On his first anniversary as a city chief, Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto looked back on the promises he had made when he first assumed office as the youngest local chief executive in Metro Manila.
The 31-year-old mayor admitted that while the role is challenging, it stems from his desire to end the “culture of fear” and fight for a transparent and progressive local administration.
“Isang taon na ang ating bagong administrasyon sa Pasig… isang taon ng pakikipaglaban para sa mabubuting reporma sa ating lokal na pamahalaan… Maraming pagsubok kada araw, ngunit wag nating kalimutan ang pinanggalingan natin,” Sotto wrote in his Facebook page on Tuesday.
“Labang hindi para sa posisyon, kundi para wakasan ang kultura ng pananakot at pagkatakot… laban para sa isang tapat at makabagong lokal na pamahalaan,” he continued.
Sotto ended the 27-year rule of the Eusebios in Pasig when he won in the mayoral elections in 2019 and defeated former Mayor Robert “Bobby” Eusebio.
He is the youngest city chief elected in the National Capital Region.
In his Facebook, Sotto shared that recalled the promises he had made to his constituents when he took oath as Pasig’s mayor on June 30, 2019. He admitted that while the COVID-19 pandemic pushed some of his plans back, the city is on the right track.
Sotto is slated to give his State of the City Address on July 2 where he will update his constituents about the progress of Pasig in his one year in office.
Meanwhile, his Facebook post has gone viral and reached 99,000 reactions, 4,200 comments and 2,700 shares on the social networking site as of this writing.
Sotto in office
Sotto in his inaugural speech last year vowed that he would always prioritize Pasigueños over anything else and said that his victory is for the city residents.
He likewise promised that his administration will be accountable, responsive, transparent and inclusive.
“Wakasan na atin ang kultura ng pananakot. Dapat ay mayroon tayong kultura ng pagpapabilang. Lahat ay inaanyayahan natin na maging kaakibat sa paggobyerno. Lahat ay welcome sa ating pamahalaan,” Sotto said before.
The mayor shared that his “big 5 agenda” include prioritizing health, education, housing and urban development, participatory governance, and anti-corruption projects.
Sotto has been receiving praises for his proactive initiatives in response to the pandemic where he shared plans relating to distance learning, included LGBTQ+ couples in the cash subsidy program and gave grocery food packs to jeepney drivers, among others.