Ex-scavenger Isko Moreno vows to clean up Manila as mayor

Mayor-elect Isko Moreno on Wednesday said cleaning up Manila will be one of his goals during his three-year term.

"We made that commitment during the campaign," Moreno said in an interview on Unang Balita, a day after he was proclaimed as winner in the city's mayoral race.

A former scavenger who became a matinee idol before entering politics as a councilor, Moreno — Francisco Domagoso in real life — defeated old-timers Joseph Estrada, the incumbent mayor, and Alfredo Lim, a former mayor, in the elections.

"In fact, even yung pagiging pangangalakal ng basura was introduced during the campaign as a form of policy and programs ng gobyerno," he said.

Moreno was referring to a program in Manila where residents can exchange recyclable trash for food.

"Bibilhin ng gobyerno yung basura ng tao at papalitan namin ng pagkain instead ng pera," he said.

Moreno said he got this idea during a visit to Europe.

"Nung nasa Europa ako, meron dun, maniwala ka sa hindi, may ATM machine for garbage. Ihuhulog mo lang yung bote, lalabas pera. Sabi ko, 'Okay 'tong concept na 'to ah'," he said.

Aside from cleaning up the country's capital, Moreno said among his other plans for Manila is to reduce property tax, reintroduce nutribun to public school students, and give allowance to students of Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila and Universidad de Manila. —KBK, GMA News