MANILA, Philippines — From dethroning a decades-long dynasty when he was elected to office last year, to simply doing his job – apparently considered a feat nowadays – Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto has become something of modern symbol for good governance and a break from traditional Philippine politics.
Related: Vico Sotto ends Eusebios' 27-year hold on Pasig
Now, less than a year into his term, the neophyte mayor is being asked by his supporters to stay for good and to take things to the next level.
The local chief executive was lately seen as a standout among the capital region’s 17 mayors due to Pasig’s unique offensive against novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during the Metrowide (later Luzon-wide) quarantine ordered by Malacañang.
The city’s policies, netizens observed, proved dynamic and sensitive to the needs of underprivileged constituents.
Here are just some Pasig measures where the results speak for themselves.
Sa kasalukuyan ay inihahanda na namin ang Purchase Request para sa 400,000 food packs.
— Vico Sotto (@VicoSotto) March 18, 2020
Hindi magiging madali ang logistics nito. Hihingi ang lungsod ng tulong sa mga pamahalaan pambarangay para sa distribusyon.
(Mode: emergency procurement. Expected delivery: end of this week) pic.twitter.com/ODw7c81mRG
(Bukod sa 400K food packs na bibilhin ng LGU, may mga nag-pledge na ring tumulong)
— Vico Sotto (@VicoSotto) March 18, 2020
Ito naman, unang batch ng vitamins. Mauuna na ang distribusyon nito. Maraming salamat, PHILUSA Corp, sa 10% discount mula retail price.
Ipamimigay na natin to sa mga barangay bukas. #beatcovid pic.twitter.com/RXIKmj1igl
Ito yung mga Sanitation Tent papasok ng CityHall, PCGH, at Child's Hope.
Ginagawa namin ang lahat ng makakaya para di magkulang ang supplies gaya ng mask.
May pribadong kompanya naman na magpapahiram ng mga kwarto para may pansamantalang matutuluyan ang mga exposed frontliners. pic.twitter.com/a8cjq0HQfB— Vico Sotto (@VicoSotto) March 18, 2020
BUS SERVICE FOR ESSENTIAL PERSONNEL (MAAARING SUMAKAY ANG MGA EXEMPTED SA QUARANTINE; PRIORIDAD ANG MGA HEALTH WORKER)
— Vico Sotto (@VicoSotto) March 17, 2020
Our routes will run as many times as possible througout the day. We will try to operate even beyond the indicated times.
route maps:https://t.co/UPnTvtdxTE pic.twitter.com/cDULL06oPD
Maraming salamat sa mga fire volunteer ng Pasig!
— Vico Sotto (@VicoSotto) March 17, 2020
To multiply our efforts, the city has turned over around 1,000 disinfecting equipment & supplies to our barangay govts, public & private schools, fire volunteers, and a few other groups. https://t.co/gLHQ2jJJxP
Anti-Panic Buying and Hoarding Ordinance of Pasig City.
(Sponsored by Coun. Raymundo and approved this morning)
Please see the table for maximum quantities you can purchase. Report violators to 8-643-0000.
Thank you to @valenzuelacity for providing an example to us for this. pic.twitter.com/Udek6wLjdN— Vico Sotto (@VicoSotto) March 16, 2020
Pagkatapos ko mag-inspeksyon kaninang umaga, nakita ko ang mga kailangan ayusin para mas maging epektibo ang 10 checkpoint papasok/palabas ng Pasig/NCR.
— Vico Sotto (@VicoSotto) March 15, 2020
Nakipag-ugnayan ang LGU sa PNP para mapag-isa ang protocol natin at nag-turnover tayo ng
supplies sa kanila: pic.twitter.com/PjegzkUg5A
- 10 pax disinfecting kits w knapsack sprayer and full PPEs
— Vico Sotto (@VicoSotto) March 15, 2020
- 500 pcs gloves
- 108 bottles alcohol (500mL)
- 7 infrared thermometer guns (nahihirapan kaming makahanap ng supply nito)
Naka-standby dedicated #covid response teams ng DRRMO. pic.twitter.com/C8GEVckQID
Kapag may kumpirmadong kaso ng #covid:
1. Contact tracing. Those who came into close contact with the patient ate required to quarantine for 14 days.
2. Disinfection. The city's disinfecting team disinfects the area of patient's residence (and other places, as needed). pic.twitter.com/EFaEYFh34G— Vico Sotto (@VicoSotto) March 15, 2020
Besides his vocal stance against the prohibition of tricycles, Vico also left no stone unturned when it came to policy assessment and no question unanswered when it boiled down to transparency as seen in his social media posts.
Hindi ako nakatulog. Iniisip ko kung ano ang mangyayari sa atin kung pipigilan ang pagbiyahe ng tricycle sa Pasig. May #LibrengSakay tayo pero DI NITO KAKAYANIN ANG LIBO-LIBONG HEALTH WORKER AT PASYENTE.
— Vico Sotto (@VicoSotto) March 17, 2020
Pls read to see why we believe a total ban on tricycles will endanger lives pic.twitter.com/vPi7LJaKNL
We're using our vehicles but it's NOT enough. Our risk assessment shows that we cant ban tricycles at this point.
Health workers need to get to work. Some emergencies can only be reached by tryk.
For now, I am allowing tricycles to operate w/in Pasig. TORO will issue guidelines— Vico Sotto (@VicoSotto) March 17, 2020
Elsewhere, Filipinos left out national government planning and were clamoring: “Sana all.”
RELATED: Told to stay home, Filipino poor go out to work absent government aid
VICO SOTTO is the Gold Standard for Local/Nat'l Leadership: TRANSPARENCY, MAXIMUM EFFECTIVENESS, PROACTIVE EFFICIENCY.
— Francis Baraan IV (@MrFrankBaraan) March 17, 2020
His brand of politics is ANTI-TRAPOLITICS. He doesn't do things to look good--he does them for the greater good.
HIS BRAND of POLITICS is REAL PUBLIC SERVICE. https://t.co/hjlMeMYWYr
im crying because this is vico sotto's first year as mayor and he's already handling an actual pandemic AND he's handling it better than most other seasoned politicians
— Dorothy A. ™? (@doorteaaa) March 17, 2020
Nasaan na yung mga nagsasabi jan na Vico Sotto is 'too young' to be the Mayor of Pasig City?
— M A J ???? (@Joannaaaabanana) March 18, 2020
He might be 'young' but he's doing a far greater job than those politicians that you tag as 'beterano'.
Vico Sotto is THE REAL PUBLIC SERVANT.
HOW DO WE MAKE VICO SOTTO PRESIDENT BY NEXT WEEK??? ????
— R-jay F. Agbon, MD (@RjayAgbon) March 18, 2020
Vico Sotto's social media accounts are my positivity books. ?
— Ash Presto ???? (@sosyolohija) March 18, 2020
I love Vico Sotto for doing such a good job governing in Pasig, but he’s also literally just doing his job ???? the bar is so fucking low talaga and we take what we can get na lang!!!
— patis w/ lovely small feet, best in the family (@maengo69) March 18, 2020
VICO SOTTO is the Gold Standard for Local/Nat'l Leadership: TRANSPARENCY, MAXIMUM EFFECTIVENESS, PROACTIVE EFFICIENCY.
— Francis Baraan IV (@MrFrankBaraan) March 17, 2020
His brand of politics is ANTI-TRAPOLITICS. He doesn't do things to look good--he does them for the greater good.
HIS BRAND of POLITICS is REAL PUBLIC SERVICE. https://t.co/hjlMeMYWYr
Big names also took notice of Vico’s performance.
Veteran broadcast journalist Karen Davila lauded Pasig’s mobile kitchen and P100 million allocation that would feed the city’s 30 barangays during the public health emergency.
Listening now to Pasig Mayor @VicoSotto on DZMM! ???????? Ang galing mo!! Just started his mobile kitchen, allocated P100M for food packs for their 30 barangays! Inspiring! This is a time for our LGUs to shine! ????????????????
— Karen Davila (@iamkarendavila) March 18, 2020
Three-term senator and former Philippine National Police chief Ping Lacson likewise praised the mayor, regretting that he wasn’t 39 years old — a probable allusion to the 1987 Constitution’s age limit for presidential hopefuls.
Sayang he is only 29 years old, not 39. If there is any consolation, he is the best gift ever to Pasig City.
— PING LACSON (@iampinglacson) March 18, 2020
Among the requisites to run for the country’s highest office is being “at least 40 years of age on the day of the election.”
The 30-year-old son of actors Vic Sotto and Coney Reyes, however, will not be able to run for president or vice president until 2034 earliest, since he will only be 32 on the day of elections (held on second Monday of May) in 2022 and just a couple of years short in 2028 when he turns 38.
He would still be able to run in the 2025 Senate race, where the minimum required age is 35 years and where politicians try out the waters for a future presidential bid since senatorial contenders are elected nationally, the same with presidential and vice-presidential candidates.
Nonetheless, he has the support of certain celebrities should he choose to run for office when the time comes.
These include singer-songwriter and former Sugarfree lead vocalist Ebe Dancel and “Dead Kids” star Vance Larena.
Vico Sotto for whatever position in the government he decides to run for
— Ebe Dancel (@ebedancel) March 18, 2020
MAYOR VICO SOTTO EDI IKAW NALANG MAG PRESIDENTE! DAMI MONG ALAM! MASYADO KA MAGALING!
— Vance Larena (@vance_larena) March 18, 2020