UNCONVINCING he may be in his last fight, there was still no stopping the outpouring of affection when the country’s most beloved son finally came home on a sunny, radiant Monday.

Into the warm embrace of his countrymen, Manny Pacquiao arrived to a hero’s welcome early yesterday morning amidst a fiesta-like atmosphere that was in stark contrast to the hostile mood which greeted his narrow victory over Mexican rival Juan Manuel Marquez a week ago at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Pacquiao, wearing a blue and white stripe polo shirt over jeans, was in high spirit upon arriving at Terminal 2 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport around 8 a.m., despite the long 18-hour flight on the way home via Philippine Airlines flight PR 103 from Los Angeles, California.

Accompanying him on the trip back was his lovely wife Jinkee, together with close friends and relatives that make up the boxing champion’s ever growing entourage.

The four Pacquiao children – Jimuel, Michael, Princess and Queen Elizabeth – whom the `Pacman’ hadn’t seen the past two months as he trained for his third meeting with Marquez, led the well-wishers who greeted the proud father at the VIP Lounge of the airport.

Pacquiao, 32, gave the four kids a kiss and a long embrace, indicating how much he missed them after being away from them for more than 10 weeks. 

The bubbly, four-year-old Princess welcomed Pacquiao with a huge banner made out of the image of the Philippine flag and with the words `Daddy Manny, Welcome Home’ printed on it.

The two Pacquiao girls then gave their mother Jinkee, a petal of rose each and a huge hug in a scene that easily warmed the hearts.      

After spending time with his family, the reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion went on to business.

The Sarangani province congressman gamely answered all the questions asked of him, covering a wide-ranging issue from his highly-disputed win over Marquez, a fourth encounter with his Mexican nemesis, a potentially rich fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr., and even his take on the arrest made on former President Macapagal-Arroyo.       

Pacquiao hit back at his detractors for doubting the majority decision he pulled off against Marquez last Nov. 12 to retain his welterweight title, saying there was no one to blame for the controversial outcome but him.

“Kasalanan ko ang lahat ng nangyari,” he told his audience with a smile. “Sinanay ko kasi ang lahat ng manalo ng knockout o kaya bugbugin ang kalaban ko.

Then he added, “baka puwede nyo naman ako payagang manalo ng close fight. Ganyan talaga ang panaho. Hindi lahat masaganang panalo.”

His unimposing showing against the 38-year-old Marquez in their recent trilogy already cost the boxing superstar to lose some of his luster as Yahoo! Sports, Sports Illustrated, and ESPN already had him dislodged on top of its list of pound-for-pound fighters in the world, now being occupied by Mayweather Jr.

Only `The Ring’, the so-called `Bible of Boxing’ did Pacquiao remain as the no. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

To this, the Filipino southpaw answered, “Ok lang kung `yun ang paniniwala ng ibang tao. Hindi naman masama ang loob ko sa kanila.

“Basta magpaka-totoo sila. Hindi pusong Filipino ang mga yan. Alisin na natin `yung crab mentality.”

Following the question and answer at the airport, Pacquiao and his group went straight to the Midas Hotel along Roxas Blvd. to have breakfast courtesy of giant network GMA-7, where the boxing star is a talent.

The eight-division world champion partook a sample of his favorite egg soup, friend danggit, tomato and salted egg, beef tapa, fried rice among, others.

After taking a brief rest, Pacquiao proceeded at Quiapo church and attended the noontime mass, a long-time tradition that has been part of his itinerary every time he arrives from a fight abroad.

Although an afternoon motorcade around the streets of Manila was prepared, Pacquiao deemed it best to just skip it, ditto with his supposed courtesy call at Malacanang with President Aquino.

Today Pacquiao is bound to return to his work in Congress, and then leaves for Sarangani province on Thursday where another hero’s welcome awaits him.