Isko Moreno lauded for transforming Manila into progressive city

Manila City Mayor Isko Moreno visits Barangay Landing in Pilar, Bataan, on Wednesday, November 10, 2021. Contributed photo

MANILA, Philippines — Cabuyao City Mayor Rommel Gecolea on Friday lauded Aksyon Demokratiko standard-bearer, and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno for his outstanding work in transforming Manila into a beautiful and progressive city in just two years.

In a speech he delivered as he welcomed Moreno and the rest of the Aksyon Demokratiko candidates who visited their city as part of the group’s listening tour and dialogue with ordinary people, Gecolea said the 47-year old local chief executive is the epitome of a person who grew up in poverty but strived hard and did his best to improve and succeed in life.

Joining Moreno in the Laguna provincial sortie were Aksyon Demokratiko vice presidential bet Dr. Willie Ong and senatorial bets Moro civic leader and women’s rights advocate Samira Gutoc, former Quezon City councilor Jopet Sison and radio host and entrepreneur Carl Balita.

“Pag sinuri mo ang maunlad na gobyerno hindi lang sa pera. Tatlo ang gamit natin sa human development index: Edukasyon, Kalusugan at Kabuhayan. Eto ang unang basehan. Ang tao ang uunahin natin, ang tao ang pinakamahalaga. Eh ‘yan ang totoong pag-unlad,” Gecolea told a crowd composed of members of the environmental police, the youth sector under the Juan Kabuyaw Movement, senior citizens and other local officials.

Gecolea praised Moreno’s vision to bring back the old glory days of the capital city for clean, passable streets, to the much-needed green spaces and parks under urban management and transformation, which also served as inspiration for them to improve their city.

He cited Moreno’s program to clear the major thoroughfares of vendors and other traffic obstructions such as the areas of Quiapo, Carriedo Street, Sta. Cruz, C.M. Recto Avenue, and Divisoria,  among others.

The Cabuyao mayor also commended Moreno for also giving top priority to education by providing scholarship programs to poor but deserving youths.

“Mayor Isko nakita ko ‘yung Unibersidad ng Manila, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM). Alam ninyo pareho ang ating direksyon. Ang unang pinakamahusay na maibibigay at pagmamahal ng magulang eh ‘yung mapag-aral niya ang kanyang mga anak. Itong lahat ng mga batang ito ay anak ko ‘yan. Ako ang padre de pamilya. Pero nais ko rin po sabihin sa inyo na iyan po ay Iskolar ng Cabuyao, Laguna in short IskoCab,” Gecolea said.

Gecolea also praised Moreno’s efforts in putting premium to the growing needs of his constituents in terms of their medical needs specifically during the COVID-19 pandemic.

To date, Manila has upgraded the medical facilities at the Ospital ng Sampaloc, Ospital ng Tondo, Sta. Ana Hospital, Justice Abad Santos Medical Center, and Gat Andres Bonifacio Medical Center.

A 10-story building that will house the New Ospital ng Maynila is set to be finished and operational before the end of 2021. The old building will be used by the College of Medicine of the PLM.

The 344-bed Manila COVID-19 Field Hospital at the Quirino Grandstand, which became operational last June, also accepts non-Manila residents with mild to moderate Covid-19 cases.

“Mayor Isko nakita ko ang ospital na pinagawa mo, napakalaki pero ipagmamalaki ko rin po dito sa Cabuyao, sa buong Laguna malakas ang loob namin kahit ang budget namin one third lang compared sa malalaking syudad, ako ata ang nakapag-patayo ng pinakamalaking ospital  dito,” Gecolea said.

Moreno, for his part, thanked the people of Cabuyao City for the warm welcome and reception he and his party received during their listening tour in this Southern Tagalog province.

Moreno said his vision to transform the City of Manila to what it is today was brought about by his desire to provide better service to the more than 2 million Manila residents.

“Kahit mahirap, may dignidad sa iyong pamumuhay. Kaya sa inyo, maraming salamat. At sa ating mga mangagawa, sa pamahalang Lungsod ng Maynila. nagkakaron ng kinang ang aming mga kalsada. Totoo po sinabi ni Mayor Mel. Yun namang 30 years problem, 40 years problem gone in 48 hours. Tama sinabi ni mayor, parang imposible pero nangyari, pwede pala, kaya pala,” Moreno said.

“Jones Bridge umayos. It’s not rocket science, kung nagawa sa Australia, nagawa ng Amerika, pwede rin gawin ng Maynila at sa buong bansa. Madaling linisin ang dagat, madaling linisin ang ilog, madaling linisin ang kalsada kasi may science doon,” Moreno added.

A child scavenger before becoming an actor and then a public servant, Moreno pointed to Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew as his inspiration in transforming Manila just like what the late prime minister did to Singapore in the 1970s.

“Kaya ko paborito ko si Lee Kuan Yew sinasabi niya paano niya binuhay ang Singapore. I guarantee you, 50 years ago, dugyot ang Singapore. Walang tubig, walang kahoy, walang patag, walang ginto. Tao lang ang meron ang Singapore. Ginawa ni Lee Kuan Yew, inuna nya ang tao. Binigyan niya ng pabahay, binigyan nya ng trabaho, pinag-aral nya lahat ang mga Singaporeans and the rest is history,” Moreno said.

/MUF