MANNY PACQUIAO CHOPPER OFFERS FREE RIDE IN TULABONG FESTIVAL

Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao’s Bell Ranger helicopter was hot item in yesterday’s 1st Tulabong Festival as its pilot, Capt. Douglas “Dadz” Macatol, offered free lift to several lucky spectators of the airshow, sky jumping and motorcycle drag race events.

Cong. Pacquiao, who is running unopposed in the coming elections, lent his helicopter for the Tulabong Festival even when he had an appointment with Vice Mayor Rody Duterte in Davao City on the same day, Feb. 16.

“Don’t worry, I will just go to Davao City by land. Just use the chopper,” he told me Friday afternoon when I called him up to confirm the available of his helicopter for the airshow of the festival.

Capt. Macatol and a mechanic flew from Gen. Santos City at 7 a.m. and then proceeded to pick me up and my staff, Engr. Mila Casis and my brother, Bobong, from Midsayap.

Then, we flew to the M’lang Airport just as the mass presided by Rev. Fr. Rey Salvador was about to end.

The first to fly in Manny’s chopper were a teacher and two students who were tasked to drop flowers over the sea of humanity who witnessed the event.

Capt. Macatol then proceeded to fly several more spectators and gave them an aerial view of the big crowd, estimated to be around 20,000, from the sky.

But perhaps the most unforgettable ride was that of an MILF member, Mohammad Dumacon, alias Commander Madam, who came out of his lair in Sitio Epol, Barangay Dungguan, M’lang for the first time on the invitation of Mayor Lito Pinol.

Dumacon was given a ride by Capt. Macatol along with two Bangsamoro high school girls from Lepaga High School who were among the many young students from the different schools in M’lang who came for the event.

Manny Pacquiao’s generosity in allowing the use of his helicopter made the 1st Tulabong Festival an unforgettable event in the lives of many people in the town of M’lang.

(Photo caption: This photo taken by my brother, Ferdinand, shows Commander Madam and high school students Samra Manampad and Norhata Bayamban, after their helicopter ride.)