Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso has thanked the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) for choosing Manila as the pilot area for the nationwide “Disiplina Muna” campaign.

In his message during the formal launch held in City Hall Wednesday, Moreno said he is pleased that the reforms in Manila had served as inspiration and that the city had been chosen as a starting point for meaningful programs such as the said campaign which is a concept of the DILG under its Secretary Eduardo Ano.

Moreno said the campaign is a challenge for the city to continue what it is doing and a validation of the appropriateness of the reformative measures being instituted in the city.

“What you’ve seen before in Manila… ‘yung mga programa.. sa tingin ko pag natupad nang maayos ng enforcers at mga halal ng bayan, tingin ko aaliwalas ang ating bansa,” Moreno said.

Moreno said what the city of Manila is doing is just ‘elementary’ in the field of governance.

“Basic governance… maglinis, magpaaayos, magpatupad ng simpleng batas na ipinagkikibit-balikat lang na siyang nagbigay ng tumor na napakahirap gamutin ngayon,” he said.

Moreno said he will be banking on the help and cooperation of city councilors under Vice Mayor and Council presiding officer Honey Lacuna and the 10,000 barangay officials and 20,000 barangay tanods through the intercession of Liga ng Mga Barangay head Councilor Lei Lacuna to bring down to the grassroots level the message of the said campaign.

“Mataas ang expectations sa atin (Manila) but if we fail which we are not worried about, I would rather that we fail while trying than not try at all,” Moreno said.

The Disiplina Muna campaign aims to increase the citizenry’s critical consciousness and responsibility in sustainable development, as well as shared responsibility in the maintenance of peace and order.

“How do we convert our country into a country of heroes? We start with discipline,” DILG Undersecretary Marivel Sacendoncillo said in a speech during the launching of the program at the Manila City Hall.

“We don’t need to die like Jose Rizal. But there is a continuous need for the country to have ordinary Filipinos as heroes — heroes among our families, co-workers, and others. That’s the call of the times and that’s a challenge we are all facing,” she added.

#DisiplinaMuna is a an offshoot of President Rodrigo Duterte’s order for all local government units to rid their respective jurisdictions of obstructions with the objective of sustaining its success nationwide.

It is also in line with the government’s whole-of-nation approach in increasing the consciousness among Filipinos of their “critical role and responsibility in sustainable development in the communities.”

#DisiplinaMuna, through a circular issued by the DILG, enjoins all provincial governors, city and municipal mayors, DILG regional directors, the interim government of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, other LGU officials, and heads of all DILG attached agencies to take part in the initiative.

“We must carry out the true purpose of participatory governance and the importance of instilling discipline not only among ourselves but also to others,” stated Sacendoncillo.

“We can never expect other people to be disciplined if we ourselves are not disciplined, if we don’t comple ourselves to be disciplined. It all starts with us,” she added. With Kristina Maralit