Manny Pacquiao, who made history by becoming the only boxer to have won seven world titles in seven different weight divisions when he defeated Miguel Cotto in Las Vegas on Nov. 14, is eagerly awaited by Manila residents to make a stopover at their turf like he used to.

“Sana naman pumunta s’ya dito,” said Brussels International Independent Film Festival Best Actor Lou Veloso who’s also the councilor of Manila’s sixth district, in an interview with Manila Bulletin Entertainment Online in his office on Nov. 16.

“[Para sa] taong-bayan naman 'yan at hindi sa isang pulitiko lang. Sana hindi s’ya tumitingin sa isang personalidad lang,” he pointed out.

It can be recalled that Pacquiao reportedly snubbed the preparations done by Manileños to celebrate his Oct. 6, 2007, victory over Mexican fighter Marco Antonio Barrera in Las Vegas. Instead of stopping by the city hall upon his return from the bout, he attended the party thrown by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) headed by Secretary Lito Atienza.

Atienza is the former Manila mayor whom Pacquiao acknowledges as a big supporter during his struggling years. It has become tradition for the boxing champ to hold a motorcade around Manila before paying a courtesy call to the city’s chief executive.

Incumbent Manila mayor Alfredo Lim defeated Atienza’s son Ali in the 2007 election.

Since then, Veloso observed that Pacquiao has never set foot again in the Manila City Hall after his fights. But the city’s streets are always adorned with congratulatory banners each time the Pambansang Kamao comes home from a bout abroad, he added.

“‘Wag s’yang tumingin sa isang tao,” he reiterated.

Veloso shared that before the airing of the Pacquiao-Cotto match on Nov. 15, he and other officials went around the city where free public viewings of the telecast were held.

“Nakita ko talaga ang support ng Manileños [kay Pacquiao],” he said.

Pacquiao is set to return to the Philippines on Friday, Nov. 20.