Elected Manila Mayor Ma. Sheila "Honey" Lacuna-Pangan and Vice Mayor John Marvin Cruz “Yul Servo” Nieto take their oath of office in a ceremony at the Manila Cathedral on Wednesday, June 29.
Their oath-taking was presided by outgoing Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso in the presence of their families and peers in the local government.
Lacuna made history as the first female mayor of the nation's capital.
"Ang aking pagiging isang babae ay hindi kailanman magiging dahilan upang tayo ay maging matatag at epektibong lider ng ating bayan (Being a woman will never be a reason to doubt my strength and effectiveness as a leader of our city)," Lacuna said in her inaugural address.
"Handang-handa na po tayong pangisawaan ang lahat ng mga programa, proyekto, serbisyo, at gawain ng ating pamahalaang lungsod. Paiiralin natin ang lahat ng mga batas at ordinansa na tumutugma sa kasalukuyang kalagayan ng ating bayan. Pananaigin natin ang mataas na galang sa karapatan ng bawat isa at patuloy na isusulong ang pagkakapantay-pantay — ano man ang kasarian, paniniwala o kalagayan sa buhay (We are prepared to undertake all the programs, projects, and services of our local government. We will strengthen the laws and ordinances in order to meet the needs of our city's current condition. We will uphold the rights of every individual, and continue to advocate for equality – no matter the gender, belief, or status in life)," she added.
The mayor reiterated her intentions to establish a more robust healthcare system, as well as a focus on social services for senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs) and solo parents, among others.
To deliver quality service to the public, the local government's funds will be utilized efficiently for projects that will surely benefit every single Manileno, she noted.
"Sa unang araw ng aking panunungkulan, hikayatin natin ang ating mga kapwa lingkod bayan sa loob ng city hall na upang tiyakin ang kaayusan at kalinisan sa bawat sulok ng ating mga tanggapan. At ituturing natin ito na parang ating sariling tahanan na ating pangangalagaan (In my first day in office, we will encourage our constituents in the city hall to ensure cleanliness and orderliness in every single corner of our offices. We will treat this as our own home that we must nurture)," Lacuna said.
From her constituents and the citizens of Manila whom she considered her inspiration, she asked for unity, cooperation, and trust in order to fulfill the high-quality of service she aims for the city.
"Nasa akin man ang katungkulan pero nasa inyo ang higit na kapangyarihan (The duty may lie with me, but you hold the greater power)," Lacuna said.
Lacuna and Nieto were first proclaimed as the winners of the Manila local elections on May 11 by the City Board of Canvassers.
Lacuna acquired 534,595 votes. Her opponents in the mayoral race were Atty. Alex Lopez, Amado Bagatsing, Christy Lim, and Elmer Jamias.
Nieto, her running mate in the elections, won the vice mayoral seat against Raymond Bagatsing and Arvin Reyes.
-Platform-
During the campaign period, Lacuna said she aims to focus on delivering quality health and social services to Manila citizens.
She highlighted in Manila Bulletin's Hot Seat Forum, the construction of super health centers in each of the districts of the city.
For social services, she noted making improvements to the Office of Senior Citizen Affairs (OSCA) and providing a pension raise to seniors.
Lacuna plans to continue what would have been former Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso's 10-year plan for Manila, concentrating on infrastructure projects and welfare programs.
Among the housing projects she wants to accomplish is the creation of "halfway houses" for street dwellers where they may be fed, bathed, and sleep overnight.
-History of service-
Lacuna served as the first female vice mayor of Manila from 2016 to 2019.
She was re-elected in 2019 to 2022 under the leadership of former Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso.
Prior to this, she was elected as a city councilor from 2004 to 2013.
She formerly worked as the director of the Manila Department of Social Welfare.
As a licensed physician, she also lent her expertise as a member of the city health office, having conducted her medical training at the former Ospital ng Maynila.