MANILA Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso said a year after he was reelected as mayor, public trust and investor confidence in the city has been restored.
In his State of the City Address during Manila’s 455th founding anniversary on June 24, Domagoso highlighted the city’s improved fiscal situation after inheriting over P14.6-billion unpaid obligations from the previous administration.
“Through disciplined fiscal management, we turned debt into stability and stability into better service for every Manilan,” Domagoso said.
On top of the said billions in unpaid obligations, there were also unpaid bills to garbage contractors and utility providers, as well as a City Hall budget strained by years of accumulated financial pressure.
Domagoso highlighted the increase in business registration, which saw a 332-percent rise.
Business renewals also saw a significant increase of over 105 percent.
“A city grows when people believe in it again. Today, Manila is growing because confidence has returned. And when trust returns, investments follow, opportunities multiply and progress becomes unstoppable,” he said.
Private investment in construction projects approved by the Office of the Building Official also grew significantly, from P2.7 billion under the previous administration to P9.3 billion in the first year of the current term.
The city government also reported improvements in revenue collection efficiency, which rose from 62.9 percent under the previous administration to 90.3 percent in the first year of the current term. Total revenue collection increased from P15.5 billion to P19.2 billion, or 24 percent, despite challenges posed by global oil price fluctuations and geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
“We inherited P14.6 billion commercial debts, but we delivered results and never compromised the services our people deserved. Every peso was managed with discipline, every obligation was met with accountability, and every decision was guided by service to every Manileño,” Domagoso said.
The mayor also reported collecting more than P309 million in contractor’s taxes after the city pursued flood control contractors operating in Manila.
He said the effort was undertaken independently of ongoing national investigations into alleged anomalies in flood control projects.
Domagoso attributed part of the administration’s accomplishments to cooperation between the executive and legislative branches of the city government.
“When the executive and legislative branches work as one, every decision becomes faster, every policy becomes stronger and every Manileño benefits,” he said.
“Our aspiration to Make Manila Great Again begins with healthier children, better schools, decent homes and quality health care for every Manilan family,” he added, citing initiatives such as the One Smart TV, One Laptop, One Classroom program for public schools and the expanded YorMilk feeding program.
