Isko Moreno says he intends to finish, win presidential race ‘with God’s help’ and support of ‘silent majority’

By: Dennis Gutierrez - 3 years ago

Manila, Earnshaw street was full of supporters for mayor Isko and vice mayor Honey Lacuna

Earnshaw street in Manila was full of supporters of Mayor Isko Moreno and Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna

MANILA, Philippines — Aksyon Demokratiko standard bearer Isko Moreno Domagoso assured his party mates that he intends to finish and win the presidential race with the help of God and the support of the “silent majority” of Filipino voters.

He said this in a the proclamation rally which was attended by some 25,000 Manileños Sunday evening.

It was the the third straight day that Moreno attended a proclamation rally, this time in his home court in the City of Manila where his vice mayor, Dr. Honey Lacuna, is now running for mayor with 3rd District Congressman Yul Servo Nieto as her vice mayoral candidate.

As in Moreno’s two-day sortie in Batangas province, the Asenso Manilenyo grand proclamation rally in Manila Sunday was a crowd-drawer with an estimated 25,000 Manila residents attending the gathering on Earnshaw Street in Sampaloc District beginning 5 pm.

Accompanying Moreno in the Manila rally were his running mate Dr. Willie Ong, Aksyon Demokratiko senatorial bets Samira Gutoc, Carl Balita and Jopet Sison, and guest candidate John Castriciones of PDP-Laban. Also present were senatorial candidate JV Ejercito and known Duterte Diehard Supporter (DDS) Mocha Uson, who is the first nominee of Mothers for Change (Mocha) party-list.

In Lipa City Friday, 65,000 Batanguenos waited for nine hours to see and hear the 47-year-old presidential candidate talk about his platform of governance that centers on “Life and Livelihood” and his 10-Point Bilis Kilos Economic Agenda.

In Sto. Tomas, Batangas, some 30,000 people trooped to the open area where the proclamation rally of local candidates was held. Once again, the crowd waited for Moreno to speak which was met with loud cheering and applause.

Moreno admitted that being human, it’s only natural for him to sometimes get discouraged particularly when dealing with or experiencing tough situations in life.

“Alam mo gusto kong maiparamdam sa tao na tao rin ako na minsan napanghihinaan ka ng loob o minsan malakas ang loob mo so that’s why humihingi ka ng lakas ng loob sa laban na ito galing sa tao,” Moreno said in a media interview after his speech.

“O, kaya kanina syempre in our own little way kung sakali naman halimbawa mga batang Maynila nakita naman nilang halimbawang naglingkod ako ng maayos so hiningi ko na ‘yung tulong nila because we only have about 40 plus days and I do believe Manila represents the entire country in terms of dialect, in terms of culture, in terms of customs. Our Muslim brothers, Filipino-Chinese, Ilocano, Bicolano, Cebuano, Ilonggo, Kapampangan, lahat, Pangasinense lahat ‘yan nasa Maynila,” Moreno pointed out.

Earnshaw street in Manila was full of supporters of Mayor Isko Moreno and Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna

And being the father of the nation’s capital, Moreno said it’s normal for him to also seek the help of his “sons and daughters.”

“Syempre bilang ama nila, ang ama minsan humihingi din ng tulong sa anak. ‘Yun lang ang gusto kong maging mensahe para lang alam nila kung kailan ako mahina ang loob at kung kailan malakas ang loob ko just to show I’m still human being but, as you see talagang nakakalakas ng loob nakita nyo naman,” Moreno said.

“I’m happy. Nakita mo ‘yung sukli ng hirap, pighati, mga pagsubok upang iraos mo ‘yung mga kababayan mo at kahit papaano nairaos natin sila. ‘Yung sukli kusa ng tao makikita mo halos hindi mapatid on their own napapahinto na nga kami kung minsan na ‘yung kanilang talagang kagustuhang sumama sila sa atin at itulak tayo. So, that’s the message of tonight’s rally here in Manila,” said the 47-year-old local chief executive.

During his speech which lasted almost 50 minutes, Moreno also asked their thousands of supporters to vote for Lacuna and Nieto so that the gains they have started in 2019 will continue in the next three years.

“At the same time we wanted to continue whatever we have started through Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna para malaman ng tao na tuluy-tuloy ‘yung binibigay sa senior citizen, sa estudyante, sa PWD, sa solo parent, mga schools na itinatayo, mga pabahay na tinatayo, 200 plus nagbago ang buhay ngayong araw na ito ngayong Linggo (beneficiaries of Tondominium 2), and more to come. These will continue through the leadership of Mayor Honey Lacuna and Vice Mayor Yul Servo. Hopefully ito’y ituloy ng tao. Sayang kasi sayang, ang ganda na ng take off itutuloy na lang,” Moreno said.

Moreno, meanwhile, did not discount the possibility of another senatorial candidate being part of their campaign sorties after former Senator JV Ejercito was among the candidates who spoke during the proclamation rally.

“Well, we are proud and happy sa maliit naming kaparaanan ano man ang nangyari, ito ay pasasalamat man lamang namin bilang mga batang Maynila sa paglilingkod ni dating Pangulong Joseph ‘Erap’ Estrada bilang mayor ng Lungsod ng Maynila. So, hindi naman namin maipagdadamot, apat pa lang kami. Ano ba naman sa Maynila, kahit man lang dito sa sulok at kapitolyo ng bansa na maiparamdam namin na kaming mga taga-Maynila marunong kaming lumingon sa mga taong naglingkod at nakatulong din sa amin. So, this is just showing our gratitude thru Senator JV Ejercito,” Moreno said.

Asked if he was able to talk to former Manila Mayor Estrada about the possibility of his son joining them in their campaign sorties to show their appreciation to them, Moreno answered in the negative.

“Recently wala pa because of the situation of the pandemic but I’m happy he survived. It’s very painful to die that way, we know what’s going to happen next, ‘di ba? Malungkot. But, I’m happy so far from what I heard he’s okay and ito man lang eh makalingon man lamang kami kahit papaano dito man lamang sa Maynila,” he said.

When informed that it was also in Earnshaw Street that candidates of Asenso Manilenyo were proclaimed during the 2019 elections. Moreno said he is confident that Manila voters will be able to deliver the votes for the first female mayor and hopefully the first mayor of Manila to become president of the country.

“May awa ang Diyos, may awa ang Diyos. Medyo buenas kami dito sa kambal na simbahan and we did try to make it on a Sunday para hindi namin kayo maabala kasi it’s a busy street also. I’m happy that Manila is experiencing traffic again because there is commerce and jobs so, we don’t want to disturb that. That’s why we opted not to do it on the 25th but to do it today,” Moreno said.

“And, yes, it’s very symbolic for us because there is a huge success in our local party in terms of producing elected officials na binigyan ng pagkakataon ng ating mga kababayan,” he said.