Atienza gives Esrada tips in restoring Manila to former glory

Former Manila Mayor Lito Atienza. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — So what should incoming Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada’s priority be when he assumes the post in June?

For former Manila Mayor Lito Atienza, the answer is … nothing because the mayor should not prioritize one problem over the other.

Atienza said Estrada should not “sway from one problem to another” if he wanted the city to be restored to its former glory.

“You cannot say I’ll prioritize the economy–you need to fix everything so that  there can be a confluence of impact,” he told reporters at the weekly Fernandina forum in San Juan City on Wednesday.

Atienza suggested that Estrada “declare the truth”– including the fact that Manila had no money — so that the people would understand the problems and know how to help.

He said Estrada should “develop a plan” and “get everybody involved.”

While he said three years might not be enough to do this, he said Estrada’s experience as mayor of San Juan and president of the country were on his side.

He added that even the fact that he had been imprisoned worked to his advantage.

“If you had spent time in jail, you become more disciplined in your decisions,” he said.