MANILA – Millions of Filipinos erupted into a frenzy of joy Sunday following the victory of People’s Champ Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao over Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto in a fight that brought the nation to a standstill.

Pacquiao fans and supporters were glued to their television sets while others gathered in malls, basketball courts, restaurants and bars to watch the fight on wide screens. They cheered and screamed every time the Filipino boxing icon landed a punch on Cotto.

Even petty criminals took the day off, officials said, and soldiers fighting militants in the south silenced their guns for the bout.

Pacquiao, 30, took the World Boxing Organization welterweight title by stopping Cotto 55 seconds into the 12th round, becoming the first fighter to win 7 world titles in 7 weight classes.

Inspiration

President Arroyo, who is attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation in Singapore, called Pacquiao the “inspiration of the entire Filipino nation.”

"Once again, Filipino grit and determination triumph over odds. May this serve an inspiration to the entire Filipino nation, especially the youth, that there is no limit to our capacity for success for as long as we work hard, put our hearts and focus our minds to achieve our goals," the President said in her statement.

The President noted that Pacquiao trained long and hard, imposed stringent self-discipline, persevered, and, above all, has always placed himself in the hands of God.

She expressed hope that "we all learn from his example so that, together, we can also move forward as a nation."

House Speaker Prospero Nograles proclaimed Pacman as “the best fighter in the world now.” Nograles flew to the United States to watch the “Firepower” bout between Pacquiao and Cotto at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Sen. Manuel Villar also thanked the “People’s Champ” for giving the country a reason to celebrate after the massive devastations wrought by series of typhoons that hit the Southeast Asian nation.

Days before his fight, Pacquiao had dedicated the bout to his countrymen battered by successive storms since September, leaving 1,128 people dead, with large areas outside Manila still struggling with floods.

Unity especially after devastation

A cripple practically all his life, 50-year-old Dominador Hernandez limped for 2 hours on crutches to join about 5,000 other fans who crowded a covered basketball court in Tondo.

"Manny is the greatest. I felt as if I won a million pesos!" cried a jubilant 50-year-old Dominador Hernandez as he pumped his hands into the air. "He is our champion and he will be for a long time."

A shirtless man ran around the streets outside the Tondo gymnasium waving a Philippine flag, and while liquor was banned inside, others outside drank local gin as they listened to a live feed of the bout.

Jeeps and cars honked their horns, while the city government distributed bowls of hot porridge to a throng of men and women who were elbowing each other for space shortly after the fight was stopped.

In Tondo's other dark alleyways reeking of urine, entire families sat around television sets outside their shanties and passed around beer.

"The criminals all watched the fight. Today, we are all one," said district chief Marcel de Asis, who said people started lining up at dawn to secure free seats.

"This is a glorious day for the Philippines especially after the typhoons."

Cheers also filled the National Sports Grill in Greenbelt 3 in Makati where boxing fans gathered to support the “People’s Champ.”

The arena in San Juan City was almost filled to capacity as early as 9 a.m. Mayor Joseph Victor Ejercito and his family led the spectators in the arena.

Like in other areas, a big screen was also set up in a covered court of the Philippine Army headquarters in Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City and in Camp Aguinaldo where the Pacquiao-Cotto fight was beamed live for free.

Hundreds of Pacquiao supporters also flocked to Amoranto stadium in Quezon City.

According to organizer Dindo Bunag, the viewers paid P280 to watch the showdown between the two great fighters. The proceeds, Bunag said, would go to Sacred Heart Parish in Kamuning and Rotary Club Kamuning to help the poor children and typhoon victims.

Bunag said the organizers were expecting to collect P80,000.

Renato Reyes, Jr., Bagong Alyansang Makabayan secretary general, was, meanwhile, thankful to politicians who were “sensitive enough not to subject viewers to so many political advertisements on TV.”

“We’re happy Pacquiao won and that this brought about a great display of national unity…. This was so unlike the last fight with [Ricky] Hatton where we had to sit through all those ads. This is good considering Comelec (Commission on Elections) has no power at this point to regulate these ads,” he said in a text message.

Across the country

People in General Santos City and Sarangani were also ecstatic as they applauded Pacquiao and booed Cotto.

Officials said two hero’s welcome in Gensan and Sarangani will be prepared for Pacman when he flies back home.

In Bacolod City, a crowd of about 7,000 cheered for Pacquiao at the Bacolod Arts Youth and Sports (BAYS) Center.

Even Pacman’s supporters in Barangay 19 were as jubilant despite the recent fire tragedy that struck the community where 17 people were killed.

The Pacquiao-Cotto showdown was beamed live in eights venues in Bacolod.

Traffic in the city's major streets also went to a halt during the bout.

Pacman is the adopted son of the city. It has been a tradition for Mayor Evelio Leonardia to carry one of Pacquiao's belts every time the people's champ has a bout.

Guns silenced

In the strife-torn southern Philippines, the military silenced their guns against Al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf militants to watch from the trenches.

"In the (southern Philippine) headquarters, we set up a big screen for out soldiers to support our icon," regional chief Major General Benjamin Dolorfino said. "The ground units also had their satellite feed to boost troops morale."

Eid Kabalu, a spokesman for the 12,000-strong Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which has been waging a separatist rebellion since 1978 but has opened peace talks with Manila, said rebel commanders on the ground also joined in the jubilation.

"There was remote telecast in the remote areas, but everybody watched," Kabalu said.

Around the world

Filipinos here were not the only ones celebrating Pacquiao’s victory.

Subscribers of The Filipino Channel in Europe also cried in jubilation after the pound-for-pound king shocked Cotto with a 12th-round stoppage in their bout Saturday (Sunday in Manila).

It was the first time for TFC subscribers in Europe to watch a live fight of Pacquiao via pay per view.

Even Filipinos in Singapore cheered after the referee stopped the fight. With reports from Agence France-Presse, Williard Cheng, Jeff Canoy, and Cecille Lardizabal, ABS-CBN News, Barbara Mijares, ABS-CBN Bacolod and Rose Eclarinal, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau