In the Know: Kid Kulafu

Manny Pacquiao. ROY LUARCA / INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

As a young amateur boxer, Manny Pacquiao was called “Kid Kulafu.”

How did he get this monicker?

The name was given to him by his uncle, Sardo. As a young boy, Pacquiao sold empty bottles of Kulafu collected from his uncle’s shop.

Kulafu is a Chinese wine popular in the Visayas and Mindanao. This alcoholic drink, known for its Chinese botanical herbs, was named after a legendary Filipino jungle hero.

The adventures of Kulafu was illustrated in comics by Francisco Reyes beginning in 1933. The Kulafu comic series, which lasted for eight years, was derived from Edgar Rice Burroughs’ “Tarzan.”

In the local series, Kulafu was a hero who fought battles in tropical jungles or distant lands.

For the film “Kid Kulafu,” Reyes worked with Pedrito Reyes, who was tasked to write the stories. When Pedrito took another job in 1935, Francisco became both the narrator and illustrator of the series.–Inquirer Research

Sources: Inquirer Archives, CCP Encyclopedia of Philippine Art, ginebrasanmiguel.com