Crisologo banking on ‘sawa’ factor in QC mayoral race

Vincent “Bingbong” Crisologo —JOAN BONDOC

Quezon City Rep. Vincent “Bingbong” Crisologo is banking on the “sawa” (fed up) factor to propel him to the city’s highest seat in the coming elections.

The congressman from the city’s first district is vying for the mayoralty against incumbent Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte who, according to him, has been “undisputed for so long.”

“I’m becoming more popular because of the sawa factor. Ask the people. They will say, ‘It’s time for a change,’” Crisologo told Inquirer editors in a multimedia forum on Tuesday.

Asked about a recent survey showing Belmonte to be the unanimous choice of 82 percent of the respondents, Crisologo was unfazed.

He said that the results favored him since it would make his opponent’s supporters complacent.

Should he be elected mayor, Crisologo said that his priority would be to reclaim Quezon City’s spot as a premier city.

His plans include setting up free Wi-Fi spots in poor barangays, a 24-hour dialysis center, and institutionalizing a microfinance program for smalltime entrepreneurs and skilled laborers who were often the victims of loan sharks.

“Candidates have been talking about providing jobs for the poor, and yet after engaging them in livelihood programs, the people are often left without a capital to jumpstart their endeavors,” he said.

Loan program

He talked about raising a P500-million initial fund to provide collateral-free and zero-interest loans ranging from P10,000 to P100,000 to residents.

Crisologo said he wanted to bring about genuine change in the city with social services trickling down to ordinary residents, including an efficient health program, more communal facilities and free school supplies for students.

“Quezon City has the biggest budget among Metro Manila cities—P19 billion annually—yet for 18 years, some of its areas are still underdeveloped as former leaders never bothered to have programs because they didn’t have strong opponents,” he noted.

With his background in legislature, shifting to local governance would be a “simple management” job, Crisologo said.

“But a mayor has more resources and can do more for the improvement of the city. That would be the difference,” the three-term congressman said.