MANILA, Philippines — There may be other dogs that are bigger celebrities, but there is no question “Pacman” has logged more frequent flyer miles than any of them.

Not “Pacman,” or Manny Pacquiao, the World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight and eightdivision champion people’s champ, but “Pacman,” his favorite pet.

Since acquiring the Jack Russell terrier five years ago, Pacquiao makes it a point to bring it along wherever he goes.

The dog, which lives in Los Angeles, even has a special permit from the United States to join the  boxing hero wherever he wishes to go.

“Pacman is an American citizen,” Noel Lautengco, who takes care of the terrier, said in an interview while Pacquiao was in Baguio City for the first leg of his preparation for his third fight with Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez.

“He’s gone to many places, because Manny takes him along whenever he fights, trains or sightsees,” Lautengco, who is married to Jinkee’s aunt Marlyn Jamora, said.

“There are dogs which appear in movies that could be more popular than Pacman, but, undoubtedly, no one is more well-travelled than Pacman is. Just think of how many times Manny fought since 2006. And what about the times when he goes on training?” Lautengco, who now works as an oncall plumber in Los Angeles, said.

“It’s Pacman who wakes Manny up for his morning roadwork during his training. We in Team Pacquiao always know that Manny is awake because Pacman always shows up ahead of him,” Lautengo said.

The terrier can keep up with Pacquiao when he runs. “Manny uses him as a pacer,” Lautengco said.

During Pacquiao’s first week of training in Los Angeles, Pacman kept him company during his roadwork at the hilly Griffith Park.

Lautengco said he and Manny were friends even before he courted Jinkee, who then worked as a model and endorser for a beauty product. “I was, in fact, responsible for introducing him to Jinkee,” he said.

Pacman was given to Pacquiao by boyhood friend and now assistant trainer Buboy Fernandez. “The dog was given to Buboy by a friend. Manny took a liking to the dog because it was cute and frisky. It was Buboy who christened the terrier Pacman.”

Lautengco said that Pacman used to sleep beside Manny. “But because Manny is allergic to fur, Pacman now sleeps beside me,” he said.

Pacman doesn’t like to sleep without someone beside him, he said. “I lay him on the floor beside the bed before I sleep. But when I wake up, the dog’s at my feet, sharing my blanket,” Lautengco said, chuckling. (PNA)