Pacquiao's right-hand man aids flood victims

MANILA, Philippines – Even when Manny Pacquiao wasn't around, he found ways to extend help.

Holed up at his home in Dasmarinas Village and seeing on television the devastation brought about by Typhoon Ulysses to Marikina and nearby areas on Thursday, the fighting senator called Jayke Joson, one of his most trusted lieutenants, and asked the former movie actor to personally assess the situation.

"I told the senator that the place I live in wasn't flooded and after telling him that, I scanned the area (with a binocular) around me and that was when I knew what he was telling about," said Joson. "He then asked me to see what was the condition of the people living in the places that were flooded.”

Wasting no time, Joson contacted the Philippine Coast Guard for help and proceeded to one of the flooded areas. There, he found people asking for food because whatever they had were washed away by the sudden surge of water.

"There were no relief goods yet being given away so the best way for them to get food is to buy them in stores," said Joson, a fixture in Pacquiao's fights for nearly two decades.

Heeding Pacquiao's instructions, Joson told the residents to line up with the assistance of Coast Guard personnel. He then handed out cash assistance to everybody in the long queue, replicating what Pacquiao does to those in need whenever he attends out-of-town games of the MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League).

According to Joson, there was an instance when somebody who had already received money tried to line up again, but was prevented by alert Coast Guard personnel.

"It was Senator Manny's way of providing help because he knew people were not just tired but also hungry," added Joson.

With the Marikina river depth back to normal level, Pacquiao intends to visit the flood victims there and other low lying areas of Rizal tomorrow and help anew.

Still waiting for an opponent — with Terence Crawford, Mikey Garcia and UFC superstar Conor McGregor among the pace-setters — and with the Senate in recess, Pacquiao has time to spare.

Joson said he'll accompany Pacquiao but will assume the role of bit player this time.