Asenso Manileño mayoral candidate and Manila Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan said on Wednesday that she will have the soft touch of a mother and will be stricter if needed in case she wins in the May 2022 local elections.

"May softer touch kasi brusko si mayor eh pero siyempre alam naman niyo ang mga nanay mahigpit kung kinakailangan (I will have the softer touch because Mayor is masculine but of course, we all know that a mother can be stricter if needed," she said in an interview with host Marichu Villanueva at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay on Wednesday, Oct. 22.

Lacuna, who specialized in Dermatology headed the mass COVID-19 vaccination in the city of Manila since the start of the pandemic in 2020.

She oversees the mass vaccinations in all six district hospitals and other community vaccination sites.

According to Lacuna, Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso consulted her about the COVID-19 response of the city such as the procured anti-viral drugs, namely, remdesivir and tocilizumab and hospital equipment.

In 1992, Lacuna was a resident physician in the Dermatology Department of the Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center.

She also served as a public health physician under the Manila Health Department in 1995.

She plans to build a “super health center” in every district of the city for easy access to medical-related problems.

She also vowed to make a "halfway house" for street dwellers who have made the streets of Manila their home.

Lacuna stressed that she will continue the programs and projects initiated by Domagoso as the latter was a great mentor to her.

"Napakagaling pong mentor ni Mayor Isko (Mayor Isko was a great mentor). Why would you change something na hindi naman panget? It worked for the city of Manila, the partnership and kapag sinuwerte kami ni Yul Servo, ganon din po ang mangyayari (If I and Yul Servo are lucky it would be the same for us)," she said.

"Kapag nagkakasundo kasi 'yung highest position 'yung top two, the mayor and the vice mayor, I think maganda ang kalalabasan ng paggogobyerno sa any LGU (If the mayor and the vice mayor both get along, the outcome of their governance will be good for any local government unit)," she added.

Lacuna and her running mate, Manila Representative Yul Servo Nieto filed their certificates of candidacy (COC) on Oct. 6.

A total of eight candidates will run for the local chief executive position of the nation's capital in the May 2022 elections.

Lacuna will be the first female mayor in the history of Manila if she wins the mayoral race in May.

She has been the vice mayor of the city from 2016 until now after she was re-elected to the position in 2019.

She was also a three-term city councilor of the fourth district of Manila from 2004 until 2013.