By Terence Ranis
Mayoral candidate Alex Lopez on Friday, April 8, vowed that he will focus on empowering the marginalized sector in the city of Manila if elected.
"Iyong tinatawag nating marginalized empowerment, sana po ang mga negosyante dito makasama ko sa pagtulong sa pag unlad hindi lamang ng kanilang negosyo, hindi lamang ng maynila, kundi pati na ang kabuhayan ng mahihirap (The what we called marginalized empowerment, I hope that the businessmen here will also be with me, not only for their business and for Manila, but also for the livelihood of the poor)," Lopez said during the Manila Mayoralty Candidates' Forum in Binondo, Manila.
He said that everyone will benefit if he focuses on marginalized empowerment, saying that Manila will be the "city of our dreams" if everyone will progress.
"Kasi tayo po lahat makikinabang dito, this will be the city of our dreams kung lahat po tayo uunlad (Because everyone will benefit from this, and this will be the city of our dreams if everyone will progress)," he added.
"Magtiwala tayo sa press, magtiwala tayo sa businessman, magtuwala tayo sa mahihirap, magtiwala tayo sa ating kababayan, pag tayo po nagtiwala sa isa't isa uunlad po tayo (Let's trust the press, trust our businessmen, trust the poor, trust our countrymen, if we trust each other we will progress)," Lopez said.
Lopez vowed to increase the salary of police and teachers in the city and provide hazard pay to those who deserved it.
He also wants to intensify the livelihood program in the city and will pursue lending money to the poor to help them recover from the effects of pandemic.
Lopez, who is a lawyer, believes that the time he spent during the term of his father, the late Manila Mayor Gemiliano “Mel” Lopez, Jr., from 1986 to 1992, is also one of the reasons why he considers himself the best candidate to become the city’s next chief executive.
He is running under the Partido Federal Party with actor Raymond Bagatsing as his running mate.