CEBU CITY -- Defeated senatorial candidate Francis Leo Marcos fulfilled his pre-election promise of organizing charity events here.
A foundation backed by Marcos held a two-day charity drive in Barangay San Nicolas, Cebu City where hundreds of residents received free wheelchairs and eyeglasses.
Chili Tita Cabatingan, founder of Semi Di Speranza Foundation, said her organization partnered with Marcos' Filipino Family Club International Inc. for the charity event dubbed as Mega Humanitarian Drive.
The charity event started last Saturday, May 21, and ended on Sunday, May 22, at the Cebu City Sports Institute Gym.
"We distributed 60 wheelchairs and 15,000 eyeglasses. Depending on their prescription, all of those who came were given eyeglasses," said Cabatingan.
Cabatingan said at least 20 doctors from Manila arrived in Cebu and took part in the free eye consultation.
Cabatingan said the charity event was Marcos' way of thanking those who voted for him in his senatorial run in the May 9 national and local elections.
"He got four million votes overall which means there are really people who believe in him. It also shows that even if he did not win, he will continue giving help," Cabatingan said.
A few days before the election, Marcos' supporters held a motorcade in Cebu City where they promised to bring the candidate's relief efforts to the city.
In the recently concluded elections, Marcos got 67,693 votes in the city.
Marcos is currently detained after he was arrested two years ago by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation for alleged violation of the Revised Optometry Law of 1995.