Despite His Billions, Sports Club Rejected Pacquiao In 2011; Boxer Selling House In Gated Village For ‘Old Rich’

In spite of adding another $25 million to his wealth and a hero's welcome after he returns from a fight, the Philippine elite would likely keep its distance from boxing champ Manny Pacquiao who successfully defended his WBO welterweight title on Nov 22 against American boxer Chris Algieiri.

The 35-year-old boxer is the richest man in the current Philippine Congress. A number of his fellow representatives have homes in plush villages in Metro Manila such as San Lorenzo Village, Ayala Alabang, Dasmarinas Village, Magallanes Village and Forbes Park.

Pacquiao owns as mansion in Forbes Park in Makati, but on the eve of his bout against Algieri, he and wife Jinky said that they are selling some of their mansions, specifically one in the US, another in Laguna Province and one in Forbes Park.

For the first two mansions, the couple explained that they hardly use these palatial homes. Since it appears that some of Pacquiao's future bouts would be in Macau, like his last bout with Algieri, it makes sense to dispose of their US mansion which had actually been burgled. He bought the house in 2009 for $2.17 million and is selling the house in Hancock Park in Los Angeles, California, for $2.7 million.

Pacquiao's elder kids used to be enrolled in the elitist Brent School in Laguna, which was the reason why they bought a house in the province next to Metro Manila.

As for the Forbes mansion worth 388 million pesos or $9.5 million which he purchased from a bank president via a bank loan, Pacquiao explained that since his guests come from different walks of life, with some arriving in slippers and very casual clothes, it presents an awkward situation to him and the guests as the guards in Forbes are used to visitors who are well-dressed and arrive in nice cars. Also, the number of visitors could be a possible source of irritants between him and his well-heeled neighbours.

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Forbes, where Manila's old rich such as the Ayalas, Madrigals and a lot of the country's millionaires live, had opened its door to Pacquiao, but the nearby Manila Polo Club didn't accept his application in 2011, according to Boxing Planet.

A board member of the club explained to Philippine Entertainment Portal that the boxer's application was thumbed down because "It's a small club in a small village. They want to preserve a lifestyle."

The board member noted that exclusive clubs, such as the Manila Golf Club, disallow a member bringing in guests or bodyguards. The member cited that former Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was not allowed to bring in a bodyguard when she was still president, while US Ambassador Harry Thomas was permitted to be accompanied only by two secret service officers, not four as the envoy wanted. The Golf Club member who hosted the ambassador was reportedly "admonished" by the club management.

If Pacquiao bought with him more than 300 family members, relatives, neighbours, church mates, his basketball team as well as the rest of Team Pacquiao aboard two charter jet to Macau, chances are he would always bring with him a retinue to bodyguards which are frowned upon by the sports club.