SPORTS: Hossana on historic 7th title of Manny Pacquiao! But don’t punch above your weight. Climbing the Sarangani ring in Chiongbian fiefdom is another thing.

Pacman would be a shoo-in as congressman in Manila and would even carry the mayor with him.

Someone suggested the Senate. But they have to amend the Constitution for the Presidency.

BELLA. Bacolod Rep. Monico PuenteBELLA gave up his ringside seat and chose to sponsor pay-for-viewing Pacquiao-Cotto fight for barangay officials, youth leaders, and political supporters, including victims of a recent fire.

PuenteBELLA, who chairs the Philippine Olympic Committee, “covered” the fight for local radio station Radyo Bombo, giving blow-by-blow account of the action as he saw it on pay-TV.

PuenteBELLA’s fancy footwork makes him a big time winner to voters compared to the big spenders who, BELAT!, now hide from their constituents that they were in LA.

Culture: Under the umbrella of the 60th year of RP-RoK relations, Cultural Center of the Philippines OIC Dr. Raul Sunico invited E music performances from Seoul. Not electronic or Internet variety, but the long-hair type – the conductor Jae-Joon Lee and the diva Yun-Gyoung Yi.

BELLA. Ms. Yi seduced the cognoscenti at the CCP and again at the Monday Philamlife encore performance “BELLA.Canta.” UST Regent Fr. Jose Tinoko, OP, said her Italian was flawless. Her encore at both performances was crowd-pleasing “Mutya ng Pasig.”

To mix metaphors, to Pinoys who think we’ve-got-it all in pop and classical, listening to Ms. Yi was like experiencing Shin Dong Pa for the first time on the Philippine hardcourt!

Believe it or Not Dep't.: Ombudsman’s office riposte that Washington’s Millennium Challenge Corp. (MCC) nefarious ranking of RP corruption is based on “mere perception.”

But if gov't doesn’t get the multi-million MCC poverty reduction fund due to failing anti-corruption projects anew, does perception become reality?

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo put on a brave face that our failing grades are due to “technicalities in evaluation” and that on “control of corruption,” RP improved six notches from 39th to 33rd place.

He added that our failing marks are due to being bumped up to a lower income bracket (from a low-income bracket in 2008) where we “are measured using more stringent standards.”

BELAT! French definition of “diplomat:” – “An honest man sent abroad to lie for his country.”

The World Health Organization alerted RP health authorities over a possible rise in the incidence of mental disorders among flood victims. Prescribed cure: Mind over Water.

BELLA! “Now I believe I am really free,” said an ecstatic Fr. Michael Sinnott, adding. “I am very grateful to the people who worked for my release.” Actually, TY, Pacman! Feedback: jaz@mb.com.ph