By Pat Santos

Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso urged the country’s civil engineers to play an active role in shaping a more resilient and modern capital city.

In a keynote address titled “Engineering Manila’s Future” at a gathering of the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers on Friday, Domagoso drew a parallel between their work and his own.

“You, you engineer bridges, roads, buildings and drainage systems. In government, we engineer programs, projects and policies,” he said.

Domagoso stressed that like physical infrastructure, government systems require sound planning, integrity and execution. He compared the city to a complex machine, emphasizing the need for every sector — including engineers — to function in harmony.

The mayor cited his administration’s early reforms, such as weekly cleanup drives and declogging operations that have collected more than 68,000 metric tons of garbage. He said these initiatives have yielded “immediate, measurable and visible” results.

Looking ahead, Domagoso outlined his long-term vision under the “Make Manila Great Again” 10-Year Comprehensive Development Strategy. The plan includes major infrastructure upgrades, flood control projects, housing initiatives, and new educational and healthcare facilities.

Priority projects include the reconstruction of the Old Ospital ng Maynila, the redevelopment of the Lawton Underpass, and the revitalization of Plaza Azul.

“We are not thinking in terms of election cycles, but in terms of the next 10 years,” he told the engineers.

Domagoso challenged the engineering community to help bring these plans to fruition.

“The work of making Manila great again cannot be completed by one man, or by one local government unit alone. I cannot do it alone,” he said.