Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso seemingly threw shade at a prospective 2022 presidential candidate after he joked that tarpaulins, not vaccines, flooded the city recently.
Domagoso made the remark while saying the city government is ready to deploy vaccines to its residents.
"DOH data said we are 89 percent ready based on their assessment. Nakuha ko lang 'yung assessment, ang Manila ang number one sa readiness (I just received the assessment, Manila is number one when it comes to readiness). We are ready to deploy," he told reporters on Tuesday, Feb. 23.
The Manila mayor then shared a joke that is reportedly widely told in the city regarding the sudden appearance of tarpaulins.
"May joke nga dito sa Maynila, nakakatawa nga 'yung mga joke dito kasi ang dami mga tarpaulin, bumaha ng tarpaulin, hindi vaccine (There is a joke told here in Manila, the jokes here are funny because a lot of tarpaulins suddenly popped up, we were flooded with tarpaulins and not vaccines)," he said in jest.
He did not specify what messages the said tarpaulins bore.
Recently, Presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio recently drew flak after tarpaulins that carried messages urging her to run for president in 2022 appeared in different parts of the country, including Quezon City and Cebu City.
Some of these tarpaulins were also seen in the capital city, particularly along España Boulevard.
Duterte-Carpio, for her part, has denied that she is involved in setting up the tarpaulins. She also said she has no plans of running for the presidency.
In October 2020, Domagoso said he will order the removal of any tarpaulin that is political in nature in the city. He said this after ordering the removal of anti-communist tarpaulins.