Moreno looks to Marcos' vision but never forgets Martial Law atrocities

While presidential aspirant Manila Mayor Isko Moreno looked to the vision of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, including his efforts in infrastructure and strengthening education, he nevertheless emphasized that we should never forget the atrocities committed during the Martial Law regime.

“May paninindigan ako, kinokopya ko yung magaling. May pabahay si Marcos, ginaya ko. Pero pinagbuti natin, mas ginandahan natin. Imprastraktura, edukasyon, and so on and so forth - kinokopya natin yung mabuti, pinupuri natin yung mabuti, yung maganda ginagaya, dinadala sa kasalukuyan para sa kinabukasan,” Moreno said during Jessica Soho The Presidential Interviews on Saturday.

(I have a position - I copy the good. There was an effort on housing during the Marcos era. I imitated that but we made it better. We improved on it, infrastructure, education, and so on. We copy the good, we praise the good and imitate it, and bring it into the present for the future.)

“Yung mali hindi natin kakalimutan (We will not forget his wrongdoings), so that we will not do the same mistake in the future. That's why I want to move on, we will make those people liable who committed corruption, crimes, or even violation of human rights,” he added.

Moreno also vowed that he would focus on providing better healthcare and creating jobs for the people amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Populist image

Moreno said he did not mind if he was viewed as a populist leader, adding that he respected the public’s opinion.

“Well, I respect everybody's opinion, they are entitled to that, but what matters most to me is the result. Ako, basta tayo, ang at the end of the day there is a goal and there must be a result, and results matter,” he said.

“’Yun ang importante kapakinabangan ba ng tao, napapakinabangan ba ng tao, nararamdaman ba ng tao yung mga pagbabago o mga programa tumatama ba sa kapakinabangan ng tao, yun ang mahalaga sa akin, more than naming things about what a person is doing, it’s about the result, results matter,” he added.

(The important thing is it benefits the people, it is for the benefit of the people. Do the people feel that the changes or the programs benefit them? That is what is important to me. It's about the result, results matter.)

Political dynasties

Meanwhile, Moreno hoped that the political dynasties dominated by two families, neither of which he named, must end to allow the public to choose other rightful public service leaders.

“Kasi baka nakakalimutan natin na for the past 40 years ang magkaaway lang dalawang pamilya sa pulitika. Yung mga partido lang nila and where are we now as a country, nasaan na tayo bilang mga tao ganun pa rin same kwento, korapsyon, hirap, mga pagsubok sa buhay. So kaya sabi ko maiba naman,” he said.

(We must not forget that for the past 40 years two families have been at war in politics, only their parties. And where we are now as a country? It's still the same story: corruption, hardship, trials in life. So let's try something different.)

He, however, understood the needs and necessities of the people, adding that he tried to provide better housing, education, and healthcare in the City of Manila.

“Basta ako, nauunawaan ko ang katayuan ng isang tao at higit na nakararami sa atin. Kaya kung bakit nakikita niyo sa Maynila, puro sa tao yung mga ginawa namin, pabahay, edukasyon, kalusugan, trabaho,” he added.

(I understand the needs and situation of the majority. And we provide residents in Manila with housing, education, healthcare, and jobs.)

— DVM, GMA News