Presidential contender Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso said that he would initiate the distribution of food packs to all Filipino families in the first two years of his administration should he win in the May 2022 polls.
“Kung ako ay papalaring makapaglingkod bilang pangulo, gaya ng nasabi ko na noon, ang food pack ayuda sa ilalim ng Food Security Program ng pamahalaang lungsod ay ating gagawin sa buong bansa para mapanatag ang mga tao. Hangga’t may pandemya, mamimigay tayo ng ayuda para sila ay may makain (If I am able to serve as a president, as I said before, we will provide food pack assistance under the Food Security Program of the city government throughout the country to reassure the people. As long as there is a pandemic, we will provide aid so that they have something to eat),” Domagoso said on Monday, March 7.
Domagoso had also earlier said that he will double the P300-billion budget for ayuda of the current administration to P600 billion to continue to assist all families affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
He also said he will go after the P203 billion Marcos estate tax liabilities, and use the proceeds from these tax debts as additional “ayuda” for Filipino families.
“Ang mahalaga sa akin ay ang tao at ang kanilang mga bulsa at sikmura. Kaya naman itong ayuda ay gagawin ko sa buong bansa hangga’t lugmok ang ekonomiya dahil ayaw kong may magutom na mga Pilipino (What matters to me is the person and their pockets and stomachs. That is why I will provide this aid to the whole country until the economy is still helpless because I do not want any hungry Filipinos),” he said.
Domagoso also said he would encourage more private sector participation in the government’s major infrastructure projects.
“Itutuloy natin ang ‘Build, Build, Build’ pero hindi na pera ng gobyerno ang gagamitin dahil mag-PPP na tayo, ang Public-Private Partnership. Tuloy pa rin ang development pero ang pera ng gobyerno, mapupunta sa pagkain para sa tao (We will continue with ‘Build, Build, Build’ but government money will no longer be used because we will have a PPP, the Public-Private Partnership. Development is still going on but the government's money will go to food for the people),” he pointed out.
The Manila mayor also said he would buy locally made products for the food boxes to help the agriculture sector and local suppliers.