Pacquiao Invests in Home Country to Provide Jobs to Filipinos

Boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao is investing part of his winnings in his home country to provide employment to the people and to help in the development of business and tourism in the countryside.

Popular Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao is investing part of his winnings in his home country to provide employment to the people particularly in his hometown in Southern Philippines. The pound -for-pound king is keeping his promise to his countrymen that he will share his blessings with people especially the poor and the needy. The project involves a 300 hectare property to be developed as tourism complex that will feature a medical tourism park, hotels and resorts, retirement community, information technology park and other tourism-related facilities. The P1.2 billion project will provide employment to thousands of workers in the city and adjoining municipalities who will be employed once the project is completed. During the construction stage, thousands of skilled and unskilled workers will be hired to do construction jobs Small businesses will also benefit by supplying the project with construction materials and related services. SunsStar.com reports:

According to the Philippine Economic Zone Authority, the Manny Pacquiao Heights Development Corp. is investing some P1.2 billion to its economic zone project straddling 200 hectares.

Lilia de Lima, Peza director general, has said the 200 hectares would be developed into specialized zones: 30 hectares for a medical tourism park, 70 hectares for other tourism facilities, 40 hectares for a retirement haven, and 60 hectares for an information technology park.

In its project profile submitted to the zone authority, the firm would like to develop first the medical tourism zone.

Pacquiao sits as board chair and president of the company, while his wife, Jinkee, is a director.

Pacquiao is fresh from his second round win over Ricky Hatton of England last May 2, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. He pocketed $12 million excluding PPV receipts and other revenues. Aside from boxing, Pacquiao is also a popular and very much in demand product endorser and commercial model. He is also into singing and acting. The world’s most popular boxer is flying to New York next week to receive an award from the Boxing Writers Association of America as “Best Fighter of the Year”. He also received the same award in 2006. While in New York, he is also scheduled to appear in the CBS Morning Show for the Time Magazine’s top 100 influential people for 2009 where he is listed. Later he is schedule to watch the Cotto-Cottley match at the Madison Square Garden.