Get to know Isko Moreno before elections 2022; his background, educational and political achievements, and other details.
The May 9 elections are just a few weeks away. So, it is high time that we get to know our candidates to choose the right people to take the highest positions in our country. The Know Your Elections 2022 Candidate is a series of blogs containing fact-based information from the candidates’ official websites and other credible sources.
Below is the list of Presidential Candidates for Elections 2022 included in this series:
- Leody de Guzman
- Isko Moreno Domagoso
- Ping Lacson
- Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
- Manny Pacquiao
- Leni Robredo
Below is the list of Vice Presidential Candidates for Elections 2022 included in this series:
Presidential Candidate: Francisco Moreno Domagoso a.k.a Isko Moreno
Isko Moreno is the presidential aspirant of the Moreno-Ong tandem, with Doc Willie Ong as his running partner. Below are his personal, educational, and political details.
Isko Moreno: Personal Information
Isko Moreno was born on October 24, 1974, in Tondo, Manila. He is married to Diana Lynn with 5 children: Vincent Patrick, Frances Diane, Joaquin Andre, Franco Dylan, and Drake Marcus.
Isko Moreno: Educational Information
Isko finished his tertiary education at the International Academy of Management and Economics. He then proceeded with his post-graduate studies:
- Bachelor of Laws, Arellano University
- Public Administration, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila
- Local Legislation and Local Finance, University of the Philippines Diliman
- Strategic Leadership Program, Oxford University
- Executive Education Program, Harvard University
Isko Moreno: Non-political Work History
Before his time as a public servant, he was part of the entertainment industry as a popular host.
In 1993, Filipino talent scout Wowie Roxas discovered the fair-skinned Francisco Moreno Domagoso while attending a funeral. He persuaded him to enter the Philippine show business with the stage name “Isko Moreno.”
Isko then became a popular host of the daily entertainment variety show “That’s Entertainment,” produced by then a pillar of the local entertainment industry, German Moreno.
Isko Moreno: Political Information
Isko’s public popularity in the entertainment industry only lasted for a few years before he ran for a city council seat in Manila’s first district in 1998.
In 2001 and 2004, he was re-elected as city councilor of the 1st District of Manila. He only left his seat as councilor when he won as vice mayor for the City of Manila in 2007.
At this time, he decided to widen his knowledge in crafting and delivering the right policies by taking courses in Local Legislation and Finance, Public Administration, and Law in local universities in the Philippines. The previous section lists education modules he took in foreign schools such as Harvard and Oxford.
In 2016, he ran for a seat in The Philippine Senate. However, he narrowly missed his chance in the legislative house of the government. The following year, Isko was appointed as Chairman of the Board of the North Luzon Railways Corporation. Then, in 2018, he became Undersecretary for Luzon Affairs in the Department of Social Welfare.
Finally, in 2019, Isko decided to run and won the position of Manila City Mayor. During this time as mayor, his constituents fondly address him as “Yorme Isko.” Currently, he is busy taking care of his city as mayor while running for president in the 2022 elections.
Accomplishments
Isko Moreno has implemented plenty of programs for the City of Manila since his term. These are programs that vary from health, education, financial assistance, and more.
Health programs and accomplishments:
- Manila Infectious Disease Center
- Manila CoVID 19 Field Hospital, 336-bed COVID field hospital at Luneta Park built in less than 60 days
- Mass Vaccination
- Drive-Thru vaccination
- Free Mass Swab Testing, also available to non-Manileños
- Quarantine Facilities
- Hazard Pay for Frontliners, Ordinance No. 8667 authorizing the payment of COVID-19 hazard pay of P500 per day to frontliners, a total of P151M
- Sleeping Quarters for Frontliners, Isko talked to several hotel establishments to provide rooms for frontliners during Enhanced Community Quarantine in 2020
- Procurement of 12 Ambulances
- Construction of Bagong Ospital ng Maynila
- Upgrade of Health Centers
- Flora Valisno Dialysis Center, the country’s largest free dialysis facility
Educational programs and accomplishments:
- P1,000 Monthly Cash Allowance for PLM and UDM students
- P500 Monthly Allowance for Grade 12 students
- Distribution of Tablets for Students in 2020
- Distribution of Laptops for Teachers in 2020
- Construction of 10-story R. Almario Elem. School
- Construction of 10-story Manila Science H.S.
- Construction of 10-story Dr. A. Albert Elem. School
Housing programs and accomplishments:
- 15-story Tondominium 1 and 2, modern housing buildings for the city’s informal settlers (Tondominium one can accommodate 336 families in 44-square-meter units)
- 15-story Binondominium worth P401M [underdevelopment]
- 20-story San Lazaro Residences in Sta. Cruz [underdevelopment]
- 20-story San Sebastian Residences in Quiapo [underdevelopment]
- 20-story Pedro Gil Residences in San Andres Bukid [underdevelopment]
- 2-story Basecommunity with 229 housing units in Port Area
Financial assistance programs and accomplishments:
- P500 monthly pension for the elderly pursuant to City Ordinance 8565
- P500 pension to solo parents and persons with disabilities (PWDs)Monthly Allowance for PWD and Solo Parents
- Ordinance No 8625 or “City Amelioration Crisis Assistance Fund,” providing P1,000 cash aid each to 500,000+ families in the city
- Ordinance 8739 authorizing a supplemental budget for the city government’s Food Security Program (FSP)
- Trabaho para sa Manileño
Special Affiliations
During his years in public service, Yorme Isko Moreno has been affiliated with a few organizations, such as the Vice Mayors League of the Philippines, where he was National President from 2008 to 2016. He was also the Vice President of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines from 2014 to 2016.
Isko Moreno: Trending Topics
Isko Moreno’s tendency to switch political parties
During the 2007 and 2010 polls, Isko Moreno Domagoso had a strong tandem with former Manila City Mayor Alfredo Lim.
However, a few months before announcing that the Lim-Isko tandem will remain solid, Domagos made a statement in May 2012 that he would be running under former President Joseph Erap.
The controversial Erap-Isko tandem ran for Mayor and Vice Mayor during the 2013 mayoral elections, of which the two won their respective seats.
This announcement also marked Isko’s transfer from the Nacionalista Party to United Nationalist Alliance (UNA). The latter was the merger of Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) party headed by Erap and Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan headed by former vice president Jejomar Binay.
However, after his run as vice mayor to Erap, Isko created a rift between them when he ran for mayor against his former mayor during the 2019 mayoral elections.
Below is his political party history:
- Nacionalista Party, 2006 to 2012
- Pwera ng Masang Pilipino, 2012 to 2016
- United Nationalist Alliance, 2012 to 2014
- National Unity Party, 2016 to 2021
- Aksyon Demokratiko Party, 2021 to present
His tendency to switch political parties was touched during Isko’s Presidential Candidate interview with Jessica Soho last January.
He responded that “his loyalty only lies with the people and not with any political party.” Moreover, he explained that what matters is that the decision to switch is advantageous to the people and not for politicians.
Isko further highlighted his opinion during the Kapisanan ng Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) Presidential Candidates Forum. He said that there is nothing wrong with politicians moving from one political party to another so long as their loyalty remains to the people and that the law allows it.
He also admitted that politicians like him use parties to help them secure victory during the elections.
Isko keeping the P50 million in excess campaign funds in 2016
Another issue touched during his interview was the leftover campaign funds during his failed senatorial run in 2016.
When asked where the funds are, the presidential aspirant replied admits that the P50.8 million are with him. He also explained that the funds were “aboveboard” since he paid the corresponding taxes compliant with the government rules.
In a 2016 report of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ), the presidential aspirant paid P9.7 million in taxes for his income worth P50.55 million after his failed senatorial run.
There are no laws in the country that make it illegal for candidates to pocket leftover money from their campaigns. So, any aspirant can pocket millions without violating any election or tax laws.
However, this wealth is in contrast with Domagoso’s brand as a “middle-class man” with his tough-talking street slang. In fact, he has admitted to having P70 million net worth as of October 2021. – WhatALife!
Source: (newsinfo.inquirer.net), (Jessica Soho Presidential Interviews), (manila.gov.ph), (iskomoreno.com.ph)
Also Read: Know Your Elections 2022 Presidential Candidate: Panfilo “Ping” Lacson
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