Manila in ICU?

Manila in ICU? | Daily Tribune

In a searing and unsparing State of the City Address that jolted both City Hall insiders and the public, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno pulled back the curtain on what he described as a full-blown financial emergency gripping the nation’s capital.

With a delivery part exposé, part autopsy, Moreno revealed that billions of pesos was quietly withdrawn by previous city officials in the critical months leading up to the May 2025 elections — an act he deemed “suspicious” and reeking of potential vote-buying disguised as official spending.

“Manila is in the financial ICU,” Moreno declared, using a metaphor that painted the city not just as broke, but on life support. The revelation of massive withdrawals, carried out in secret away from the public eye, has stirred public outrage and calls for accountability.

In total, P10.2 billion in unpaid obligations was unearthed by a newly formed task force. These included overdue infrastructure payments, frozen garbage collection contracts that left trash piling up in certain districts, and delayed social benefits that deprived senior citizens and other vulnerable groups of much-needed assistance.

Moreno, known for his populist appeal and rags-to-riches backstory, did not mince words. He described the financial sabotage as “administrative arson,” torching city coffers and leaving his administration to sift through the ashes.

“What we inherited,” he said, “is not just a deficit — it’s a deliberate demolition of public trust.”

What is especially damning is the timing. With the withdrawals executed shortly before the May 2025 elections, Moreno raised the alarm on whether public funds were funneled into campaign machinery. If proven, this wouldn’t just be a case of poor fiscal management—it would amount to one of the largest electoral fraud operations using government resources as ammunition.

City records showed unpaid contractors, ghost projects, and emergency procurement red-flagged for being overpriced or non-existent. Among the casualties was the suspension of key infrastructure projects in Tondo and Sampaloc, including long-awaited drainage improvements to prevent chronic flooding. Meanwhile, waste collection had slowed to a crawl in several barangays, as service providers refused to move without payment.

Social services, often the moral thermometer of local governance, were hit hard. Thousands of senior citizens reportedly have not received their allowance since April. Public health centers are understocked, and even the feeding program for malnourished children has ground to a halt in some areas.

Moreno’s diagnosis was grim but not hopeless. He vowed to institute a “fiscal rehab program” for Manila, focusing on forensic auditing, the possible filing of criminal and administrative charges, and a “no sacred cows” policy regardless of political affiliation.

“We will not move forward unless we clean the mess behind us,” he said.

As Manila limps forward under fiscal duress, Moreno’s revelations may reverberate far beyond city lines. The allegations touch on deeper national issues — political patronage, electoral corruption and impunity.

For now, the capital city —once the proud seat of Filipino resilience — is on emergency footing. But with a mayor unwilling to be a caretaker of ruin, there remains hope that Manila can rise from this financial wreckage and reclaim its place as the beating heart of the nation.