A four-cornered mayoralty fight in the City of Manila in the 2019 elections is fast-shaping up, with garbage seemingly being at the center of the battle for votes this early.

The camp of Buhay Party-list Rep. Lito Atienza yesterday took a swipe at Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada for allegedly blaming barangay leaders for the garbage mess facing the city.

Eric Cham, a media officer of Atienza, hewed closely to his boss’ earlier statement that he may be persuaded to seek the post of Manila mayor anew if the city’s environmental issues are not addressed by Estrada.

“That’s why we are suggesting that everyone especially the local government unit and barangay officials must coordinate closely instead of blaming each other,” Cham told the Daily Tribune.

Atienza himself had been quoted earlier as saying: “Pero ‘pag hindi siya nagbago, ang baho ng Maynila, ang baha terrible, ang basura nasa baha (But if he doesn’t change, Manila stinks, the flooding, the garbage is terrible),” said Atienza.

“Pag hindi nagbago ito, eh tutugon ako sa panawagan ng marami (if this doesn’t change, I will answer the call of many),” added Atienza, who served as Manila mayor for three terms from 1998 to 2007 and lost to Alfredo Lim in the 2010 Manila mayoral race.

Lim has already confirmed that he will challenge Estrada a third straight time next year after losing in 2013 and 2016, the last by 3,000 votes.

Estrada also beat Lim in the 1998 presidential elections, but Estrada was ousted in the so-called People Power II.

Estrada has also confirmed that he will seek reelection next year and that he expects former Senate President Manny Villar, former vice mayor Isko Moreno, Atienza and Lim to be among his rivals.

But Senator Cynthia Villar has said her husband is not running for mayor of Manila in 2019, while nothing definite has come from Moreno.

“I will win on my third run,” Estrada was quoted as saying when informed of Lim’s challenge.

Lim, on the other hand, had said, “The more, the merrier. I am excited to face them.’’

Atienza said LGUs should give barangays a definite program to implement in keeping cleanliness all over the city.

Cham told Daily Tribune that Atienza issued the statement in the wake of heaps of garbage that were found scattered in several streets in Manila last week.

Cham recalled Estrada issuing a statement blaming barangay officials’ alleged negligence that resulted in the uncollected piles of trash.

Atienza taking garbage as a possible campaign issue came as no surprise as he had served as environmental.

The congressman said LGU must instead carry out pro-people programs and “get the whole community involved by educating everyone starting from the mothers and their children, residents and the barangays.”