‘Yorme’ vows resolution to ‘grave’ financial mess

Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso appealed to utility and telecommunications companies Wednesday not to disconnect essential services across the city, citing what he described as a “grave financial mess” inherited from the previous administration.

During a dialogue with representatives from Meralco, Maynilad, Manila Water, PLDT, Globe Telecom, Smart Communications, Converge ICT and Cignal TV, Domagoso disclosed that City Hall had received disconnection notices totaling P113,596,710.54 for unpaid power, water, and internet services in schools, hospitals and other city government facilities.

“I hope I’m not asking too much,” Domagoso told the company representatives. “We literally have no money. This is not about blame. This is a reality check of the financial mismanagement — grave financial mismanagement of the Manila government that I inherited.”

The mayor also noted that City Hall owes the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) an additional P300 million.

“All the hidden charges, concealed or denied, are now collapsing on us,” he lamented.

Domagoso requested a two-month reprieve from the service providers to allow the city to resolve its fiscal issues and catch up on the outstanding bills.

“Can I ask a favor, please don’t cut off our electricity, water, internet for now? When you return to your bosses, tell them to give us some breathing room,” the mayor urged.

He added that any available city savings, including funds recovered from 5,930 “nowhere to be found” job order workers, would be used to pay off urgent obligations.

“That’s what I will use to pay you. Just don’t cut off the hospitals, the schools, the facilities,” he said.

Company representatives reportedly agreed to relay the mayor’s request to their respective management.