How does “Isko Moreno for President” sound? For many political pundits, it’s
music to their ears. With a full two years ahead of the next Presidential
Elections, many feel like now is the best time to be having this discussion.
If not a very serious one, it’s certainly entertaining.
Born Francisco Moreno Domagoso, the former teenage idol and now Manila City
Mayor categorically denies any interest in Malacañang.
In a
September 2019 statement, Moreno brushed off any alleged ambitions for the Presidency. “It is not
in my radar,” he said. “To entertain these thoughts also gives uncertainty
in our direction. I think I would rather focus, use all my available energy
and some simple concept of mind sa lungsod ng Maynila (to the city of
Manila).”
However, in a
January 2020 comment, Moreno slightly changed his tune. “I’ll let destiny decide,” he said. “My
point is today, I am a mayor. I should do and perform and excel from it. And
I think I owe it to the people of Manila.”
“I think presidency is destiny… Experience is the best teacher in life,
especially in governance. So you can be young, you can be old, but
experience is very important,” Moreno added.
Fair enough, Yorme. But just based on that last statement, we’re now more
than willing to discuss (again) what could or could not be the best decision
for you to make ahead of 2022. Isko Moreno for President? Spicy. Let’s
unpack it.
WHY
A few months into his Mayorship, many were already anointing Moreno as
possible successor to President Rodrigo Duterte. And to add fuel to the
fire, the former Davao Mayor himself publicly complimented Yorme:
When asked about his 60-day deadline for local government units to clear public roads, President Duterte praised Manila Mayor Isko Moreno for his style in cleaning up Manila’s streets.
Posted by Philippine Star on Tuesday, September 10, 2019
What exactly is this popularity grounded on?
For starters, a well-curated online presence. The young Mayor enjoys a
fierce and fast-growing social media following, pushed through official and
non-official means. Moreno supporters are loud, proud, and infectious.
A quick Facebook search will reveal dozens of Isko Moreno support groups.
There are large ones with tens of thousands, and smaller ones with just a
few hundred. All of them are bursting with enthusiasm. Some, blatantly
endorsing Isko Moreno for President. Others, just excited to see what he
does next.
Track record
Of course, what’s published online is only a shinier version of what Yorme
has been doing offline.
During his first few months in office, Moreno already had a handful of
headline-grabbing moments. This included telling off University of the East officials that if they’ll disobey the city government when it comes to
suspending classes, they should just close down. In the months leading up to
Christmas, Moreno made good on his promise to “give Manila a bath” –
publicly brandishing the cleaning of the Andres Bonifacio monument and the
Jones Bridge rehabilitation, among others.
In November, Moreno raised some eyebrows when he threatened vandals – that
if he caught them spraying graffiti again, he’d make them erase it with
their tongues.
Come January, Moreno expressed support for Duterte’s controversial war on
drugs:
Isko: Leni's statement on drug war 'unfair' “Unfair naman sa enforcement unit who are putting their life on the line....
Posted by Flying Ketchup on Monday, January 6, 2020
So, while Yorme has barely been in power for a year, he’s obviously given
people many reasons to love him. Beyond a nod of approval on a city-level,
it seems his recent track record has been enough to earn that rallying cry
for Presidential aspirations.
But certainly, if there are these reasons to push Moreno upward on the
political ladder, there are also valid reasons to keep him from climbing.
Let’s explore them.
Why Not
As good as “Isko Moreno for President” sounds, it should also raise concerns
among Filipinos and Manilenyos on all political sides.
An easy answer as to why Yorme shouldn’t run for higher office (yet) is lack
of political clout. Moreno does not have the deeply rooted support someone
like a Bongbong Marcos has, or the party backing of a Leni Robredo. The
machinery will need a lot of support, and he may not want to get into that
kind of utang na loob this early.
A more practical reason would be that Manila deserves him for a few terms.
He should take care of Manila, as he promised. That’s his city, all he’s
ever known. He still has to rehabilitate Manila Zoo, and keep the Bay clean.
All those parks? He needs to maintain them. Housing? What a headache.
And yet, he’s off to a great start. He’s so well-loved by his people, from
the slums of Tondo, to the tea rooms of Binondo. He does not want to waste
that chance to deepen his roots, and secure the lifelong support of some
very important Filipinos. He recognizes that the country and the world has
eyes on Manila, but as he’s said himself, the city needs more than a
cosmetic facelift. An investment in social capital, and the strengthening of
trust between citizenry and local government – those are the true victories.
Not yet, at least
Yorme seems to be the best man for the job now. His city, his rules, his
ground to gain. It might also be everything for him to lose if he makes the
wrong move.
If he ever does get elected President, what a story that would be. A boy
from the fringes of society, to the highest seat in the land. That stuff is
made for the movies.
Isko Moreno for President in 2022? Maybe. Maybe not. Like Yorme said,
something like that is destiny.
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This article first appeared on Flying Ketchup.
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