Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia yesterday said identification of beneficiaries for the P1 million assistance given by boxing champion Manny Pacquiao to the victims of typhoon ‘Frank' in the city was done by the Department of Social Service and Development, and no politics was involved in it.

At the same time, Leonardia said, he is grateful to Pacquiao for proceeding with his plans to come to Bacolod and deliver his assistance to the flood victims in the city despite the fact that, according to a very reliable source in the camp of the ring champion, Rep. Monico Puentevella tried to discourage him from coming, telling him that the city did not suffer that much damage from the typhoon.

But Pacquiao is a man of his word, Leonardia said, so he did not change his plans, after all. And Bacoleños will always remember and thank him for that, the mayor added.

He also stressed that neither his office nor the Sangguniang Panlalawigan intervened in the identification of the beneficiaries and he can vouch that the more than 6,000 people who received the assistance were properly identified.

“The beneficiaries were the poorest of the poor, and we did not meddle in the process,” Leonardia said.

He expressed dismay over the attempts to stop Pacquaio from visiting Bacolod City , but said those people were simply “envious” and afraid to see the city officials “looking good” beside the boxing icon.

The mayor also clarified that the motorcade and profuse welcome tendered for Pacquiao was only fitting for a “national hero” who had brought honor and pride to the nation, as even the President of the Philippines has acknowledged.

He said it was only in Bacolod City where Pacquiao agreed to have a motorcade, preferring a low profile during his visit to Iloilo and other areas hit by the typhoon.

He also belied the statement of columnist Rollie Espina that “Bacolod must have spent thousands of pesos just to allow local officials to attend the boxing bout of Pacquiao in Las Vegas,” saying that not a single centavo had been spent by the city for any of his travels abroad, including the latest one to Las Vegas.

Perhaps there are officials from Bacolod who used government funds for that trip, but they are not local ones, Leonardia also said.

“Mr. Espina can check the records of the city anytime,” he said. “As a seasoned journalist and an elder of the Negros Press Club, I appeal to him to be fair and truthful in his writings,” he added.

Meanwhile, Leonardia said the boxing champion has agreed to be a consultant in the sports program of the city, despite his busy schedule.

“Although he can not give us 100 percent of his time, Pacquiao assured the Bacoleños that he will be there to assist them, especially in their boxing development program,” Leonardia said.*NAB

back to top