MANNY PACQUIAO'S UNBELIEVABLE SUCCESS STORY WILL INSPIRE YOU of the most respected

boxers. Despite his loss

It's 1990 in the province of General Santos in the Philippines. Manny Pacquiao is during the Mayweather
12 years old. Pacquiao often speaks of his debt to his maternal uncle, Sardo Mejia, match, he still has won the
who introduced him to boxing after he dropped out of school. It was this moment hearts of many boxing fans
that would spark an unforeseen passion and drive in Pacquiao to be one of the best both in the Philippines and
boxers in the entire world. According to his autobiography, he describes watching worldwide. His one-of-a-
Mike Tyson's shocking defeat to James "Buster" Douglas in 1990 on television kind story will continue to
with his uncle as an experience that "changed [his] life forever." In his hometown, inspire and it will always
he set up an open-for-all boxing match and beat every opponent who came. He portray the journey of what
was well on the road of transforming himself from a lanky school dropout to a millions of
junior boxing champion. Filipinos continue to aspire
Despite his success, his family was for.
still living in extreme poverty and
hunger. They became so desperate to
the point that his father had to kill
his pet dog for dinner. Pacquiao
couldn't forgive his father for what he
did so he left home, slept on cardboard
boxes, and sold bread on the streets
just to make a meager living. At that
point, he also used boxing and won
matches for $2 each, as a means of
escaping poverty. He soon moved to
Manila and continued winning several
boxing matches, but given the
increased standards of living, he wasn't
making enough to survive. He soon got
a job at a local gym doing gardening,
cleaning and construction while boxing
on the side. He trained crazily all day and all night when possible, waking up the
earliest and leaving the gym at the latest possible time. Early on, his perseverance
and determination to be a part of the boxing world swayed him to cheat and add
on some weights to meet the featherweight class requirements.
As the fights got more serious, Pacquiao started getting more famous as well. He
would beat fighters from South Korea, Japan and Thailand and at the very young
age of 19, he won his first World Champion title by beating Chatchai Sasakul, the
reigning World Boxing Council (WBC) World Flyweight Champion at that time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nMmnBKGAqM The turning point for
Pacquiao came when he won against world-class featherweight boxer Marco
Antonio Barrera at the Alamodome in Texas with a TKO. After that fight, he was
PIA WURTZBACH SUCCESS STORY
recognized internationally as a force to be reckoned with. Today, at 37, he is one
Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach was crowned “Miss Universe” at the 64-Miss
Universe 2015 pageant held at Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. Pia is an actress
and model of German-Phillipine origin. She is Miss Phillipines 2015. She
symolises the deadly combinaion of beauty with brains. Pia is a beauty-
writer, chef and make-up artist.

Pia ventured into the world of glitz and glamour at the tender age of
fourteen. She joined an acting and modelling agency for children, 'Star
Magic Talent'. Pia got a break in television when she featured in K2BU, a
series for teenagers, the romance collection, 'Your Song' and the concert
programme, 'ASAP'. Pia has acted in films; 'All My Life', 'All About Love' and
'Kung Ako Na Lang Sana'.
Pia Wurzbach was born on 24 Sepember 1989 in Stuttgart, Baden-
Württemberg. Her father is a German and mother is a Filipino. Pia has a
younger sister. Pia was named in keeping with the Philippines' tradition. Her
middle name 'Alonzo' is her mother's maiden name.

Pia was the brand ambassador for 'Avon Teen' for a period of five years. She
has graced the cover of several presigious fashion magazines. Pia writes for
the 2bU column of 'Inquirer Lifestyle'. She is popular as Pia Romero, her
screen name.
Pia did her secondary education from ABS-CBN Distance Learning School
in Quezon City. She studied Culinary Arts from the Centre for Asian
Culinary Studies, San Juan, Metro Manila.
Pia is a pageant title-holder. Her first beauty contest was the 'Binibining Philipinas
2013'. She was the 'first runners-up'. Pia participated in the 'Binibining Philipinas
2015' as a representative of Cagayan de Oro and won the title, paving the path for
bigger victories.Pia Alonzo walked away with the “Miss Universe” title at the
Miss Universe Pageant 2015 held on December 20 at The Axis, Las Vegas,
Nevada, USA. The 26-year old beauty set the stage ablaze with her poise,
incredible class and talent in her exotically gorgeous ballgown and costumes. Pia
was crowned by her predecessor, Paulina Vega.As Miss Universe, Pia aspires to
lead the youth and spread awareness about HIV, especially in Phillipines.

A Love Affair That Got Me Close To A Great Doctor (Dr. Rose Zeta Capeding)
I am blissfully married and a proud mother to three young men. My husband Leo
knows that I am also engaged in another love affair, a sweet and enduring one.
And he approves, so do my sons.
This love affair is with research, and it started during my pediatric residency
training. I can still remember vividly the excitement and the long nights, the
discovery of meaningful developments, the joy of reading medical journals, the
eagerness to prepare something thorough and relevant. The excitement I felt
continued up to my postgraduate internship, my fellowship in infectious diseases
and it has lasted till now. My husband was never jealous and my relationship with
my sons never soured despite this other ongoing and never-ending love affair. I
could not ask for more. This is the best life.
So last May 23, the family accompanied me to Vigan, Ilocos Sur, to attend the
107th annual convention hosted by the Philippine Medical Association (PMA).
Being included as one of the 15 finalists for the coveted Dr. Jose P. Rizal
Memorial Awards is a proud moment for my family. With them around, I was the
proudest wife, mom and doctor.
While individual citations were being read on stage for the top awardees for
Community Leadership (Dr. Purisima A. Bueno), Government Service (Dr. Maria
Victoria M. Abesamis), Clinical Practice (Dr. Bonaleth M. De Vera) and
Academe (Dr. Estrella B. Paje-Villar), I never expected that the final citation was
all about the fruits of my other love affair, with research.
“Lead investigator for the much-awaited clinical trials on the multivalent dengue
vaccine…” “repeatedly cited by researchers here and abroad…” “served as the
springboard for the Expanded Program of Immunization (EPI) of the Department
of Health…” “provided the evidence and the science…” “extended her work to
the communities…” “greater things to come that will benefit science, medicine
and the Filipino people…” “epitomizes the virtues of Dr. Jose P. Rizal…” “…love
of country and service to our countrymen…” All these brought me back to the
past 30 years of my medical, family and community life.
My love affair with research did not happen overnight. It was a journey that began
with a case presentation as a first-year pediatric resident, and a prospective study
on how to prevent early jaundice in newborns. My recommendation that a nursery
should always be facing the direction the sun rises so that a newborn can benefit
from exposure to morning sunlight won the top prize for the hospital’s annual
research competition. This did not happen once. It was a back-to-back win for
three straight years. I got hooked. Who would not be? Year 1991 was my first
immersion in dengue research. Twenty-three years later, I am now the lead
investigator of the country’s clinical trials for dengue vaccine, in the countries
where dengue is a major public health problem. It’s a vaccine the medical
community worldwide is waiting for.
In Vigan, the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) bore witness to the
conferment of the award. The title comes with a specially designed trophy in the
image of Dr. Jose P. Rizal by National Artist Napoleon V. Abueva, a gold
medallion, free trip to the United States to attend the convention of the American
Academy of Family Physicians and P150,000 worth of medicines that I can share
with a civic organization of my choice.
Was it just a coincidence or pure fate that it is also the 23rd year of the
presentation of the prestigious Dr. Jose P. Rizal Memorial Awards? If the number
“23” is a coincidence, what a joyful one. If this is destiny, let me accept it with
gratitude.
This award is a fitting tribute to those who have encouraged and inspired me to
continue my love affair with research — participants and their families as well as
my teams in clinical trials, officials of the local health, school and government
units, the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, collaborators/ partners and
sponsors of my researches, Basaynon Katiguban, Inc. and my town mates in
Basey, Samar, who continue to show resiliency despite the tragedy during the
super typhoon Yolanda, the Philippine Pediatric Society and Manila Medical
Society for the recognition of my works and the nomination.
For more than three decades, I have never felt happier and accomplished than
when doing medical research. It is tiring but exciting, demanding yet humbling,
intimidating but empowering, exacting yet fulfilling. My work is my loving
tribute to a great Filipino and a fellow doctor, Jose P. Rizal, MD.
***
Dr. Rose Zeta Capeding is the 23rd Dr. Jose P. Rizal Memorial Awardee for
Research. She is currently the head of the Microbiology Department of the
Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) and head of the Dengue
Research Group. She is the head, Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of
Pediatrics, Asian Hospital and Medical Center.