TEACHERS CAMP, Baguio City — The training of Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao in this government-owned camp for his forthcoming title bout with World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion Miguel Cotto appears to have caused some concern for top city officials here.

Pacquiao is set to set up his camp at the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) facilities here on September 20 and Mayor Reynaldo Bautista expressed fears that  Pacquiao’s training activities might be disrupted by local boxing fans.

As this developed, Bautista, together with Vice Mayor Daniel Farinas, has strongly appealed to all Pacquiao’s followers to stay away from the training venue “so that he can fully concentrate on his practice and be well prepared for his ring battle against Cotto.”

Bautista told mediamen that local boxing fanatics could unnecessarily disrupt the General Santos City ringmaster’s training by, among other things, mobbing him to sign autographs or cheering him while doing his thing.

“Í therefore ask our celebrity-hungry residents to help Manny Pacquiao by not making any attempt to bother him during his training in our city,” Bautista said, adding that Pacquiao himself has admitted that his November 14 slugfest at MGM Grand in Las Vegas with Cotto “will be my toughest test as a professional boxer.”

Meanwhile, telecommunication magnate Manuel V. Pangilinan, a prominent supporter of Philippine sports, recently coordinated with local government officials about the details of Pacquiao’s 60-day training here.

According to Bautista, Pangilinan, who also earlier brought in Nonito Donaire to train here, picked the Philippine’s summer capital over Mexico City owing to the mountain city’s “better air, better water, and better facilities.”