By JOSEPH G. LARIOSA

(© Journal Group Link International)

Team Pacquiao Includes a Filipino Painter Tasked to Document in Oil Paintings the Boxer’s Championship Bouts

C HICAGO (jGLi) -- Manny Pacquiao is well known for using both hands in crafting his super-success story.

And Manny’s God-fearing ways are legendary when he makes the sign of the cross before and after he faces his opponent in the ring.

But like a God-fearing gladiator, the eight-division boxing world champion wants to keep up with what the Bible (Matthew 6:3) says, “When you give alms, let not thy left hand know that thy right hand does.”

Manny has been giving away help to many people through his MP Foundation. But he does not want to let people know about his generosity because the Bible (Mathew 6:4) elaborates, “So that your giving may be in secret. Then, your Father, who sees what is done is secret, will reward you.”

Manny is so secretive that when there was a silent auction of paintings before the press conference of his fight with Joshua Clottey at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, last March, its painter did not even know how much money was raised.

The painter of the works of art, Filipina Claireyenne Malanyaon Leuterio, said she did not mind if Manny would keep the amount of money raised a secret “for as long as the money got to the right hand.”

The recipient of Manny’s bounty was Filipino boxer Zeta Celestino “Z” Gorres, who suffered a brain injury and was paralyzed in his left side after scoring a unanimous-decision victory against Columbian Luis Melendez at the House of Blues in Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada in December 2009.

“Z” GORRES REHABILITATION

“M anny is taking care of “Z” Gorres rehabilitation,” Ms. Malanyaon-Leuterio said, “that’s why I am happy to help in any of Manny’s philanthropic endeavors.”

She said she did not even benefit from that silent auction, where the starting bid was $5,000 for each painting. She learned that there was a bid for $20,000 and the ceiling was $100,000.

When she presents her art exhibit of the likeness of the iconic Filipino boxer days towards the run-up of Pacquiao’s defense of his WBO world welterweight title against Shane Mosley on May 7 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, she still does not know if Manny will hold another silent auction.

“But I will be glad if Manny will again invite high rollers to take a peek at my paintings and bid on them again,” according to the 35-year-old physical therapist, who learned to paint from experience. “At least pag-uusapan nila ang aking works of art.” (At least they will talk about my works of art.)

Born in Quezon City in the Philippines, Ms. Malanyaon-Leuterio, the “official” painter of Team Pacquiao, will roll out her murals in oil measuring four feet by eight feet at the anteroom of the entrance of Arena so Pacquiao fans can take a glimpse of her paintings that will showcase Pacquiao’s famous conquests of Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, David Diaz, Oscar de la Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto Joshua Clottey and Antonio Margarito.

Because Manny has not yet toppled Shane Mosley, Ms. Malanyaon-Leuterio said she painted Mosley on a smaller two feet by three feet frame that will also be used for the cover of the souvenir program of the night’s thriller.

Unlike the marketing catchphrase, “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas,” that inspired a 2008 American romantic comedy film of the same title, Ms. Malanyaon-Leuterio said the balance of her paintings that will remain uncollected by art collectors at MGM Grand Arena will be on display at Gallerie Michael at 224 N. Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, California.

KOBE BRYANT BLACKARD FOUNDATION

Ms. Malanyaon-Leuterio said when she is in Los Angeles, California and has a free time, she is also helping out in some charitable events of the Kobe Bryant Blackcard Foundation.

She is also planning to take her painting exhibits to some U.S. cities, among them at the Philippine Consulate in San Francisco, California in coordination with Filipino American voice impressionist Fernando “Ronnie” M. Estrada of San Jose, California, and Bobby de Lara, manager of the Philippine Center. Mr. Estrada is also stringer for Chicago-based Journal Group Link International.

Mr. Estrada was introduced to Ms. Malanyaon-Leuterio by Filipino businessman Crispin K. Go, who owns a trendy restaurant, La Scala, in Manila’s Tourist Belt. Mr. Go has been asked by Claireyenne to manage her painting exhibit in the Philippines along with former Filipino actor Ramil Rodriguez.

She also plans to drop by Chicago, Illinois, to network with Manny Pacquiao’s homeboy in General Santos City, international impressionist painter Bueno Silva, Jr., who met with Mr. Pacquiao in Chicago some years ago when Manny was promoting his bout with David Diaz.

While in Chicago, Claireyenne dreams of networking with the charitable activities of Chicago icon, Michael Jordan, whom she is dying to meet, and possibly hold her art exhibit in Chicago.

Ms. Malanyaon-Leuterio was first introduced to Mr. Pacquiao by Manny’s patron, former Manila Mayor-turned-Environment Sec. Lito Atienza, who has been collecting her paintings since 1998. She was the youngest member an alliance of artists called Saturday Group that adorned then-Mayor Atienza’s tourist come-on, Manila Baywalk, a strip that was torn down by Atienza’s successor Mayor Alfredo Lim after alleged complaints of noise, pollution and being an eyesore that obstructed the world-famous Manila sunset view.

Several years later, Ms. Malanyaon-Leuterio was on the set of the taping in Quezon City’s GMA TV station’s “Show Me Da Money,” a sitcom starring Manny Pacquiao and Marian Rivera, when she was introduced by Mr. Atienza to Mr. Pacquiao.

PACQUIAO FAN AND HOBBYIST

As a hobby and a fan of Manny, she painted some of the likeness of Mr. Pacquiao. When she showed her paintings to Mr. Pacquiao, the Filipino boxing great took interest and offered her to introduce her works to Manny’s contacts in Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

“I never expected to meet Manny because he was a superstar,” Ms. Malanyaon-Leuterio said. “Perhaps, it was God’s will that our paths would cross and Manny took my paintings to Las Vegas.” She said she is now better known among art gallery circles in Las Vegas than in Manila’s high-end galleries. She said she has nobody to thank for but Manny and Mr. Atienza.

But she is not planning to take all her collections to the US either.

She is leaving a lot behind for exhibit at La Scala.

She said she now has ten four-feet-by-eight-feet murals and her smallest painting is one three-feet-by-two-feet.

She has since started accepting commissioned works from Manny’s inner circle, including Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis “Chavit” Singson, Mr. Atienza and, of course, Mr. Pacquiao. Some of her works now adorn Mr. Pacquiao’s house in Los Angeles and in his Philippine Congress’ office.

Mr. Atienza has her two murals of Erik Morales and Ricky Hatton both measuring four-feet-by-eight feet.

At his despedida prior to the Margarito fight, Mr. Pacquaio asked the mural of Hatton from Mr. Atienza and Manny asked her to do another mural of Morales. Clairyenne said Manny Pacquiao asked her to paint Manny’s more than 50 fights that Manny plans to display in Manny’s planned museum when he hangs up his gloves.

For Clairyenne, documenting the historic fights of Manny Pacquiao is just beginning. # # #

Editor’s Note: To contact the author, please e-mail him at:  (lariosa_jos@sbcglobal.net)