MANILA, Philippines — Ailing 1988 Seoul Olympics boxing bronze medalist Leopoldo Serantes will receive a monthly stipend worth P100,000 a month for life from Chooks-to-Go.
The 59-year-old Serantes is currently suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and has been confined at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center for a long time now and the aid should be a big help for the Olympic hero.
“Just like with Onyok Velasco, we cannot just forget the sports heroes that gave honor to our country in the past. We should continue to honor their legacy,” said Chooks-to-Go president Ronald Mascarinas. "In the case of Leopoldo Serantes, we decided to give him a monthly allowance of P100,000 for the rest of his life so that he can live with dignity befitting a living hero.”
It came a few days after Chooks-to-Go rewarded 1996 Atlanta Games boxing silver medalist Velasco his own store of the popular roasted chicken brand and an additional P100,000 reward.
Interestingly, it was Velasco who referred the plight of Serantes, his childhood hero, to Chooks-to-Go.
"Si Leopoldo Serantes, isa yang alamat sa boxing. Nung naguumpisa pa lang kami, nandiyan na siya. Siya na yung tinitingala na namin," said Velasco. "Nung nag-Olympics siya, dun na nagimpusa yung pagkaidolo namin sa kanya. Naka-medal siya tapos hindi rin siya ganun kalaking tao, maliit lang pero naka-medal at talagang malakas.
"Naisipan ko na ilapit siya sa Chooks-to-Go kasi natulungan din ako. Si Serantes, nangangailangan din ng tulong. Nangangailangan talaga siya ng tulong," he added.
Leodelia Serantes, Leopoldo’s daughter, thanked Chooks-to-Go for the aid, which will be used to pay for their medical bills.
"Sobrang laking tulong po nito para sa tatay ko. Hindi na siya mamomoblema sa araw-araw niya na gastusin para sa oxygen, sa gastusan niya sa gamutan na pang buhay," she said. "Maraming salamat Sir Ronald sa tulong niyo po sa papa ko. Malaking tulong po ito sa kanya. Maraming salamat po."