A crisis manager who will face the country’s myriad of problems head on and will not run from any challenge.
According to Aksyon Demokratiko presidential candidate Isko Moreno Domagoso, this is the kind of leader the country needs––someone who will lead from the front in the war against COVID-19 or the people’s daily battles against joblessness and the rising prices of food and fuel.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the country in March 2020, Moreno as city mayor was the first local government chief to secure suppliers of anti-viral drugs such as Tocilizumab, Baricitinib, Remdisivir, and the oral drug Molnupiravir for Manila and even non-Manila residents.
“So, we are in a crisis and what we need kung ako ay boboto, hindi bilang kandidato, kung ako si Francisco Domagoso na isang botante at pipili ako ng presidente, ang pipiliin ko ay isang crisis manager,” Moreno pointed out in the “Harapan 2022” presidential interviews organized by ABS-CBN.
“A crisis manager is always there, hindi uma-absent, hindi natatakot, hinaharap ang problema, nasa frontline.”
The 47 year-old leader stressed “I get things done kaya nga Bilis Kilos. I get things done. Parang ina-almoranas ako sa kapagka ang isang bagay e para bang ikinikibit-balikat na lang ng mga baha-bahagi ng gobyerno because especially in a crisis, we are in a crisis.”
“We are in a crisis, nasa krisis po tayo. Pandemya, pagtaas ng presyo ng mga pangunahing bilihin, hindi sapat ang sweldo para ipambili ng may mapagharimunan sa pamilya. May kaguluhan sa mundo na maaaring makaapekto rin sa atin at baka may kaguluhan malapit lang, lagpas mo lang na kaunti ng Batanes, in the future,” Moreno pointed out.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the country in March 2020, Moreno as city mayor was the first local government chief to secure suppliers of anti-viral drugs such as Tocilizumab, Baricitinib, Remdisivir, and the oral drug Molnupiravir for Manila and even non-Manila residents.
He later ordered the construction of the Manila COVID-19 Field Hospital––completed in a record 52 days––the building of the modern Bagong Ospital ng Maynila, and the continuous delivery of food boxes for 700,000 families in the city under the local government unit’s Food Security Program.
Under his direction, Manila was able to fully vaccinate all of its residents, and even opened its doors to those living outside the city.
Under his direction, Manila was able to fully vaccinate all of its residents, and even opened its doors to those living outside the city, establishing innovative vaccination rollout initiatives such as the drive-through vaccination program in the Quirino Grandstand and a drive-through vaccination lane for two-wheeled vehicles at the Bonifacio Monument.
The local chief executive said Manila’s COVID-19 response may not have be perfect, but the most important thing is that the city government was able to get things done and to manage the crisis properly.
“So, nagawa namin, naitawid natin ang tao. Hindi siya perpekto because there is no playbook in this kind of situation of pandemic. But modesty aside nairaos natin ang tao sa gutom, sa kapahamakan, at nakapaghanda. Yun naman ang kaya kung isukli sa tao. Now If that is what they need, I’m available, that I can do.”