Incoming Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso announced his top two priorities for his first day in office on 1 July -- addressing the city’s cleanliness and improving peace and order by targeting criminal elements.

In an interview, Domagoso disclosed that the issue of city cleanliness was consistently raised during his caucuses with residents, and he pledged to make it his immediate focus.

During his previous administration, Domagoso famously spearheaded efforts to clean notoriously congested and unsanitary city roads, using detergents, chemical cleaning liquids and high-pressure water from fire trucks.

Following the clearing of street vendors from areas like Divisoria and Quiapo, these roads were cleaned and reopened to motorists.

Domagoso’s bold move to reclaim streets from vendors, a task many predecessors failed to accomplish, garnered national attention.

He relocated vendors to inner roads in Divisoria and organized sidewalks on Carriedo Street in Quiapo to ensure vendors could maintain their livelihoods without obstructing public thoroughfares.

He also implemented a strict “one-strike” policy for traffic enforcers, meaning a single mistake could lead to dismissal. Their uniforms prominently displayed “No to Kotong.”

Domagoso also stressed the need for increased police visibility, particularly in the university belt, given Manila’s large student population and cited the importance of creating safe environments for students, free from petty crimes like snatching and holdups.

He also highlighted the persistent problem of burglaries and daytime holdups in Tondo Road 10, frequently documented on social media.