MANILA, Philippines — Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto said reforms implemented under his administration should not depend on his continued presence in government, stressing that the real test of his governance will be whether these changes remain after he leaves office.
In an interview, Sotto said transparency should go beyond making government data available to the public, emphasizing the need to involve citizens in decision-making through participatory governance.
He said reforms he introduced, such as opening public bidding, removing kickbacks, and allowing civil society observers during bidding processes, could still be reversed by future administrations if public support for transparency and accountability remains weak.
Sotto said a future mayor could decide to stop livestreaming government bidding activities or remove citizen observers, bringing back the old system, which is why he believes the public must continue demanding better governance.
“That is why we need to raise the demand of the people. If there comes a point that there is a mayor who will try to reverse some of these things, some of the reforms introduced today, someone will complain. Someone will fight back.”
Sotto said he supports term limits, saying leaders should avoid building systems that rely heavily on one personality.
He said his decision not to seek another term in 2028 would allow him to reassess his politics, life, and future direction after nine years as mayor.
The Pasig mayor said the effectiveness of his reforms would be measured by whether they continue even without him in office.
“If what I did now and the reforms I made now are good and long-lasting, the true test there is when I am no longer there. We should stop being too personality-based in our politics and in our governance,” he said.
Sotto also acknowledged that his family name and public image helped him in politics, but said the country’s reliance on personalities instead of policies remains a weakness of the political system.
“Yes, of course, to some extent. That is true. But that is what we are saying. That is the problem. That is not necessarily a good or bad thing if you look at specific scenarios. But that is not good. That is wrong,” Sotto said.
He said Philippine politics often revolves around incumbency, political machinery, money, or personality, instead of platforms and policy-based discussions.
Sotto said he is not completely closing the door on returning to politics in the future.
“I am not saying never. But I am saying 2028, it is time for me to take a step back. To evaluate everything. My politics, my life. Everything,” he said.
