Former Senator Vicente "Tito" Sotto III, one of the show's main hosts, personally handed P71,000 to each of the beneficiaries.
The amount was originally P1 million as what was also won by Ellamie Inot of Lapu-Lapu City last March 25. However, through the succeeding days it accumulated additional thousands from the contest's daily winners and has reached P1,420,000. The amount was divided among the 20 beneficiaries.
The first five recipients were Therese Ann Luvindina, Ariana Casanares, Carmina Torniado, Fenel Mae Camacho and Armstrong Calinawan of Pasil Elementary School.
"Eat...Bulaga!" had also chosen five patients from the Pediatrics ward of the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center. Among those who were awarded were Aldwin Fabriga who is suffering from brain tumor, leukemia patients Jason Abella and Chinny Espeuco, and Joanna Glaiza Rabac who has polyductile congenital anomaly. The other patient Torreneg Hubert Arnado already died of leukemia before the awarding, but the amount was given to his family.
The show also picked six beneficiaries from the Batang Pinangga Foundation in Carmen town. They were John Kevin Minquiz, Rosemari Booc, siblings Edmar and Maricar Torreon, Jessie Alecante, Kenneth Salgado, and four Armenton siblings.The foundation's director Butch Carpintero said the money will be deposited in a bank for the children's education.
Juanita Villegas, Aida Chico and Bonifacio Hermoso who are under the care of the Durano Foundation also received the same amount each.
The oldest of the recipients was 65-year-old Zoila Malabago, who is living with her grandchildren in the Inayawan dumpsite. The teary-eyed Malabago could not stop herself from hugging Sotto, who went to her rundown shack surrounded by rubbish, to hand her the money.
She said she would use it to start her own eatery and small piggery to be used for the education of her grandchildren whose parents are earning little from the refuse around them.
These beneficiaries, who were the game show partners, were carefully screened by the staff of "Eat...Bulaga!" and GMA-7 Cebu to ensure that all of them really need the money.
Sotto said some of them had written to the show to ask for financial assistance. However, with the bulk of letters they receive everyday, they prioritized the indigents. - Liv G. Campo