The Manila city government ended 2025 with improved finances, restored basic services, and a pickup in business activity after a midyear transition.

In a year-end report on Tuesday, Dec. 30, Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso said the city faced immediate operational and fiscal problems, including garbage collection backlogs and unpaid obligations when he assumed office in June. 


“In less than 72 hours, we put things in right order at naibalik natin sa normal ang koleksyon ng basura, at na-normalize na natin ang paghakot, paglilinis, pagsasaayos, at pagiging maaliwalas ng ating lumang lungsod (In less than 72 hours, we put things in right order and we have restored garbage collection to normal, and we have normalized the transportation, cleaning, maintenance, and cleanliness of our old city),” he said.

From July to December, the city generated P10.8 billion in local revenues and received P2.4 billion in national tax allotments.

“Minabuti ko pa ring unawain kayo na mga nagbabayad ng buwis, kaya pinakiusapan ko ang Konseho ng Maynila to pass an ordinance for the declaration of General Tax Amnesty, inuna muna natin ang tao bago ang pamahalaan (I want to understand the taxpayers, so I asked the Manila Council to pass an ordinance for the declaration of General Tax Amnesty, let's put the people first before the government),” the mayor said.

There is also a General Tax Amnesty program, which raised P439 million and benefited more than 24,000 taxpayers.

The administration used improved collections to pay P4.8 billion in prior-year obligations, including utilities and loan payments, easing pressure on the city’s cash position by year-end.

The city also continued funding social services, and released more than P167 million for education-related assistance and over P629 million for senior citizens during the six months.

Business activity also picked up in the latter half of the year, with increases in permit applications, jobs generated, and investment commitments.

“Bumalik ang tiwala ng mga namumuhunan, nag-iistabilize na ’yung city finances, at unti-unti ’yung basic services delivered tangible improvements to everyday life (Investor confidence has returned, city finances are stabilizing, and basic services are gradually delivering tangible improvements to everyday life),” he said.

On infrastructure and public order, the city conducted road clearing operations and flood mitigation works, clearing about 650 roads and declogging roughly 59,000 meters of drainage.

“Under Executive Order Number Three, maglinis tayo, maglinis tayo, maglinis tayo, at maglinis tayo, at wag tayong titigil upang maibsan ang pagbaha at maibalik ang kaayusan sa ating mga kalsada (Under Executive Order Number Three, let's clean, let's clean, let's clean, and let's clean, and let's not stop to alleviate flooding and restore order to our streets),” he said.

Lighting projects were also rolled out along portions of the Skyway traversing Manila through a public-private partnership.

In healthcare, the city opened Baseco Hospital as its seventh public hospital and launched its first cardiac catheterization laboratory.

Emergency rooms in several facilities, including Ospital ng Sampaloc, were rehabilitated.

The city also expanded free access to high-cost diagnostics and procedures such as CT scans, MRI, and angiograms in public hospitals.

Moreno said the combined measures marked a shift from crisis management to stabilization by the end of 2025.

“Ang commitment ko sa inyo, mabuhay lang kayo, kahit gumastos ako ng milyon-milyon, mabuhay lang kayo, you will not pay anything (My commitment to you is, just live, even if I spend millions, just live, you will not pay anything),” he said.