(File photo)
MANILA – Three of Manila’s six mayoral candidates faced each other as they presented their platforms, plans and programs in front of the city’s voters during a public forum organized by the De La Salle University (DLSU) on Wednesday.
The candidates for the Manila mayoral seat including former representative Amado Bagatsing, lawyer Alex Lopez, and retired general Elmer Jamias answered questions directly asked by Manila residents and by the organizers.
The three candidates stood united for the need of having a more transparent leadership and governance in the city.
Bagatsing said it is time to make Manila vibrant again to give a boost to businesses recovering from the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
With the lessons learned from the pandemic, he said the health of people should also be prioritized as he plans to build a diagnostic center in the city.
“Ilalapit ko sa community ang access sa health facilities at libre. Sa buong Manilenyo aalagaan ko ang kalusugan nila (I will make access to health facilities closer and free to the communities. For all Manila residents, I will take care of their health),” Bagatsing said.
Bagatsing boasted of the Kabalikat ng Bayan sa Kaunlaran (KABAKA) foundation which he founded in 1985 that provided medical assistance and conducted outreach programs and nutrition-feeding programs for children in the depressed areas.
If given the chance to lead the city, he said he will come up with programs to reach more constituents.
Meanwhile, Lopez called out the current city government leadership for the controversial “sneaky” sale of the Divisoria market that will displace a number of vendors in the area.
Documents obtained by Lopez show that the 3,701.70 square meter Divisoria market was sold by the city government in 2020 to Festina Holdings for PHP1.446 billion allegedly without proper consultation with the vendors who will be affected.
Manila Mayor and Aksyon Demokratiko presidential bet Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso earlier said the fund was used by the city government in addressing the Covid-19 pandemic by building the Manila Covid-19 Field Hospital, among others, and that the vendors were properly informed of the sale.
Lopez refuted this, emphasizing the importance of transparency and accountability of public officials.
“Kailangan magkaisa tayo pero hindi natatapos sa pagkakaisa. Kailangan ang mga maling nakikita ay iwasto at sa ngayon napakaraming maling nangyayari (We need to unite but it doesn’t stop there. It is also important to correct the wrongdoing that we see, and right now there are so many wrong things that have been done),” he said. “We’re already trying to file an annulment case and possible plunder case”.
Meanwhile, Jamias said despite running for a public office for the first time, he has been a public servant for most of his life serving as a police officer.
If given the chance, he promised never to stay inside his office but will regularly “go down to every district of the City of Manila” to personally check what is happening on the ground.
“Pagka-mali, managot. Kapag gumagawa ng tama, bigyan ng insentibo (Those who have done wrong should be punished. If some does something good, give an incentive). Check and balance,” Jamias said.
Honey Lacuna-Pangan, the incumbent Manila Vice Mayor and now running for mayor, was not able to make it to the forum because of conflict in schedules, according to the forum organizers.
She, however, sent a video message where she promised to continue the programs started by Domagoso.
The forum was organized by the Task Force Safe Schools together with the DLSU Committee on National Issues and Concerns and the La Salle Institute of Governance.
The organizers also invited two mayoral candidates Cristina Lim-Raymundo, daughter of the late former mayor Alfredo Lim, and independent candidate Onofre Abad, but did not show up. (PNA)
