Isko Moreno: Philippines needs a president who is a crisis manager

Manila Mayor Isko Moreno (centre) greeting his supporters during a motorcade promoting his presidential bid in the 2022 national elections in Manila, Philippines Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022. - AP

MANILA, April 2 (Philippines Daily Inquirer/ANN): Aksyon Demokratiko standard-bearer and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso said the country needs a president who is a crisis manager, a leader who is always at the forefront whether it is the war against Covid-19 or the people’s daily struggle against joblessness and the rising prices of food and fuel.

“So, we are in a crisis and what we need now is a crisis manager. A crisis manager is always there and is always ready to tackle any kind of issues or problems, He is always at the front line," Moreno told TV and radio anchor Alvin Elchico.

“I get things done no matter what. I get things done. That is what is expeced of a leader especially when the country is in a crisis, We are in a crisis. (But) I don’t know with our viewers on how they perceive," Moreno said.

Moreno was responding to Elchico’s question: “What differentiates him from the other nine candidates vying for the top position in the land” for the “Harapan 2022” presidential interviews which was aired Monday night on ABS-CBN Channel 2.

“Filipinos now need to choose who can guide us to a better future,” Moreno pointed out.

Moreno said just like the Ukrainian president who has shown courage and bravery in leading his men in defending their country against the assault of Russian forces, the Philippines should vote for a leader who will act as a crisis manager and immediately get things done, just like him.

When the Covid-19 pandemic hit the country in March 2020, Moreno as city mayor was at the forefront of ensuring Manila’s survival by procuring anti-viral drugs such as Tocilizumab, Baricitinib, Remdisivir and the oral drug Molnupiravir.

Moreno later ordered the construction of the Manila Covid-19 Field Hospital in a record 52 days, the renovation of the 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 (FSP).

Moreno told Elchico that if elected president, he will emulate the courage and bravery of Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky in his war against poverty, hunger, and equality in the country.

“You know the guy is worth emulating. I don’t know the nitty-gritty of the real situation but what matters most to us is that there is a president, the most powerful person in that country on the frontline while bullets are flying. And because of technological warfare that is available in the world, we have to use it at its best,” Moreno explained.

“And this is the type of leader I want to be. And this is the kind of leadership a leader must show during tough times,” Moreno said.

The local chief executive said Manila’s Covid-19 response may not be perfect, but the most important thing is that the city government was able to get things done and manage the crisis well.

The Aksyon Demokratiko presidential bet warned the people about voting for someone who has no solutions to the woes affecting our country and is only there for his and his family’s personal gains.

As spelled out in his 10-Point Bilis Kilos Economic Agenda, Moreno said his administration will pursue a “Life and Livelihood” economic policy that aims to address poverty, hunger, unemployment, inequality and social injustice through an inclusive and equitable development program.

The first two years of an “Isko Moreno presidency” will focus on building facilities that will provide the minimum basic needs of the people – stable jobs and livelihood, decent housing, fully-equipped hospitals, modern school buildings – especially in far-flung provinces with low human development index (HDI).

To further hasten human and economic growth, Moreno also vowed to strengthen physical, economic and digital linkages among growth centers and the rural economies, by building bridges across major islands of the Philippine archipelago, and build a national fiber optic backbone to boost the country’s communication capability and interconnectivity, among others.

Moreno said such infrastructure investments will create millions of jobs and other livelihood opportunities for our people, and lead to the formation of more micro, small and medium industries (MSMEs), thus further creating more job opportunities. - Philippines Daily Inquirer/ANN