Pacquiao BBC Documentary is Here: "He holds out the eternal promise that the last will be first, the poor will be saved."

Part 1 of Mike Costello’s Manny Pacquiao Audio Documentary on BBC is out now and I’ve embedded in below at the end of this brief post. In it Costello covers his arrival in Manila, takes a visit to the Basilica of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo where he says “I’ve never seen anything like this at a church,” with worshipers lined up nine deep waiting to gain entrance. There are interviews with Winnie Monsod and Alex Magno, who talks about the unique blend of catholicism and popular culture that defines the Philippines. There’s a particularly nice quote from Magno that resonates for me: “He [Manny] holds out the eternal promise, that the last will be first, the poor will be saved.” Cotello also talks to Buboy Fernandez, who recalls life on the streets with Manny: “I sleep in a small box carton…if the water gets high tide, my home is gone, then we sleep in the trees.” Buboy and Pacquiao recall earning 20-30 pesos per day selling donuts, then using the money to buy rice and feed their families. Costello also interviews Angeles Alberto, Manny’s first trainer. All in all a satisfying listen — recommended!