MANILA, Philippines—Josie Piñera, a sari-sari store owner, wanted to see Manny Pacquiao so much she didn’t care if he might be carrying the deadly swine flu virus that experts say could infect up to 2 billion people in a global outbreak.

That seemed to sum up the feelings of the thousands of other people who dropped whatever it was they were doing to cheer Pacquiao at the airport, in Quiapo, at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), at the offices of San Miguel Corp. and the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) and at the Mall of Asia, where Pacquiao held a free concert.

In brief remarks after the Mass in Quiapo Church, Pacquiao said he prayed for sunshine on the plane because he really wanted to return to his country.

“Look at the weather now,” he told his adoring audience in the sun-splashed church packed tightly despite the flu virus warnings.

Not worried

“I am not afraid of that,” the 58-year-old Lucena City resident told the Philippine Daily Inquirer Friday as she and hundreds and hundreds of other Filipinos came to catch even a glimpse—from a distance of 20 feet—of one of the world’s greatest boxers.

Neither did Pacquiao seem worried that he might be carrying the virus, scientifically called A(H1N1).

“I have no swine flu,” Pacquiao told reporters shortly after he, his wife Jinky and his 15-member Team Pacquiao delegation blew into town from Los Angeles, California, at 6:15 in the morning.

Pacquiao had swept aside a World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation and a Malacañang appeal for him to delay his return and go on a self-imposed quarantine for five days—when signs of swine flu should emerge, if he had the virus.

“My [family] warned me that Pacquiao might have the virus,” Piñera, who travelled for five hours by bus to get to Quiapo, said with a laugh. “They did not come because of it and told me that it was up to me if I really wanted to catch the swine flu virus.”

Not even the swine flu scare or threats of heavy rains from Typhoon “Emong” (international codename: Chan Hom) could keep them away from the people’s champ. No one was seen wearing surgical masks.

More risky in LA

Pacquiao, looking stylish in his off white coat and hat, defended his decision to return so soon after destroying Britain’s Ricky Hatton in Las Vegas last weekend.

“That’s a wrong advice. It’s as if they are not really concerned about me,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino, referring to the government appeal for him to stay in the US awhile.

Noting that Los Angeles was itself an infected area, Pacquiao said it might have been more risky if he had stayed in Los Angeles.

“It would be easier for me to catch the virus there … I would rather go home … I feel a lot safer here at home.”

Airport reporters were disappointed they were not able to talk to Pacquiao’s mother, Aling Dionesia, who also created a stir in the US with her makeup, jewelry and her own brand of showmanship.

Dionesia, it turned out, had immediately boarded a connecting flight to her hometown in Gen. Santos City shortly after the group arrived.

Palace sings a different tune

By mingling with the public, Pacquiao and his party may have seemingly breached a WHO protocol on the swine flu, but Malacañang looked the other way.

Press Secretary Cerge Remonde welcomed Pacquiao’s return while scoffing at observations that he had placed other people’s health at risk.

Undersecretary Anthony Golez on Thursday warned it would be a “nightmare” if anybody from Pacquiao’s team later showed signs of being infected with the virus.

“Today, we welcome [him] back from his latest achievement … His achievement puts additional gloss on other good news for the country,” Remonde said.

Remonde saw nothing wrong with Pacquiao mixing it up with supporters and even praised him for submitting himself to screening, including thermal scanning, at the airport to check if he had the flu.

Soon after arriving, Pacquiao hugged, kissed and lifted his children, who were among the welcomers.

Remonde argued that since they did not show any signs of flu during the airport screening, it was safe for Pacquiao and his party to go out in public.

Remonde disagreed with claims that Pacquiao violated the WHO protocol on self-quarantine and “social distancing”—keeping himself one meter away from the public—and, in effect, undermined government efforts at keeping the virus at bay.

“I think not,” Remonde said.

National Day of Celebration

Malacañang is set to give Pacquiao a hero’s welcome on Monday, with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo hosting a luncheon for him. On arrival at the Palace, he will be escorted through two lines of honor guards to the main lobby.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita will read the presidential proclamation declaring a National Day of Celebration.

A victory motorcade scheduled for Friday was also moved for Monday. The motorcade is to pass through the cities of Quezon City, Makati, Manila and Pasay.

No need for masks

Speaking to airport welcomers, Pacquiao thanked his supporters and said: “Wherever we are, we Filipinos should raise our heads high.”

Well-wishers embraced him and shook his hand.

“As per our evaluation, there was no need for us to wear face masks,” said retired Gen. Angel Atutubo, security chief at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

In a previous briefing, Atutubo had reminded airport employees and journalists to stay at least one meter away from Pacquiao. On Friday, he was one those who shook the hands of Pacquiao.

While steel railings kept most of the media at least six feet away, some television announcers got through and even pushed their microphones close to Pacquiao’s face. An airport official said NAIA general manager Alfonso Cusi was “irked and surprised” at this.

The Philippines Airlines flight also carried 10 passengers who had just come from Mexico, the epicenter of the virus outbreak.

Atutubo said there was no need to isolate any of the 391 passengers aboard as “all of them tested negative for the virus.”

Like any other passenger, he said Pacquiao and his party were subjected to a thermal scan and “passed through foot bath.”

No politics, please

Pacquiao said he was excited to buckle down to work with GMA 7. He stars with action star Robin Padilla in the soap opera “Totoy Bato” and the adventure show “Pinoy Records.”

But he refused to answer questions about his political plans. The election commission has accredited his newly formed “People’s Champ Movement” party and Pacquiao is widely believed to be running for congressman next year.

At the Renaissance Hotel in Makati, people also swarmed around Pacquiao, colorful confetti rained down on him and a band played on. No one wore a mask.

Filipino-American Lidia Sakay was ecstatic. Asked if she was afraid of getting the virus, she said: “I don’t care. Anyway, we’ll be back in the US, where the virus is, after two weeks.”

Pacquiao had a “pork-less” breakfast: Hinalabos na hipon, tinolang manok, beef stew, beef medallion, and chicken kebab.

At the DENR, Pacquiao made no effort to keep a “social distance” from autograph seekers, posing gamely for pictures with officials and employees.

Environment Secretary Lito Atienza defended the boxer’s decision to come home. “If the virus is fast spreading in the US, particularly in LA … why advise him to stay there?” Atienza said.

Dollars for collection box

During the Quiapo Mass, liturgy committee member Florida Celestino, 67, collected donations from Pacquiao’s row. She later said the champion and deputy national security adviser Luis “Chavit” Singson each pulled out a wad of US dollars from their wallets and placed them inside the collection net.

Moving on, Pacquiao had lunch with San Miguel Corp. chair Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco and SMC president Ramon Ang. This was followed by an afternoon meeting in Makati between the two Manny P’s—Pacquiao and PLDT chair Manuel “Manny” Pangilinan.

San Miguel and PLDT are two of Pacquiao’s biggest commercial sponsors.

Concert at the Mall

Some 3,000 people cheered the boxing idol at the Mall of Asia in Pasay City, where he was showered with confetti and sang “Bilog ang Mundo.”

“Those who do not know this song will have no bonus,” he joked in Filipino before starting his second song, the popular hit “Para Sa Iyo.”

People reached out to touch him—but his close-in security parried them off. With reports from Allison W. Lopez, TJ Burgonio, Daxim L. Lucas, Beverly T. Natividad, Niña Calleja and Rachel Miranda