Manny Pacquiao Keeps Promise and Gives House to Street Vendor

Throughout his stellar career, Manny Pacquiao rarely let his fans down and it appears the 11-time world champion does not like to disappoint people outside of the ring either.

At the end of last month, a video emerged showing the 39-year-old Senator of the Philippines chatting to Manong Marciano, an ice cream vendor in General Santos City in Mindanao. While the Pac-Man had simply stopped to buy an ice cream in a bid to find relief from the oppressing heat, his chat with Marciano quickly switched to more serious matters.

In the video, Pacquiao can be seen offering the vendor a house, a new job and financial remuneration. While that might be par for the course for a lot of politicians, it appears as though the eight-division world champion held up his side of the bargain.

The Phillipine Daily Inquirer reported Jen Manilay, a member of Pacquiao's entourage during the encounter, shared a video on Facebook on Saturday showing the former boxer paying a visit to Marciano's new home.

Pacquiao can be seen walking around the property, casually peering into the rooms, before sitting on one of the red chairs in what appears to be the living room. The Pac-Man then knocks on one of the walls, seemingly to check its solidity, while a host of journalists swarm around him.

Manilay was also responsible for sharing the video of the first meeting between Pacquiao and Marciano, which shows the latter approaching Pacquiao's car after being called over by Manilay, who recognized him as the vendor from whom she regularly buys ice cream.

"I bought 10 pieces of ice cream and gave one to Manny Pacquiao," Manilay was quoted as saying by the Inquirer.

"Pacquiao suddenly said 'Call him'. The vendor was surprised when I told him I'll introduce him to someone and then saw Manny Pacquiao."

The Pac-Man initially gave Marciano 3,000 PHP ($57), before taking out another 30,000 PHP after Marciano told him he had recently suffered a stroke and explaining none of his three kids had yet enrolled for school.

At that point, Pacquiao asked Marciano where he lived and when he found out the latter was lived in a rented accommodation, he vowed to give him a house and a job. The details of the job were not specified.

One has to wonder what the Pac-Man's reaction was when he found out the man he spoke with shared the same surname of one of the great heavyweights of all times—Rocky Marciano.

Born as Rocco Francis Marchegiano, Marciano claimed the heavyweight title in 1952 and retired four years later with a 49-0 record.