trainers and everyone involved.”

Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum was thrilled with the result and expects the 1.25 million figure to grow as more results trickle in. Arum said the figure released Friday is “very preliminary” and could get larger. It is not unusual for cable companies to report additional sales many months after the fight.

Arum knew he had a winner from the moment he signed Pacquiao-Cotto, but didn’t expect such a large figure until the week of the fight. Not only was the bout receiving wall-to-wall coverage from traditional boxing media, it also drew unprecedented attention from mainstream outlets such as The New York Times and Time Magazine.

“The New York Times covered the fight so well – and when’s the last time they did anything on boxing like that?” Arum asked. “Time put Manny on the cover [of its Asian edition]. Basically, we were expanding our base [of media coverage] and when I saw that, I knew this fight was going into another realm. And what happened then didn’t surprise me. This is a very preliminary number and it could grow considerably.”

Mayweather manager Leonard Ellerbe congratulated Pacquiao on the sales performance, but said it would not have an impact on negotiations for a bout with his fighter. “That’s good for boxing and good for the sport,” Ellerbe said.

Ellerbe said Team Mayweather is meeting internally to determine its stance. Ellerbe said Mayweather is more than willing to fight Pacquiao if an equitable deal can be struck.

Arum, too, insisted he wants to see the fight made because of the public demand for it. But because of the animosity between Mayweather and Arum, reaching a deal could be problematic. Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer will deliver Mayweather’s position to Arum, Ellerbe said.

“We feel as though this is the biggest fight by far in the history of the sport,” Ellerbe said. “We will approach it accordingly. Mayweather Promotions/Team Mayweather is sitting down and going over all of our options to come up with our position. Once we come up with our position, we will let Richard know and he’ll deliver it to Bob.”

The biggest pay-per-view draws to this point have all been American fighters: Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, De La Hoya and Mayweather. Arum said he is amazed that a Filipino fighter who speaks English as a second language has been able to cross over and become a legitimate star.

Now, a potential Mayweather-Pacquiao fight would match not only the men widely regarded as the two best in the sport but also pair its two best draws. It may turn out to be the most anticipated bout since Muhammad Ali met Joe Frazier at Madison Square Garden in New York on March 8, 1971.

“What this kid has done is astounding,” Arum said. “You don’t see these kinds of numbers with foreign fighters. With the De La Hoya fight, yeah, you could say it was De La Hoya [who drove the sales]. Manny was the ‘B’ side, no question. But for Hatton, Manny was the ‘A’ side and, without a doubt, he was the ‘A’ side against Cotto.

“He’s become a legitimate, genuine attraction. People are fascinated with the kid. They absolutely love him. I was in New York and everywhere I went, literally, people who wouldn’t know a left hook from a right cross were talking about him. He’s got the great story that appeals to the non-boxing fans, and the boxing guys love him because of how he fights and how fearless he is.”

All Hail King Manny; Let's Pray for Z Gorres

Manny Pacquaio once again proved he is the number one pound for pound boxer in the world. He was too fast, too strong, and much braver than Miguel Cotto. With the kind of punishment Cotto received, you would think that there is not anything that this kid from General Santos cannot achieve. If he only grew more in height, he can probable still bring his power to the much heavier weight classes.

One troubling turn of event is what transpired with Z Gorres' recent fight where he won by decision but had to be rushed to the hospital after he collapsed after the fight. It was a brutal 12 round fight where Z was knocked down on the 12th round but still had the energy to stand up and finish the fight.

Let's pray for the recover of the magnificent Z Gorres. He is a remarkable ring tactician, counter puncher and brawler who is not afraid to mix it up with any opponent.

We are awaiting your comeback Z! Get well soon.

Analysis of Pacquiao - Cotto Fight

Listen to the Podcast analysis by Quinito Henson of the upcoming fight by following this link

http://www.philstar.com/microsite/firepower/podcast.html

Pacquiao VS Cotto

Manny Pacquiao is set to fight Miguel Cotto on November 14, 2009 (November 15 in the Philippines).

If Pacquaio had not fought Oscar dela Hoya or Ricky Hatton in the past, I would say that this is a terrible mismatch in favor of Cotto. I would say that Cotto is bigger and stronger and that Pacquiao would not be able to last the whole 12 rounds. I would say that Pacquiao's speed would be neutralized by the body shots of Cotto and that the latter would win by knockout.

But Pacquiao did fight Oscar de la Hoya and won by TKO. Pacquiao also fought Ricky Hatton and won by a second round knock out. Everyone, even the greatest of trainers from Angelo Dundee to Nacho Beristein underestimated the speed of Pacquiao and bet their horses against the opponents.

They all forgot that with speed comes power. With Pacquiao, comes the greatest fight that the world will ever see. And I think that with Manny, we are just seeing the tip of the iceberg. More is yet to come.

Cotto did not fair well during his last fight which he won by decision but I believe that we will see a better Cotto fight on November 14. Every boxer, after fighting Pacquiao has become a different boxer afterwards. Either they become better, or they slid back to the limelight and sometimes retire. Either way, they walk away a different fighter. Looking at the brighter side, training to fight Manny would have to make boxers better because they know they have to train harder, run faster, work longer, punch the mitts squarely and more precise, and be more alert than before. This is the reason many boxers would have to be better fighters after fighting Manny.

Everyone is saying Miguel Cotto is a different fighter after he fought the Tijuana Tornado. But that match is still mired in controversy as Margarito is said to have used illegal plaster before he put on gloves.

I think this is still a good fight. Compared to Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto is much stronger and a bigger body puncher.

So I you are ready, I am ready, let's get it on!

CACCI Chamber Operations Course- Pictures in Taipei

CACCI Chamber Operations Course -Company Visits

CACCI Chamber Operations Course- Taipei

Video- Coffee and TV- Blur

Tips on Business Success: Building Trust

IF you would want to be a successful businessman, the most important quality you need to develop is integrity.

Your clients and business associates need to know and feel that they can trust you. Given the following qualities below, what would you choose as ideal qualities for a partner in business:

a. high education (Harvard graduate)
b. experience
c. trustworthy
d. wealth.

IN my case, I would not care if he is a Harvard graduate or a rocket scientist, or a math wizard, or is filthy rich and owns a mansion in Beverly Hills. What is important for me is that I can trust my partner, my broker, or my consultant. If I know I can trust you, then I can confide in you my ideas, my secrets, and future plans for business. If trust in absent in a relationship, even in marriage, then that relationship is going nowhere. Better bail out as soon as possible from the partnership.

Let me relate to you what happend last week.

I got an email about a businesss opportunity so I texted the Consultant involved in my cellphone. I was having doubts at the start. I asked God to give me a sign if I would need to push through with this matter because it would require a lot of money from me.

I told the Consultant that I would send my resume and other documents then call him immediately. After three days, I did not have the documents yet but nevertheless I called up the Consultant in his cellphone.

I was having second thoughts actually because this guy only had a celfone as a contact number. He did not have a landline or an address. It reminded me of the cellphone scams I encountered during my stint in Smart Communications as a Customer Care Officer, where scammers would text clueless subscribers and say they won one million pesos. These scammers would then let the subscribers contact them through cellphone. So the subscriber would have to load their sim cards and call the scammer. I thought, that it should be the other way around. When a person wins a contest, the award giving company should be the one to call the subscriber.

Anyway, I gave the Consultant the benefit of the doubt and called him in his cellphone. I was shocked when he said "I already got your Resume, I received an email from you."

I said " You received an email from me?"

"Yes, I got one email from you. Give me two days so I could look at it."

I do not know why he said that because I NEVER emailed him anything. He even asked my age. I thought that if he read my resume, he would know my age.

I did not say that I did not send my resume yet because I wanted to hear where he was going with this. I also said that I got information about him from my friend whom he said he also knew but cannot pronounce and remember his name. I said "His name is Ronny." And he said,

"Ow Yes, Ronny."

This got me curious and made my Spider senses tingle. I felt immediately that I could not trust this guy.

Sometimes people say things just to make you know that they are busy, that they are doing something and that they are on top of everything when in fact they have do not have the slightest idea about what you are talking about. They say that they are arranging everything and that everything is okay when the truth is is that they have not done anything yet.

I felt that this guy is the same guy as above. He should have just said that he did not receive any email from me. I would have said that I did not send it yet and I may have even apologized for it. But he did not.

I gave him my email and I waited for two days. He did not send me anything after two days.

I got my sign and I thank God for giving me a clear mind to see it. That little voice within you is God's voice speaking. We can hear it if we listen. That is the voice we can really trust, the voice from God, our true and best business partner.

Top 25 Tips on Being a Good Family Man

Here are the top 25 tips to be a good father to your children and husband to your spouse:

1. Be there. Working fathers today come home tired, stressed, and still thinking about the pressures of work. Because of this, even though they are physically present at home, their minds are one thousand miles away. It is important that fathers be physically, emotionally and mentally present at home. How often have we heard that we should leave our problems in the office, at the office elevator? This is so true and it is easy to do especially if you realize that as a father and husband, your main purpose in life is the welfare of your child and spouse. This is the only way to live a fulfilled and meaningful family life.

2. Spend time with them. Again, you need to spend quality time especially with your children who are constantly seeking your attention.

3. Shut off the TV, Computer, and Internet. These electronic gadgets will slowly take you away from your family and you won't even know it. Producers of films and tv shows have actually studied how to glue our eyes, ears and our other senses to the television by lessening the number of intervals per show. The internet is filled with pornography, network games, etc. that are there to particularly take us away from reality. Is this the life that you want? Imagine all of you in front of the television, staring at the tv, not talking to each other, not even during commercials. Is this the family life you want to live? I hope not.

4. Look at their eyes and listen. When talking to your children and spouse, look at their eyes and listen to them like there is no other sound in the universe but their voice. They will appreciate the attention and respect that you give them. Also, this will build your child's self-esteem which is essential to his/ her growth.

5. Love their mother. Show affection to your spouse in front of your children. When children see that their parents love each other, they will be more secure about themselves and will feel that they are in the right place.

6. Keep secrets in the four walls of the house. Need I say more?

7. Plan a special time for them at least once a week. Take your family to a date at least once a week. If necessary, cancel other appointments. Your family is more important than any other thing in the world.

8. Show your officemates that youf family comes first. When your officemates want to ask you out in the weekend or in a drinking spree, say that you would really want to go but cannot because your family is waiting, which is really true! Just think. Who are the only real people who are genuinely excited to see you arrive home? When an office event coincides with a graduation or school play, kindly beg off from the office event and say that it is your daughter's graduation. You don't even need to justify your decision on this.

9. Share the house chores. Your wife has worked hard all day to take care of the children, clean the house, wash the clothes, cook the food, tutor your children, guard the house, etc. She is tired at the end of the day. You are not justified to say that you are tired too because of office work because if you only realize it, work at home is harder. So shut up and clean those dishes instead of watching tv.

10. Treat your wife as your spouse, best friend, and girlfriend. Remember the marriage vows you made? Your spouse should be your everything and no one else.

11. Plan a vacation with your family at least twice a year. You need not settle for a summer vacation. You can also spend vacation during Christmas semestral breaks. Plan the event with the entire family and see how this lights up the spirits in your home.

12. Have dates exclusively with your spouse. Leave your children with your parents-in-law for the meantime and go out on a date with your spouse. This will renew your feelings for each other and make you remembers those times when you were still single.

13. Avoid office relationships. Many people become trapped in this cycle of sin and philandering. Temptations are everywehere especially in the office where your officemates are always looking and smell good and dressed well. It is your duty to fight the temptation and focus on why you are working in the first place. You are doing this for them. For your child and spouse's future. Having relationships outside marriage is the most selfish and painful thing you can do. Imagine if this was done to you by your spouse.

14. Eat together. This is one of the most romantic thing you can do everyday because your faces are near each other and you can see her up close. Try it and see how it makes each of you feel.

15. Share stories. Be interested in whatever your child and spouse say and ask questions. Ask about their day and be genuinely interested.

16. Be her Prince Charming.

17. Sing her songs. Look at your spouse while singing your favorite songs. Though she may find it corny, she will definitely like it.

18. Be there even if you are not. Call them at send them text messages. With the advances of technology now, it is very easy to communicate with your family even if you are away.

19. Never be away too long. Once of the reasons for broken families is that families are not meant for long distance relationships. In the Philippines, there are about 9 to 10 million Filipinos abroad working. Just imagine how many families are incomplete. How many children do not see their parents until after two or three years? And all of this just to bring home dollars? I think the long term effect to children is much worse. Money will last for a couple of years but the time spent away from each other will have more detrimental effects. This is why we should learn how to be entrepreneurs and make money here and not abroad.

20. Be patient. Patience must be partnered with understanding. The only way to be patient and not be stressed while hiding your emotion is to be understanding enough on why your spouse is acting the way she is.

21. By your spouse flowers. Who said that flowers should be given only on Valentine's day?

22. Plan your family's future. You cannot continuously live you working life everyday the same way as before. Do you see yourself working in the same position after 5 or 10 years? Do you consider yourself working at all after that time? Every day should be special, you should work towards a dream or a goal for your family everyday. Plan to retire on the age of 40 or 45. Plan on how you can earn enough to live the next 40 years with at least the most basic luxury in life.

23. Be the best you can be. This is an advice for everyone in all aspects of life. If you can be the best and you know it, you will have the confidence to face the challenges of being a father. And remember that no man can claim to be successful in any other area of life if he is not successful as a father or husband.

24. Make each day the best day for your family.

25. Make God the Center of your family. This should be number one but I want you to remember it clearly so I placed it in number 25. God brought you together as husband and wife, and His gift of life is the reason why your children came forth in this world. He is also the binding force Who will keep your family together, bound together in love and respect.

This is my top 25 list and I know there are a lot of other tips to be a good family man. I hope this helps you in realizing the importance of your role in the family and your real purpose in life as a father and a husband. Good luck.

How to be the Best Father and Husband you can be

They say that behind every successful man is a woman, or even a son or a daughter. The bottom line is, those who are not successful as a father or a husband can never claim to be successful in business, sports, or any other profession. That is why I am posting this article about the family by Todd Demuth to bring us back to earth and feel what really matters.
************


I will not pretend to be an expert; I can only relate how as a father and husband what I have changed in my life in order to become the best I can be.

First of all, I tell myself that I am not on this earth for my benefit. I am here for my wife and my three children. I'm pretty shallow when I think about what I want out of life. It becomes quite evident from the true rewards of being a family man start to fulfill my quest in life: to have a purpose.

I have discovered that even if I was President of the company, I am not irreplaceable at work. The world outside my home will go on without me without so much as a ripple in the water. However, time is all I have to give my wife and children. I give them all I have available, because is I should ever leave this world, it would leave this home with a huge void...one that cannot be replaced by anyone but me.

But it hasn't been easy; I have "aspirations" of financial success, climbing the corporate ladder, becoming famous and important...but the only one who would benefit would be me. Even then, I know it would not satisfy. It would only lead to more of the same.

I used to work two jobs to make as much money as I could; now I just do one, and while I am there, I do the best I can with what I have. However, when I am home with my family, I am home. On weekends and times I have with my family, I make myself available to them - not my golf game, not my hobbies, my pasttimes. All of those things can wait. For instance, I had a rough week of work and was looking forward to spending some time reading and relaxing - but the family was ready to do something together. I put down my book, got my creaky bones out and we went.

Oh sure, I have a few things I do that are "my thing." These occur usually once every month or two. I have discovered that being with my family is "my thing."

I may identify with my career, as it seems most of us do; but the secret to being the best husband and father is to identify with your family. I may not be on Earth for my benefit, but that has been to my benefit.

Farewell to Irving I. Ackerman- the Compleat Stockbroker

The Weirdest Coincidence

Here is something weird that happened to me yesterday, which I am still trying to understand as I write this.

Last Sunday, I was browsing through my collection of books to look for something about starting a business, and how to make money, etc. As I was doing this, something caught my eye. Of all the books and novels stacked there, there was this old, withered book that I got my hands on. It was the book of Irving I. Ackerman, "How to Invest and Win in the Philippine Stock Market". I borrowed this book from my father, Mario Domingo,about three years ago. I looked at it and said to myself that this is a good basic book on making money in the stock market. I opened it and started reading about how Eliseo P. Ocampo described Ackerman as the "Compleat Stockbroker"

Compleat Stockbroker

Mr. Ocampo said of Mr. Ackerman,

"A lot of people say that, if you want to succeed in the stock market, you have to trust your stockbroker a lot more than you trust your wife (incidentally, they say it doesn't work the other way around) and Irving you would want to trust unequivocably at first meeting. His face exudes it- it is an honest face and easy to look at despite the well-defined partida of a bygone era. When he speaks, you listen. You listen because he talks sense, because he makes you feel he knows what he is talking about, and because you always know what he is talking about. And he can talk, too, if you happen to touch the proper nerve, always with an optimism that doesn't fail to infect. When the market is down, flat on its back, you won't catch him with a long face or crying on somebody else's shoulder. He is liable to tell you, instead, "It could be worse. Anyway, there is no other way for the market to go but up." If you play the market, Irving is one guy you'd sure be happy to be with..."

The Obituary

I thought to myself that I found a great book so the next day, Monday, I devoured it and read it the whole day even in the LRT while going to work and when I went home. The next morning, Tuesday, I was talking with my father outside the store and I asked him if investing in Philex Mining Corporation and Atlas Consolidated was still a good investment. He said no, and said that those companies are no longer earning as much as they used to be. Then, I told him that I read in Irving Ackerman's book that during the late 1980s, it is good to buy stocks from the said companies because of continued yearly financial growth.

While, we were talking, my mother showed us the Philippine Star newspaper, and to our astonishment, there was the obituary of Irving I. Ackerman, 87, who died on January 17, 2009, the day after I accidentally got hold of his book "How to Invest and Win in the Philippine Stock Market".

I would like give my condolences to the family of the late Irving I. Ackerman, he is definitely a great teacher and a strong pillar to the development of the Philippine Stock Market.

I will continue reading his book and try to find a copy of his other masterpiece "Guide to Some Pitfalls in Business". Hopefully, by reading these I can here his distant voice and give me some advice on how I can win in the Philippine Stock Market.

Farewell, Irving I. Ackerman and thank you.

Economic Roadmap for 2009

EDGARDO G. LACSON, President, PCCI
Joint General Membership meeting
Economic Roadmap 2009

16 January 2008, 12:00 nn
Grand Ballroom, Intercontinental Hotel-Makati


By now, all of us are familiar with the financial crisis that started in the United States but has eventually damaged the global economy as the problem turned troubles to trauma.

After Lehman Brothers, filed for bankruptcy, a domino effect ensued with numerous financial institutions not only in the United States but in other countries as well seeking financial assistance. Soon after, countries like Korea, Pakistan, and Iceland, and even countries in Eastern Europe like Hungary and Ukraine, to mention a few, are likewise asking for hefty financial support packages.

There seems to be no end in sight yet to the global financial turmoil. Leading industrialized nations across the globe are now into recession. China is in a sharp slowdown. Starting with financial institutions, we now see contractions in major industries like automotive, airlines, and the services sectors, specifically in the hotel and retail industries, with many companies seeking for bail outs. And even in the distressful moment there is some comic relief when theus porn Industry asked for a $5 billion bailout as it claims people can do without cars but people can not do without sex. Who knows, the mafia and other drug cartels may be preparing their respective position papers on the matter.

Levity aside, the seriousness of the issue at hand cannot be underestimated. Confidence in the world financial system is almost totally shattered. And it is confusion worse by the recent Madoff scam incident. Unless and until confidence returns, we are in for a tough ride. As we speak, the after-effects of the financial crisis continue to unfold in every conceivable portion of the world First, was the loss of asset values followed by the loss of jobs, and now we helplessly watch the loss of lives as prominent and lesser fund managers and investors committed suicide. Thankfully, Filipino are made of sterner stuff we may bend but we will never break. We can only hope that the bitter pills being administered by financial authorities while still struggling to comprehend the magnitude of the crisis, would have immediate positive effects to prevent a deep and prolonged global economic recession.

In the years ahead, many countries including the Philippines, will continue to experience the effects of a turbulent and volatile world as a new financial order takes shape from the current economic turmoil. This is the new reality we need to face, we believe. That the dogmas of the quiet past are no longer adequate to the stormy present.

For us today, what is critical is to determine how we will cope with the extraordinary uncertainty permeating today’s business environment, so that we need not lurch from crisis to crisis.

And we are very pleased to have our government’s economic managers To roll out the various government economic programs that would help mitigate and prepare the country from the impact of a slowing global economy.

In the spirit of public-private sector partnership, we have also invited today a panel of reactors from each of the major business organization to provide further insights and analysis on the issues at hand.

At this point, let me take this opportunity to thank all the major business organizations whom I have acknowledged earlier, for their active involvement in making today’s program possible.

The world’s response, and our own, to the financial crisis must be such that the solutions today do not become the problems of tomorrow. As the impact of the crisis ripples through our economy, we need to understand and define clearly the larger role for government in terms of outright ownership of former private-sector assets or tighter regulation. As countries, including the Philippines, implement their respective programs in coping with the crisis, we must cautious in the possible swing of the pendulum from, firstly, a fully unregulated free market economy to excessive regulation and secondly, from open economies to protectionist policies.

Purposely I laid out all the grim scenarios around us not to dampen our hopes but to stress the urgency for collective action.

Mark Coleman- Shogun Rua Fight

Stamina was the deciding factor that finally sealed the fate of the fighters in the Coleman-Shogun revenge fight yesterday. When the fighters were introduced, Coleman did not look like the fighter that he was when he fought Don Frye or when he became the first heavyweight champion of the UFC. The well defined abs and chest muscles were gone. But I thought maybe Coleman focused more on cardio exercise as part of his training. Maybe it was a game plan to outlast Shogun in the supposedly fifteen minute fight.

Shogun, on the other hand, looked fresh and back in shape after all the operations he underwent.

Coleman came in the first quarter pumped up, taking down Shogun at will and pummeling him with his signature ground and pound. Shogun even managed to put in good kicks to the left knee of Coleman and I thought that Coleman was going down, like in the Pedro Rizzo- Dan Severn fight.

On the second quarter, things looked very familiar. Coleman again took down Shogun, but after Shogun was able to stand up, Coleman looked very, very tired he could not even put his hands up to defend himself.

What was surprising was Shogun looked even more tired. I did not expect Shogun to lose steam like Coleman. Both looked very tired, old fighters wanting just to finish the round and get it over with.

On the third round, I had the idea that if Coleman keeps it up, he might just pull a winner here. He was taking down Shogun at will even though he was getting hit bad. But before the third round ended, Coleman was hit with a combination ending with a devastating upper cut which brought him down. The referee stopped the fight with Mark Coleman vehemently protesting why the fight was stopped.

I agree with Joe Rogan that even though Shogun won, his victory did not look good in terms of getting him future fights. His win was far from impressive and he did not show the talents of the Shogun Rua of old. Looking at his past fights would show how much he has lost in terms of speed and hunger to win.

Coleman and Shogun need to increase their speed and lenghten their fighting stamina. There are younger, faster and more exciting fighter out there and their performance yesterday might just as well put them in a very long waiting list for a next fight.

Thanks for all your emails. Let's keep this thing up.