The world’s most popular boxer and pound-for-pound king is not only facing a familiar opponent against Juan Manuel Marquez but he has another mission to knock out polio once and for all. In a press release posted by PRNewswire, Manny is just one of the growing number of celebrities who joined the fight against the childhood disease of polio.
Manny Pacquiao was an active member of the Rotary International, a humanitarian service organization that has worked to eradicated polio for more than 20 years. The campaign of Rotary International has a tagline “We are this close to ending polio.” This was being embraced wholeheartedly by Manny.
The 32-year-old boxing icon had joined the Rotary Club of Manila 101 way back 2009, he was an active member of the polio eradication effort in the Philippines and his presence in the club encouraged other personalities and celebrities to join him.
The Rotary Club International began their pioneering works in the Philippines to eradicate polio on the same year when Manny Pacquiao was born on 1978. Manny was indeed a benificiary of the oral vaccines that was distributed in the Philippines during his early years.
Manny Pacquiao which is now considered also as a global brand even wore the t-shirt from the Rotary Club during one of his pre-fight workouts in Los Angeles. Viewers of the 24/7 episodes on HBO may have seen the shirt also during the last episodes.
On his vocal support for the knock-out polio campaign of the Rotary International, Manny will also wear the familiar gear logo on his trunks for his upcoming fight against Juan Manuel Marquez this coming Saturday at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Another prominent figures who supported the global fight against polio is the world’s richest person, Bill Gates through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation who had a $355 Million polio eradication challenge grant. Rotary Club International were raising a $200 Million fund to match the challenge.
