MANILA, Philippines — Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan said yesterday she hopes her predecessor, Isko Moreno, would reconsider his plan to stage a comeback as the city’s top executive in 2025.
Moreno was reported to have announced his plan to run for mayor under a new political party, Bagong Maynila, last Tuesday.
He allegedly left his party, Asenso Manileño, to which Lacuna-Pangan and a majority of the members of the incumbent city council belong, according to earlier reports.
In a statement yesterday, Lacuna-Pangan, daughter of the late former Manila vice mayor Danilo Lacuna – who founded Asenso Manileño – said while she has “accepted the realities of politics,” she has treated Moreno as a sibling.
“In my heart, I am confident that we are both dedicated to serving the Manileños. Thus, I am giving my dear brother, former mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso, time to reconsider his plans. He still has time to reflect on his decision,” she said.
Lacuna-Pangan, Manila’s first woman mayor in 450 years, has yet to declare if she will seek a second term.
“It’s not yet the time for politics. It’s a time to prioritize the needs of our people,” she said.
Lacuna-Pangan said she would remain an elder sibling to Moreno.