A screenshot of Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez’s claim and a photo of him and his wife with presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr.

CLAIM: Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez said that among the presidential candidates, only Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. helped Ormoc City during disasters.

RATING: FALSE

Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez and his wife, Leyte Rep. Lucy Torres-Gomez, have formally endorsed the presidential bid of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. 

The ex-actor and model said that he supported the presidential bid of the namesake of the late dictator and plunderer because Marcos Jr. was the only politician who helped his city during disasters and difficult times.

“Sa kanilang lahat na tumatakbo, siya lang ang nakatulong sa Ormoc City during disasters and difficult times. Madaling lapitan, madaling kausapin,” he said in a post on his Facebook page. 

This is FALSE.

Sen. Manny Pacquiao, who is also aiming for the highest post in the country, helped the people of Ormoc City after it was devastated by a typhoon.  

Pacquiao, who was then Sarangani congressman, went to areas devastated by supertyphoon Yolanda in December 2013.  He donated P1.5 million to the local government of Ormoc for its Yolanda relief efforts.  He also brought 10 truckloads of relief goods and cash to homeless typhoon victims.  

Pacquiao, who was then celebrating his 35th birthday, decided to give the money to Yolanda victims rather than spend it on his birthday party.  

“Simple lang ang celebration ngayon. Sa halip na gastusin ko sa magarbong birthday party, idinonate ko na lang sa mga biktima ng bagyo sa Leyte at Eastern Samar,” Pacquiao said as quoted by a story by the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

The other presidential candidate who had helped Ormoc City is Vice President Leni Robredo.

The Office of the Vice President sent shelter materials for Leyte residents whose homes were damaged by the 5.8-magnitude quake that struck the province on July 10, 2017.

“We have spoken with the provincial government of Leyte and the mayor of Kananga. They said what the people need there are shelter materials so that’s what our office will bring there,” Vice President Leni Robredo was quoted as saying in a Rappler story.

Robredo also said that her Angat Buhay partners were sent to provide psychosocial services to the quake survivors.

“Noong nagkaroon ng earthquake sa Surigao, ito iyong nakitang isa sa mga kailangan, kaya magpo-provide din tayo ng ganoon sa Ormoc at saka sa probinsya ng Leyte,” said Robredo.

Gomez’s claim that Marcos was the only presidential candidate that helped Ormoc in times of difficulty is without factual basis. – Rommel F. Lopez

(Editor’s Note: The cash donation given by Pacquiao to Ormoc City was P1.5 million as reported by ABS-CBN News and other news organizations. This story has been updated to reflect this amount.)

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