Stroke broadcaster son hails Cojuangco

After he bailed out Pa with P200K from hospital bed

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

DAGUPAN CITY – A son of a veteran radio man here lauds former Pangasinan Congressman Mark O. Cojuangco for paying the tab of his father's  hospitalization after a stroke.

Dagupan City's veteran broadcaster Joey "Bal" Ballesteros with grandchild.

Jerome Ballesteros, 28, said that former 5th District Representative Cojuangco
shelled out the amount after Joey Ballesteros, 63, announcer of DWPR-Power Radio, suffered a stroke that left him with a blood clot in one of his head’s vein.
“He was rushed at the Medical City last April 27 and undergone surgery”.
Jerome denied also the lies perpetrated by Rannie Manaois, a bloc timer of Bombo Radyo-Dagupan that it was only Governor Amado T. Espino who chipped in P20,000 while the management of DWPR, Cojuangco’s owned station, gave only P2000.
Manaois, known for his notoriety in the media died recently in sleep, went to the hospital bed of Ballesteros and gave him the sum.
The young Ballesteros, one of the several children of the patient, profusely thanked Cojuangco and his assistant Dhang Alcaide Manaois after she delivered the sum on May 6 at the hospital.
“I thank also (Calasiao) Mayor (Mark Roy) Macanlalay, who not only gave us P5000 but gave his hand phone to Cong. Cojuangco when they were at Bugallon (town) so I could talk to the congressman ”.

He told Cojuangco who he was and told him the plight of his father who is an employee for decades of his radio station. 

Jerome said the other Good Samaritan who shelled out money was  this city Councillor Jigs Sheen who gave an unspecified amount.
Sta. Barbara Mayor Lito Zaplan told this paper he gave P5000 to the son of Ballesteros.
The young Ballesteros said his family did not pay the entire amount given to them because they need some of it to pay for the everyday medicines of the older Ballesteros and for the everyday needs of the family.
“He is the only bread winner in the family. Our bill there was P286, 000 but we paid only P146,000 after we signed a promissory note thus we have a balance of P140,000 payable in five months,” he stressed.
Jerome said while he works as a cellular phone repairman, his father is the major bread winner in the family.
Before the former solon gave the amount, the young Ballesteros said they were at a loss looking for politicians who could help them.
“Even the PCSO (Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office) in Manila denied us help because we forgot to attach to the bill of statement (BoS) the professional fees of the doctors at Medical City”.
He said his father until now has a hard time speaking.