Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada visited Rocel Bondoc, the 18-year-old who was hit by a stray bullet when Vhon Tanto repeatedly shot Mark Vincent Garalde last week in Quiapo, Manila.
Estrada went to the Mary Chiles Hospital where Bondoc is confined and personally handed his cash assistance.
The teenager was elated upon seeing the mayor and thanked him for his kindness. It was learned that the undeclared cash assistance was from the personal fund of the mayor.
Bondoc’s hospital bill has reached P200,000 but this will go up because doctors said the patient will be discharged after 10 days.
“Be strong Rocel. Get well,” the mayor told Bondoc.
“I will personally start a fundraising campaign for her. I will personally help her,” Estrada said.
Bondoc has been transferred from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) to a regular room after undergoing a delicate surgery last week where doctors removed the slug from her back. The bullet damaged one of her kidneys.
Bondoc was near the area where Tanto shot dead Garalde during a traffic altercation.
Bondoc’s aunt, Rowena Dungca, thanked those who visited her niece at the hospital and gave financial help.