Belmonte, Sotto kick off bid for last term

MANILA, Philippines — Urging voters to not settle for “anything less than an honest public servant,” Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte and Vice Mayor Gian Sotto yesterday launched their bid for a third and final term with a promise to further improve services for their constituents.

Belmonte, who is running virtually unopposed, highlighted the city government’s achievements under her leadership and outlined her slate’s priorities during the early morning proclamation rally at the Quezon Memorial Circle.

“It is the right and it is the job of government to provide for all of its citizens, regardless of their status in life,” she said in a mix of English and Filipino.

“I will prove to you that good and effective governance is indeed possible in Quezon City. When your public servants are honest, you are the ones who benefit. You should not settle for anything less than an honest public servant,” she added.

Belmonte noted how, in the span of five years, the city’s annual budget more than doubled to P41 billion without imposing additional taxes.

“What we simply did was proper, honest and efficient management of public funds,” she said as she noted how the higher budget enabled the city government to provide more services to “QCitizens,” including programs for housing, livelihood, education and health.

Belmonte vowed to continue expanding programs of the city government, such as by providing more scholarships and livelihood assistance, and outlined various infrastructure projects and initiatives promoting sustainability and environment protection.

In Manila, members of Asenso Manileño, led by reelectionist Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan and reelectionist Vice Mayor John Marvin “Yul Servo” Nieto celebrated mass at Our Lady of Fatima Parish Church in Sta. Mesa before proceeding to Sampaloc, Lacuna’s stronghold.

Former mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso and running mate Chi Atienza kicked off their campaign with a motorcade in Tondo.