Pacquiao: Encounter with God changed me

Posted at 01/13/2012 1:39 PM | Updated as of 01/13/2012 7:22 PM

MANILA, Philippines - Boxing champ Manny Pacquiao said he is shedding his vices after an encounter with God changed him.

Boxing champ Manny Pacquiao talks about his political plans, his boxing career and his renewed faith in a one-on-one interview with ABS-CBN correspondent Dyan Castillejo.

In a one-on-one interview with ABS-CBN News, Pacquiao said he has had his share of vices in the past including gambling, drinking and womanizing.

"Pagsusugal, yung pag-iinom, yung mga pambababae. Kung ano mga kalokohan mga barkada. Kung anong ginagawa diyan..." he said.

"If I had died last year or in the last 2 years, I am sure I would've gone straight to Hell. My faith in Him is there 100 percent but behind it, I was still doing evil," he added.

Pacquiao said a dream he had after his fight with Juan Manuel Marquez last November started him on the road to change.

In his dream, he said he was walking inside a beautiful forest when a bright light shone on him and a voice asked: "Son, why are you going away from me?"

"I woke up crying. I remember I was crying in my dream and when I touched my pillow, it was wet," he said.

Pacquiao said he looked for the meaning of the dream and found answers in the Bible.

"Noong unang panahon, kinakausap ng Panginoon ang tao sa pamamagitan ng panaginip. So sabi ko totoo yung panaginip ko na kailangan magbagong buhay na ako at yun siguro ay tawag sa akin ng Panginoon na siyempre alam niya yung puso ko na nananalig ako sa kanya pero sa likod niyan is gumagawa pa rin ako ng mga masamang bagay at yung mga hindi niya ikakatutuwa,” he said.

(In the old times, the Lord talked to people through their dreams. So I said, my dream is real. I have to change my life. Maybe it was God calling because he knows what's in my heart, that I believe in Him but still do bad things, things that don't please Him.)

The change in Pacquiao's lifestyle came slowly and surely. Pacquiao said he is reading his Bible regularly and spending more time with his family.

He has also lost his appetite for his old vices, and gave away all his fighting cocks.

He also said the change came not just because he desired it but because God changed him.

"Di ko naman sinabi na o, magbagong buhay ako. Hinto na ako sa pag-iinom. Hinto na ako sa pambababae ko, sa pagsusugal ko. Kumbaga, binago lang siya. Binago ng Panginoon. Dumating yung panahon na ayaw ko na gawin yung mga bagay na iyon. Dahil because tinanggap ko na si Hesukristo sa katawan ko, Jesus Christ, and siguro yung Holy Spirit ang nagsabi sa akin na iwanan ko na iyon," he said.

"Being a Christian means accepting Christ as your saviour, your God. That is why you are called a Christian. If you remove 'Christ', there's only 'ian' and that means 'I am nothing.'"

Catch the full interview on ANC Presents: The Pacman tonight at 7 p.m.


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8 comments

pacnxa na po comment lng,alam

pacnxa na po comment lng,alam po ninyo pagdating sa pulitika minsan wala yan sa college grad ka o high school grad.tignan nyo pulitica ngayon matalino,educado at educada my mga nagawa po ba?hnd bat psngungurakot lng nangyari..wag nyo maliitin ang kakayahan ng isang tao dhl hnd xa iluluklok ng panginoon sa posisyon na yan kung hnd nya kayang gampanan,,nasa tao na po yan maski meron o wala kng pinag aralan kung kya mong panindgan at ipakta sa taong bayan na maganda at malinis hangarin mo...


sana totohanan na

ibig sabihin ba, lahat ng mga paluhod luhod at padasal dasal nya sa loob ng ring noon PAKITANG TAO lamang?


my reply to "sana totohanan na" by brtam

Naniniwala akong totohanan din yung pagdarasal at pagluhod ni Manny noon pero he was just religiously sincere. Now, let's hope that he is "Godly sincere". Many among us, especially in the Philippines, are just religious but not Godly. Let's all be Godly....


tama nmn laht ng cnabi ni

tama nmn laht ng cnabi ni manny about sa bible un nga lng dapat kong magbible study sya wag ng pakukuhanan ng video kc parang hnd maganda kht na seryoso sya sa gngawa nya hnd pare pareho ang icip ng tao,,sasabhin pakitang tao lng kht na totoo db???


still......

still you nead a good head over your shoulders. popularity and money not enough for political ambitions like the presidency. you have to be a college graduate to serve the people well. manny boxing na lang atupagin mo. follow the will of god and not your will kung matalino ka talaga! choz!


Do your mission

Amen! do your mission for the Christian people. After the fight of Mayweather ( if there is) retire and focus on. The mission awaits! Godbless! Amen


SANA NGA TOTOO YAN

SANA TOTOO YANG PAGBABAGONG CNASABI MO. LAYUAN MO NA C SABIT SINGSON DAHIL MASAMANG IMPLUWENCIA YAN KUNG YUNG ANAK NGA NYANG C RONALD EH DURUGISTA DI NYA NATURUAN NG MAAYOS IKAW PA KAYA ANG MADALA NYA SA TAMANG DAAN. TSAKA LAYUAN MO NA RIN YUNG MGA IMORAL AT POKPOK NA MGA BABAE NA LUMALANDI SAU KC ANG HABOL LNG NG MGA YUN EH PERA MO. HINDI KA NILA MAGUGUSTUHAN KUNG WALA KANG PERA AT KONEKSYON AT KUNG HINDI KA SIKAT. MAGPAPA-BUNTIS LNG SILA SAU PARA TYAK NA FOR LIFE SILANG MAY SUPORTANG PERA PARA SA BATA.


Ang totoong pagbabago ay

Ang totoong pagbabago ay nagsisimula kapag narerealize muna na di mo kayang magpakabait sa sarili mo at di ka kayang gawing matuwid maging ng relihiyon mo. Si Jesus lang ang nabuhay na matuwid kaya Sya lang talaga ang kailangan natin. Nagsisismula na si Jesus kay Manny.



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