A political David who has killed giants in the past––someone who believes he can do so once again.
This was how Aksyon Demokratiko standard-bearer and incumbent Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso characterized his campaign for the Philippine presidency, which he formally kicked off on Tuesday with a Holy Mass at the Santo Nino de Tondo Shrine together with his running mate, Dr. Willie Ong, and the party’s senatorial candidates: health advocate Carl Balita, women’s rights champion Samira Gutoc, and lawyer Jopet Sison. Also present were Manila Rep. Yul Servo and the local officials of Manila led by Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna.
After the Mass, the Aksyon Demokratiko candidates joined the “Blue Wave” caravan along the streets of Manila, where thousands of Manilenyos cheered “Yorme!” and “Isko” as the motorcade passed them.
“Yung mga kalaban natin na mga higante pero sinabi rin sa Bibliya na si Goliath tinalo ni David,” said Moreno, who grew up in the slums of Tondo, but overcame all odds to upset established political dynasties in his successful Manila mayoralty run in 2019.
“Ibig sabihin sa Diyos walang imposible and today is a testimony… etong araw na ito ay isang patunay na itong mga nalugmok, and you were here just so you know, you were all here. You saw this area, ‘di ba nakita ninyo? Mabaho itong lugar na ito. Nawala ‘yung nanunuot, ‘yun ang eksaktong word, nanunuot na baho. Then it became a living space para sa mga kababayan natin dito. So, walang imposible,” explained Moreno.
Moreno, who is running on a Bilis Kilos platform, has promised “life and livelihood” to the Filipino people through a 10-point economic agenda during the first two years of his term if elected president in the May national elections.
After the Mass, the Aksyon Demokratiko candidates joined the “Blue Wave” caravan along the streets of Manila, where thousands of Manilenyos cheered “Yorme!” and “Isko” as the motorcade passed them.
“(Today) we will surrender ourselves to God,” Moreno told reporters before the start of the caravan, where about 5,000 motorcycle riders wearing blue T-shirts joined Moreno and his Aksyon Demokratiko slate, who all rode an open truck with a make-shift roof as they made their way to their campaign headquarters in Intramuros.
