Isko Moreno seeks Japanese investors for Manila

Incoming Manila Mayor Francisco ‘Isko Moreno’ Domagoso (center in Barong) sees his Japan trip with President Rodrigo Duterte as an opportunity to lure more investors in Manila as he pushes for the development of the city he will run for the next three years. NESTOR CORRALES/INQUIRER.net

TOKYO, Japan — Incoming Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso sees his visit here as an opportunity to lure more investors to Manila as he pushed for the “development” of the city that he will run for the next three years.

Moreno is part of the 200-member delegation of President Rodrigo Duterte in his four-day working visit here.

“This is an opportunity for the city of Manila to engage with prospective investors and Japanese investors. This is a good opportunity,” Moreno told reporters at the sidelines of a business forum here Wednesday.

He said investors have a good outlook of Manila after he won against his closest rival, Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada in the May 13 midterm elections.

“As of now, it seems like they (investors) have high hopes with Manila with the [new] leadership,” he said.

“So, as you can see earlier, many are engaging with us who have interests [to invest] in the city,” he added.

Moreno said Duterte invited him to join the trip but was quick to say that he shouldered his own expenses.

“I paid with my personal money, even my hotel,” he said, adding that he was “grateful” for the President’s invitation.

Moreno previously worked as a social welfare undersecretary of Duterte.

“We are grateful to the President, he invited us to participate in this state visit, not for myself but also definitely for Manila,” he said.

Moreno said Manila needed more investments in the city as he planned to “introduce certain physical development and vertical development” which would need “a lot of funding.”

“I’m looking at this as an opportunity for the City of Manila. Sayang naman, nandito na, eh. Worth the time. Anyway, ako naman ay opisyal na uupo sa Hulyo pa, so meron akong productive time while waiting,” he said.

To lure more investors to the city, Moreno said he would address the city’s traffic and garbage problem among others. (Editor: Cenon B. Bibe Jr.)