MANILA – The silver medal feat of Negrense boxer Mansueto “Onyok” Velasco Jr. during the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, is finally getting recognized with incentives flowing his way.
This, after the Bago City, Negros Occidental-born Velasco recently received a chicken store and P100,000 cash from Chooks-To-Go president Ronald Mascariñas.
“Natutuwa ako dahil store talaga. Hanap-buhay na hindi lang ako makikinabang kung hindi pati pamilya at mga anak ko,” the 47-year-old boxer said.
The chicken store is in Litex Road in Quezon City, near Velasco’s home in Violago Homes, Parkwood Hills Subdivision.
“We’re giving Onyok one store because, as a Filipino, we owe it to him for bringing honor to our country. We are also giving him an additional P100,000 so that he can have his long-delayed honeymoon in Boracay with his wife May,” Mascariñas said.
Recently, Velasco told GMA 7’s 24 Oras that he is yet to receive the millions worth of incentives promised to him for his silver medal feat 25 years ago.
The incentives promised to Velasco included P2.5 million cash from Congress, house and lot, scholarship pledged by the Philippine Navy to his two children, and a lifetime allowance of P10,000 from a businessman.
Meanwhile, the office of President Rodrigo Duterte is currently processing the provision of financial assistance amounting to P500,000 to Velasco, according to Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go./PN
