The new Manila Mayor aims for a truly pro-poor Manila
He has a noble dream to develop and modernize the city, but his programs show a commitment to inclusivity
Ascavenger turned mayor, Francisco “Isko” Moreno Domagoso, is a story of inspiration and determination. For the people of Manila, he represents the hope for the future.
Laying out his initial programs, he talks of a ten- year plan that focuses on the cities’ general concerns: tourism, traffic and health. However, he has repeatedly clarified that it is part of a long- term program. “Hindi‘ ya niki nail as a mg at a gaMay nil a ... pin ali wan a gk os a tao, ‘Wagh okay ong mai i nip ha. Sam pung ta on ho it o mangy ay ari( I was honest with Ma nile nos… I explained it to the people ,‘ Please be patient. The changes would happen within 10 years ),’” Moreno said during his interview with CNN Philippines.
The details of these programs will soon be laid out, but needless to say, the three fields are correlated.
Moreno is now a learned man, as he has committed to improve himself through continuous study. Now, as the mayor of the city he calls home, he wants to give the poor and marginalized a chance to improve themselves.
Tourism infrastructure projects
Manila used to be a hub for tourism with the historical landmarks, but these have been relegated to the sideline in favor of more modern destinations. Part of the program should include a revival of appreciation for the history of the city, which in turn could boost tourism.
A central goal of Moreno’s tourism program is to build infrastructure that highlights the city’s natural and historical assets and landmarks.
He is proposing to build a new sky deck along Roxas Boulevard, overlooking the shores of Manila Bay. The exact site will be in front of the Malate Church and the Rajah Sulayman grounds.
The sky deck will be a place for residents and tourists to have a better vantage point of the worldfamous Manila Bay sunset. They can enjoy the sunset in a cozy environment with open- air cafes and restaurants.
Another groundbreaking project that incoming Mayor Isko envisions is the Manila City Walk. It is an elevated walkway that will connect most of the city’s tourist attractions in Ermita. The City Walk will be an alternative for pedestrians and bikers. This will address commuter safety and traffic issues in the district.
New City Hall
The infrastructures for tourism is part of his overall program to modernize Manila, even with the limited resources.
“We need to maximize the limited land space and we need to catch up with other Metro Manila cities that have been constructing commercial and modernize hubs,” Moreno stated.
One of the more ambitious projects that Moreno is contemplating is to build a new City Hall. He revealed this plan during a forum hosted by one of the major Manila newspapers.
“The city hall, when it was designed by architect Burnham, they are addressing a few thousand Manilenos but that was years ago. Today, Manila has about 1.8 million people and 42,000 business establishments,” he said.
Many of the major cities of Metro Manila have upgraded their respective city halls to keep up with the growing population. Since it is supposed to be the center of the city’s services, it must be large enough to accommodate the growing needs of a continuously increasing population.
This is part of Moreno’s program to improve Manila’s rating when it comes to the ease of doing business — an important rubric when measuring a city’s progress.
In order to maximize the city’s space, he envisions the new Manila City Hall on the grounds of Liwasang Bonifacio. The current City Hall, which is already a landmark in itself, will be converted into a museum and retail center.
Immediate concerns of the poor
Consistent with his principle of looking out for the poor, Moreno will address this sector of the population with immediate assistance.
He has already proposed a monthly allowance of P1,000 to students of Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila and Unibersidad de Manila. He will also continue the feeding program that they started with the Estrada administration in 2014.
Isko also has a housing program planned for the informal settlers in Manila, as he stated in a forum. He is planning to put up vertical housing units within the city limits, as he is not in favor of relocating them to farflung areas.
Cleanliness drive and the environment
Moreno has also committed to clean up Manila. In line with environmental efforts, he will implement compulsory garbage segregation for restaurants and food outlets.
“Managing waste is my expertise since I was once a garbage collec tor when I was a high school student,” he said.
This coincides for his drive to help the poor with his “PagkainsaBasura”
( trash for food) proposal where the city will provide food coupons to people who can collect recyclable waste. Moreno shares that he learned about this concept in a trip to Europe.
“We made that commitment during the campaign,” Moreno bared in an interview with GMA. “Bibilhin ng gobyerno yung basura ng tao at papalitan namin ng pagkain instead ng pera ( The government will buy the waste of the people and we will exchange it with food instead of money),”
Employment opportunities
Mayor Isko also shows concern for another marginalized sector — the senior citizens. He will require companies to employ able- bodied seniors, modeled after progressive countries like Singapore and Japan.
Moreno has always believed that the key to alleviating poverty is to empower the poor, not just to “save” them. The main example of this is his own life story.
He grew up with very limited opportunities and had to rely on hard work just to survive. He was given one break and he made the most of it. Thus, he continues to believe that what the people below the poverty line need is a chance.
This is why he will also address the street vendors in Divisoria, Binondo and Recto. These street vendors are often in conflict with traffic enforcers as their presence can sometimes be pointed as the cause of traffic buildup. Moreno believes that they should be given a chance to earn honest income for their family so he is planning to build commercial structures where these vendors can safely sell their merchandise.
Manila for the masses
Moreno has a noble dream to develop and modernize Manila, but his programs show a commitment to inclusivity. He wants to make sure that no one will be left behind, and that the fruits of progress be reaped by every citizen of Manila, especially those who need it the most.