THE PAC-MAN PHENOMENON FANATIC FILIPINO FOLLOWING MAKES BOXER PACQUIAO AN L.A. CELEB.

Byline: RAMONA SHELBURNE Staff Writer

HOLLYWOOD - He rolled up in a metallic gray Porsche Cayenne, entourage in the back seat, and made his way slowly through the throng of autograph seekers and Filipino media crews that had gathered in the tiny parking lot.

As soon as he pulled into the driveway to Wild Card Boxing Club, a man rushed out and moved an orange cone that had been set up to block off a parking spot for him.

The crowd was so thick, he had to be careful not to run anyone over.

When he finally emerged from the car, a camera crew sprang into action, documenting his every move like paparazzi on Brangelina.

In this town, you see grand entrances like this every day, but they're usually accompanied by a red carpet and followed by an award show or benefit.

But this is everyday life for Filipino boxing star Manny Pacquiao, who will fight Oscar Larios in a super featherweight bout tonight in the Philippines.

Unless you're a boxing fan, you might not have heard of him. But back home, Pacquiao is a national hero. His friendship with politicians can sway elections and his fights are cause for temporary cease-fires in the country's communist insurgency and rebel attempts to overthrow the government.

When he's in the ring, the normally congested capital city of Manila turns into a ghost town.

``Almost all the TVs in our community are glued to whatever channel is broadcasting a Pacquiao fight. Even the priests are watching a Pacquiao fight,'' said Jess Martinez, a 26-year old information technology professional from Quezon City. ``You'll hear thundering sounds of applause and cheering every time Manny's knocking down and knocking out opponents.''

Anyone associated with Pacquiao is a star. His trainer, Freddie Roach, said that some of the locals have even offered to set him up with a Filipino bride.

``Freddie Roach is now a celebrity there. He's like Angelo Dundee because he trains their Muhammad Ali,'' said Steve Kim, who runs the Web site maxboxing.com.

Like Ali, Pacquiao's popularity transcends his sport. He grew up poor, the son of a farmer and a housewife in General Santos City who took up boxing even though he did not own a pair of shoes. Pacquiao then moved to Manila to begin his boxing career, working side jobs peddling flowers and bread and at a scrap-metal company.

``Manny is a walking personification of the Filipino Dream,'' said Paul Vincent I. Reyes, a businessman from Paranaque. ``He showed us that our own personal dreams and goals are within reach, because if someone like Manny can do it, so can we. Manny Pacquiao is a hero because he has given the Filipino the ultimate gift of hope.''

This may seem like a lot of pressure to lay on an athlete, but Pacquiao embraces his role.

``Despite all of my success in life, I have never forgotten to look back from where I came from,'' he said. ``I always remember the days when there was virtually no food on the table, and that makes me remain a humble person.''

His success has even inspired a whole new younger generation of Filipino fighters to come overseas and pursue the same dream. Roach is working with a handful of them, one of the most promising being 19-year-old Rey ``Boom Boom'' Bautista, a super bantamweight who sports a 20-0 record (with 15knockouts) and was recently signed by Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions.

``Manny Pacquiao has helped all the Filipino boxers. He opened the door for us in America,'' said Bautista, who was raised in the Bohol province. ``He made a name for us. He made people see the talent of Filipinos, and people believe we're all like Manny.''

One Filipino fighter who has benefited from Pacquiao's success is Manny's older brother, Bobby. The elder Pacquiao, who also fights around Manny's weight class, toiled for several years as a journeyman fighter, fighting mainly in his homeland. Manny's success, however, paved the way for Bobby to have a chance to make a name for himself on American soil, and he delivered, posting victories over former world champions Carlos Hernandez and Kevin Kelley in his past two fights.

``Being Manny Pacquiao's brother is paying big dividends for (Bobby),'' Kim said. ``Being a Filipino fighter with the last name Pacquiao right now is like being a Kennedy.''

The question is: How will Pacquiao's unprecedented celebrity and influence affect the ethnic balance of power in boxing? Can he be to Filipino fighters what Julio Cesar Chavez and Oscar De La Hoya are to Mexican boxers? Or will his influence on Filipino fighters wane when he nears retirement or loses a few fights?

Kim thinks Pacquiao and other Filipino fighters have some staying power as long as they aren't rushed into title fights too early.

``There aren't a lot of boring Filipino fighters,'' Kim said. ``I think the financial hardship they experience growing up carries over into the ring. They're not in there to box and move and use finesse. They've been fighting for their survival their whole lives.''

It's that fearless style that has made Pacquiao such a fan favorite.

His breakout fight came in November 2003 with an 11th-round TKO of Marco Antonio Barrera, in which Pacquiao hammered the future Hall of Famer with a blizzard of jabs and left crosses.

Since beating Barrera, Pacquiao has fought in one major action bout after another, most notably against Erik Morales (twice) and Juan Manuel Marquez. And the cheers haven't stopped coming.

Brian Viloria, the WBC champion at 108 pounds, has felt a lesser-voltage version of the Pacquiao glow. Viloria is Filipino but grew up in Hawaii. However, he has made an effort to reconnect with his homeland, and it has embraced him right back.

``It's been crazy,'' Viloria said while training in Hawaii. ``The people there are such hardcore supporters of their fighters. I went back there and felt like a superstar. Everybody knows you and is watching all your fights. They had parades for us. Everywhere you went people asked for your autograph.

``It's kind of nice to come home (to Hawaii) and just be myself. I get recognized here, because I grew up here. But everyone is so laid back, they just congratulate you and let you be. You can go out for a quiet dinner or hang with your friends. In the Philippines, I hardly even went out because the whole crowd would mob you.''

Pacquiao's experience with fans is even more intense. He even had to build a secure compound around his house in General Santos City and hire round-the-clock security.

His training camps in Los Angeles started to attract a throng, too. It became such a distraction that Roach finally insisted on hiring a private security officer, Rob Peters, to clear the parking lot and gym so Pacquiao could focus on his training.

``Before that, it was like Little Manila in here (Wild Card). It was impossible to work out,'' Kim said. ``There are a lot of high-profile guys who train here (such as James Toney), but I've never seen such an atmosphere. It took Manny half an hour to get to the locker room because he'd stop to sign every autograph and take every picture.

``Afterwards, people used to follow him back to his hotel and he'd entertain them for another few hours there. He is so accommodating, but they finally had to put a stop to it so he could train.''

Pacquiao trained in LosAngeles until mid-June, then flew to the Philippines to finish his preparations. And the nation is already buzzing about having its hero home to fight on Pinoy soil.

His biggest challenge, though, might not be Larios, but living up to the dreams of his country.

``What we have in Pacquiao is a phenomenon who transcends boxing. It is miraculous, really,'' Reyes said. ``When one person can create a unity that is so focused and so pure, when he inspires individual hope that blossoms into national hope, you know that we Filipinos -- through Manny Pacquiao -- have somehow been touched by the Divine.''

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(color) When Manny Pacquiao faces Oscar Larios tonight, it will be like a national holiday.

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