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Ballot #3:
Isko Moreno Domagoso
Aksyon Demokratiko
- Age: 47 (October 24, 1974)
- Highest Educational Attainment: Public Administration, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila; Bachelor of Laws, Arellano University (deferred completion); Executive Education Program (non-degree), Harvard University; Strategic Leadership Program (non-degree), Oxford University
Moreno aims to replicate his projects in Manila on a national scale. Under his “10-point Economic Agenda,” addressing basic social service concerns – public housing, education, and healthcare – as well as enhancing the agricultural and technological sectors, are a priority.
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Field of Expertise
Issues and Controversies
Moreno was arrested back in 2013, alongside five other councilors, for allegedly holding an illegal bingo game in Manila. The Department of Justice eventually dismissed the charges for lack of probable cause.
Manila City barangay chairpersons filed plunder charges against Moreno and 14 other officials in 2014 for allegedly pocketing P77 million worth of real property tax. Moreno dismissed the charges as “politically motivated.” The Office of the Ombudsman has yet to decide on the outcome of this complaint.
Moreno admitted to keeping excess campaign funds worth P50 million from his failed Senate bid in 2016. He kept it as income and paid taxes for it. He said he is not in favor of returning unused funds to donors and insisted that he did not violate any laws. During a presidential debate, he showed a BIR receipt as proof that he paid taxes for the unspent campaign funds.
Critics call Moreno a political opportunist for constantly switching party affiliations every election. He started as a member of the Nacionalista Party, moved to Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino, then to United Nationalist Alliance. He served as the vice chairman for political affairs of the National Unity Party before becoming the president of Aksyon Demokratiko. Moreno, however, said his loyalty is to the people.
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Where this candidate stands on top 5 concerns of the Filipino voter
Domagoso will tame the rising cost of goods by suspending excise taxes on fuel products, offering risk-free capital to farmers, adopting better farming techniques, and removing traders between farmers and consumers.
Instead of raising the minimum wage, Domagoso vows to provide better job benefits – particularly in healthcare – to factory workers and those in small and medium enterprises affected by the pandemic.
Domagoso’s poverty alleviation strategy is to provide socialized housing, quality education, and financial assistance. Specifically, he plans to build one million homes in six years, increase the yearly budget for education, improve the teacher-student ratio and continue with the distribution of government “ayuda”.
Domagoso said in an interview that the “only way” to prevent corruption is to limit “human discretion” by simplifying and automating government processes. He also promised to pursue corrupt public officials through the Presidential Commission on Good Government.
Domagoso says ending job contractualization will not be an immediate priority of his government as economic recovery from the pandemic is the immediate concern.
Interesting Facts
- Ran as senator in 2016 under Sen. Grace Poe’s ticket. He lost and ranked 16th in the official vote tally.
- Before Isko, he was known as Scott Domagoso, a kid who grew up in the slums of Tondo. He scavenged for leftover food to be recooked as “pagpag” and dove through heaps of trash to sell scraps to local junk shops.
- Moreno first gained popularity as an actor and television personality before entering the field of public service. He said he would have been a seaman if he did not become a politician.