Triumphant Pacquiao returns to rapturous welcome in Manila

Manila, Philippines: Manny Pacquiao returned to a champions welcome yesterday from his latest victory in Las Vegas, and shared a cake in the shape of a boxing glove with the president.

Pacquiao beat his bigger and more famous opponent Oscar De La Hoya over the weekend, giving his countrymen an early Christmas gift at a time when many in the Philippines are struggling to make ends meet amid financial worries.

Pacquiao (48-3-2, 36 knockouts) came up two weight classes to fight for his biggest purse ever, while De La Hoya dropped down to meet him at 147 pounds.

Though De La Hoya (39-6) towered over Pacquiao and had a big reach advantage over him, Pacquiao had no trouble getting inside De La Hoya's jabs to land his shots.

"My victory is a victory for all of us," the 29-year-old Pacquiao said in a television talk show, shortly after meeting President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in her official residence.

During the meeting, broadcast on television, Arroyo threw punches in the air while talking to Pacquiao, who was describing the fight. She called him an inspiration for the entire country and treated him to a fondant carrot cake in the shape of a red boxing glove, with words "World's No. 1 pound-for-pound boxer" written on it.

A former baker and construction worker born to a poor family in southern General Santos City, Pacquiao became an embodiment of a real-life rags-to-riches story in the country where one-third of the 90 million people live on less than $1 a day.

"I know you prayed for my fight and you were nervous," he said in a television interview, adding he was thinking of a long vacation with his wife who is expecting their fourth child in the US later this month.

Pacquiao, who turns 30 on December 17, said he wants to continue his college studies and graduate.

"Boxing is different, it's not for life," he said.