The mayor of Bulusan on Tuesday stressed that actress Heart Evangelista is not related to the issue raised by actor-host Vice Ganda in an episode of the latter’s noontime show.
‘Nais ko pong bigyang-diin na wala pong kinalaman si Ms. Heart Evangelista-Escudero sa isyung ito,’ read the statement of Bulusan mayor Wennie Rafallo-Romano as posted on the municipal government’s Facebook page on October 28.
The mayor referred to the October 24 episode of ‘It’s Showtime,’ where Vice Ganda is one of the hosts.
Vice Ganda shared during the episode’s ‘Laro Laro Pick’ segment about his experience visiting Bagacay Elementary School in Sorsogon.
Heart’s husband, Sen. Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero, served Sorsogon as congressman from 1998 to 2007 and governor from 2019 to 2022.
“Na isang paaralan na walang reading materials. Pinagawa ko ‘yung eskuwelahan at nagpadala ako ng tulong doon kasi walang reading materials. Bulok ‘yung paaralan doon sa lugar nila Heart Evangelista. I cried so much when I saw that school,’ Vice said during the episode.
The mayor’s statement gave details about Vice Ganda’s visit on Sept. 26, 2023 to Bagacay Elementary school. It came with a detailed breakdown of the amount of money donated and the items and services that were built and availed out of the donation.
The mayor said that Vice initially gave P50,000 in December 2023 and was followed by more donations the next month in January 2024, amounting to P17,360. Vice’s total donation of P67,360 went to repairs of windows, doors and plastering of the school’s makeshift classroom, putting tiles on one comfort room, and installation and payment of internet bills.
The mayor gave its appreciation and gratitude to the actor-host, and adding that these were welcome in addition to the initiatives by the school’s Parents Teachers’ Association and funds from the MOOE (school maintenance and other operating expenses) and the local government unit’s special education fund.
The statement also included a number of clarifications, including the existence of a permanent classroom and books and supplementary reading materials before Vice’s donations. It also mentioned that the Department of Education of Sorsogon launched the reading program ‘Project Target’ on May 11, 2023.
‘Ang reading kiosk na handugan ni Vice Ganda ng karagdagang reading materials ay initiative po ng mga magulang para may pook pahingahan din ang mga bata at at makapagbasa sa kanilang bakanteng oras.
‘Nagpapasalamat po ang LGU Bulusan sa ipinakitang malasakit ni Vice Ganda, ngunit ang paraan ng pagsasamadla ng kanyang donasyon na may komentong ‘bulok na paraan at walang reading materials’ ay nagdulot ng kahihiyan sa Bagacay Elementary School, sa bayan ng Bulusan at sa Department of Education.”
‘Nabalewala ang lahat ng pagsusumikap ng mga guro at pamunuan, mga magulang at mag-aaral, lokal na liders at ng Kagawaran ng Edukasyon at iba pang stakeholders para mabigyan ng kaaya-ayang paaralan ang mga kabataan na angkop sa kakayahan ng komunidad,’ the statement read.
It also mentioned that all the stakeholders in Bulusan continue to coordinate to meet the school’s needs, as well as the efforts of Sen. Escudero as an ‘active supporter’ of the children’s education.