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Former Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso’s plan of reclaiming the city looks to be shaping up really well as he consistently surges in the surveys proving his charismatic appeal on people even after his controversial presidential bid in 2022. 

Well, his resurgence isn’t magic. 

The Batang Maynila, as he calls himself, aced a perfect mix of mass appeal and an outstanding report card to the people of Manila. Compared to previous mayors, Moreno arguably could be considered the most loved in recent history because he was able to answer the need for a leader who truly understands the deep-seated plight of the Manileños, at the same time, was able to provide a dynamic leadership that wowed even the international community. 

Moreno before politics 

Moreno may have skyrocketed as the “rockstar” ex-mayor of Manila, but his life in the slums of Tondo was never kept secret. 

In a 2021 interview on ABS-CBN’s “Magandang Buhay,” Moreno said he became aware of their poverty early on as a kid. To help his parents as well as provide for his school needs, the young “Scott,” as he was then called, decided to collect garbage. 

Call it manifestation, Moreno remembered he was being called by his classmates “mayor” because he was collecting garbage and the mayor of Manila during that time implemented a program for cleanliness. He then promoted himself as a sidecar boy earning P50 a day. 

As if by a stroke of luck, he was discovered and offered to become a celebrity at a funeral and that changed his life. 

From the slums, he immediately entered showbiz as the cute-faced, street-slang speaking kid Tondo kid who danced “Achy Breaky Hearts” on the defunct iconic ‘80s star-producing show “That’s Entertainment.” He was then paired with fellow “That’s Entertainment” member Bamba. 

He also did sexy movies in the ‘90s like “Siya’y Nagdadalaga,” “Exploitation,” “Mga Babae sa Isla Azul” and “Misteryosa.” 

Education, politics

Because of poverty, Moreno was not able to go to college. He continued on with his acting career until he decided to enter politics in 1998. 

Politics started for him when he won as councilor of Manila at only 23 – the youngest local legislator in the city’s history during that time. 

He was re-elected in 2001 and 2004 but received criticisms for being “only” a garbage boy with a high school finish. 

At one point, his sexy photos during his stint as an actor in so-called “sex trip” (ST) movies were even used to attack him. Because of the overwhelming assassination on his character, he went back to school thanks to the encouragement of his mentor, then Vice Mayor Danny Lacuna, the father of incumbent Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna. 

Thereafter, his multiple educational attainments, shut his critics. 

Moreno obtained a business administration degree from the International Academy of Management and Economics, took a crash course in local legislation and local finance at the National College of Public Administration and Governance and the University of the Philippines in Diliman and completed his bachelor in public administration at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila. He even went to law school at the Arellano University but dropped out in his second year. 

What’s more, he attended short courses and leadership programs at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University and the University of Oxford. 

In 2007, Moreno won as Manila Vice Mayor while the late Alfredo Lim won as mayor.  The former teen star won the same position again in 2010. However his stint as the second highest official of the city took center stage when the Manila Hostage crisis at the Rizal Park on August 23, 2010 happened where nine people, including 8 Hong Kong nationals, were killed on board the hostaged tourist bus.

“Rockstar” Mayor 

It was in 2019 when he ran for mayor and won that things changed dramatically for both Moreno and Manila. 

It was an iconic David and Goliath fight when he went against political giants Lim and former President Joseph Estrada. Since he won, Manila hogged headlines almost every day, and for the first time in a long time, for the good, mostly. 

On his first day of office, Moreno made a bang with his bold initiatives of cleaning the streets of the city, pushing for infrastructure upgrades and transparency reports to the people. 

True to his promise of “making Manila great again,” Manila consistently went abuzz with the mayor’s action-man approach to the institutional problems of the city. 

Early in the morning he would raid erring vendors, rehabilitate Manila’s historical assets, 

arrest suspects live online and speak to the people on megaphone to tell his message – an approach that hit the heart of Manileños. 

To the words of many, Manila became beautiful again. 

He reported his administration’s achievements to the people of Manila through his capital report, a live online program broadcast on the city’s social media channels. 

Because of this, he was called the “rockstar mayor” of Manila by then United States ambassador Sung Kim. 

Moreno’s dynamic leadership attracted foreign attention. His vision of restoring Manila to its former glory has answered to the people.