MANILA, Philippines ? They came in the tens of thousands, braved a staggering heat, and showered him with accolades no other Filipino boxer had ever received. Some called him ?King? and one student in a St. Paul University uniform screamed: ?Take me as your scholar!?

Others in the crowds?estimated by police and organizers at totaling between 100,000 and 200,000?naughtily shouted ?Krista,? the name of a sexy actress rumors had romantically linked with him.

The conquering hero ignored the teasing, waved, and threw out T-shirts embossed with his initials MP in the shape of a fist as the motorcade rolled through four cities yesterday.

Then, in the end, at a victory party in the SM Mall of Asia, he sang the love song ?Born for You? for one woman?his wife Jinkee. She blushed as the crowd roared.

Manny Pacquiao, the golden-belted champion, was home again.

In an unparalleled tribute to him, President Macapagal-Arroyo crowned Pacquiao?s homecoming by conferring on him the Order of Sikatuna, with the rank of Datu, one of the highest honors given by Malacañang to civilians and one usually awarded to statesmen.

Ms Arroyo even expanded on Pacquiao?s popular title of Pambansang Kamao (National Fist) by referring to him in a ceremony at the Quirino Grandstand at Manila?s Rizal Park as ?Pangmundong Kamao (Fist of the World).?

It was five days after Pacquiao brought the country its biggest ring glory by destroying Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto in 12 rounds to win the World Boxing Organization welterweight title?his seventh world crown in seven boxing divisions.

Sharing a kiss

In their waves of cheering for Pacquiao, Filipinos put aside, at least briefly, memories of the destruction wreaked on the country by two recent back-to-back storms.

As if to squelch rumors that their marriage was in trouble, Pacquiao and Jinkee shared a kiss in front of the media after they landed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) following a long trip from the United States.

In an interview over GMA 7, the champ said that everything was fine in the Pacquiao family. ?Walang problema (No problem),? he said.

Jinkee said the reason she cried during a Thanksgiving Mass after Pacquiao?s fight in Las Vegas was because ?the homily was meaningful? and she missed their four children.

A TV footage of that Mass showed Jinkee breaking down in tears and waving away Manny?s attempt to console her.

The incident followed rumors that the ring icon was carrying on an affair with actress Krista Ranillo, his costar in his upcoming film ?Wapakman.? Ranillo has tried to knock down the rumors.

Fight with Mayweather

Talking with the media, Pacquiao joked about a possible fight with former pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr. ?If the time is right, the time is right. Weather-weather lang ?yan,? he said in a play on Mayweather?s name.

Pacquiao said he would pursue his plan to run for Congress, either as a representative of Sarangani province or through a party-list that would push for sports development. ?Yes, definitely (I?m running),? he said.

Environment Secretary Lito Atienza, who welcomed the Pacquiaos at the airport, said the boxer?s political plans ?might have a change of direction.? He did not elaborate.

From the airport, the Pacquiao party drove to the New World Hotel (former Renaissance Hotel) in Makati, where they were showered with confetti, and guests dashed toward them.

Next to a billboard which imitated the neon signs in Las Vegas, nine showgirls on a stage danced to the tune of Latino songs. Hundreds of balloons descended on Pacquiao.

Monique Toda, the hotel?s director of communications, said the staff had prepared Pacquiao?s favorite dishes, including danggit, hilabos na hipon, beef steak, and sinigang na salmon.

Church commotion

At the historic Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene (Quiapo Church) in Manila, Pacquiao and Jinkee prayed together, a picture of a happy couple.

Pacquio especially mentioned and thanked Jinkee for her love when he addressed the crowd before the Mass ended.

But offering collectors said some parishioners were irked at the commotion caused by the late arrival of the boxing hero and his companions, who included Deputy National Security Adviser Luis ?Chavit? Singson, Atienza and bodyguards.

?Their arrival disrupted the flow and the solemnity of the Mass. They were complaining to us, saying Pacman should have waited for the next Mass,? collector Florida Celestino said.

Remembering God

Still, many in the congregation took pictures of Pacquiao with their cell phone cameras even while the Mass, officiated by Fr. Alvin Fullon, was going on.

?My victory is not mine alone, this is for all of us,? Pacquiao told the crowd in Filipino.

?My power comes from God and this would not have been all possible without Him,? he said. ?I surrender everything to Him and believe in Him 100 percent.?

Cheering erupted as Pacquiao stepped out of church.

The motorcade for the champion started from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources compound in Quezon City around 10:30 a.m. and ended in Makati almost three hours later.

Pacquiao rode on a float decked out with Philippine flags and replicas of his two championship belts. He wore a checkered polo, his swollen right hand still wrapped in what appeared to be a protective black bandage and his injured outer right ear covered with a gauze pad.

Unlike in his previous victory parades, Jinkee rode with him in the motorcade. They were joined in the float by Atienza and other members of Team Pacquiao.

?Hail to the King?
The size of the crowds along the route was far bigger than those that cheered Pacquiao after he knocked out Britain?s Ricky Hatton six months ago.

As the caravan passed by España Boulevard in Manila, a group of students bowed in adulation of him. One student screamed, raising a bond paper written with the words ?Hail to the King.?

Traffic on many streets ground to a halt as the 40-vehicle convoy rode through. Some motorists blew their horns, others got off their cars and waved.

Despite the searing temperature, thousands refused to budge from the sidewalks, clicking their cameras. Employees left their work to catch a glimpse of Pacquiao.

?We will never get tired of waiting for him to celebrate our proud moment like this,? security guard Michael Albert Catacutan said.

Catacutan, 51, said he left his home in Marikina City before dawn hoping he could approach his idol so he could ask for financial help.

?Maybe he can share some of his winnings with flood victims like us. Most of us lost not only our houses, but our loved ones as well,? he said, adding he had yet to retrieve the body of one of his three children who drowned in the floods triggered by Tropical Storm ?Ondoy.?

?But seeing him is enough for me to forget all my sufferings even for a moment.?

Krista?s name
From time to time, the convoy was stopped by people who gathered around the float, shouting ?Balato, balato! (Tips, tips!).?

Instead of money, the boxing hero gave away T-shirts.

On Pedro Gil Avenue, a group of gorgeous colegialas shrieked as Pacquaio flashed a smile at them.

?Take me as your scholar,? a young woman shrieked, provoking laughter.

On some streets, clusters of men and women chanted Krista Ranillo?s name.

Along Ayala Avenue in Makati, confetti rained on Pacquiao?not from the high-rise buildings but from a truck that was part of his convoy.

Serenading his woman
At a victory party in the Mall of Asia, Pacquiao and Jinkee, in a long floral dress, walked on a red carpet up a stage, their hands locked together.

The Mall Atrium of MOA overflowed with jostling people. When Pacquiao began to sing, they jumped with joy. Most of them waved yellow, blue, and red flaglets.

?I feel more nervous singing than boxing,? Pacquiao said as the crowd laughed.

He sang at least six songs, including his own ?Lahing Pilipino? and the song he sang for Jinkee. She reddened.

Then the champion and his lady kissed.