Filipino boxing idol Manny Pacquiao will defy the recommendations of the Department of Health (DOH) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to postpone his trip back to the country on Friday due to fears of the possible spread of the influenza A(H1N1) virus.

“I don't see any reason to postpone our trip back home,” Pacquiao said in Filipino in a phone interview on ABS-CBN’s “Umagang Kay Ganda."

“If we are suffering from cold maybe we will not go home, but so far, none of us has cold. We're all feeling well,” the new IBO/The Ring Magazine junior welterweight champion insisted.

He added that he and his team have been taking precautionary measures to prevent being infected by the deadly influenza virus, including regular use of hand sanitizer.

Pacquiao has taken a Philippine Airlines flight to Manila, together with his wife Jinkee and his mother Aling Dionisia.

Among the personalities who joined the boxers in the flight were former Ilocos Sur governor and now Deputy National Security adviser Luis "Chavit" Singson.

Their fight was delayed by 45 minutes after a slowdown in the loading of passengers' baggage.

DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III said he will not prevent Pacquiao from returning home. He clarified that the health department and the WHO would still advise Pacquiao and his team to impose self-quarantine.

“That's what I'm telling them, one of the recommendations of WHO is for him to go on self-quarantine," Duque said.

Pacquiao, however, did not immediately commit to the WHO's recommendation to go on a self-quarantine. He said it would "depend" on the situation.

The health secretary said they will try to keep Pacquiao and his team a meter away from the media and supporters, who will be welcoming him at the airport on Friday.

“We will ask the Bureau of Quarantine to do everything. I hope people will not feel bad, this is what should be done, as recommended by WHO," Duque said.

He said quarantine personnel may "cordon off" Pacquiao's team at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Atienza to DOH: Shut down the airport

Environment Secretary Jose “Lito” Atienza, meanwhile, slammed the DOH’s recommendation that Pacquiao and his team should postpone their return to the country, which means postponing the scheduled victory party and motorcade for the People's Champ.

“Misplaced and should really be out the of the question because if we suspect everybody coming from LA, Mexico and Europe are carriers of swine flu, we might as well shut down the airport,” Atienza said in a follow-up interview with Umagang Kay Ganda.

He added that he could not understand why the DOH is singling out Pacquiao. “I cannot fathom it. I cannot understand it, much less agree with it,” he said.

The DOH had said that everybody, including President Arroyo and other VIPs, will not be spared from the thermal scanning and other health procedures to prevent the possible spread of the virus in the country.

Mrs. Arroyo, who returned from her visit to Egypt and Syria, went through thermal scanning on Wednesday morning. Duque said the President was very cooperative with the process.

Before Mrs. Arroyo, Duque said a few congressmen who went to Las Vegas to watch Pacquiao's fight had been asked to go on self-quarantine for several days. He said the congressmen had also been advised not to immediately attend hearings at the House of Representatives.

The DOH had said that at least 10 people had been tested for possible influenza A(H1N1) virus infection and eight of them had been cleared as of Wednesday night.