Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso called on the real estate sector to support the city’s housing agenda, pledging that taxpayer funds would be managed with strict efficiency.

Speaking before the Chamber of Real Estate & Builders’ Associations Inc., Domagoso said his administration is committed to honest tax collection and prudent spending to fund “in-city” vertical housing projects.

“I will spend efficiently, I will collect effectively,” Domagoso told the builders. “When a peso is collected, you will have a receipt for that peso.”

The mayor identified housing as a central pillar of his “Minimum Basic Needs” governance model, which also prioritizes health care, education and job creation.

He described the construction industry as a major economic stimulant for both the private sector and the national government.

Domagoso, who grew up in the slums of Tondo, said his personal history with housing insecurity drives his policy of building permanent, structurally sound homes within the city rather than relocating residents to remote areas far from their jobs.

“I understand the mindset of a squatter family,” Domagoso said. “Because I know the experience, I know the feeling of a person who has no security in their housing.”

The mayor outlined the city’s shift toward high-quality vertical housing, citing the Tondominium and Binondominium projects. He cited these developments are inspired by Singapore’s public housing model, featuring two-bedroom units of at least 40 square meters.

“I don’t want to build pigeonholes,” Domagoso said. “Since you are going to invest anyway and house a family, not just an individual, it should be done right.”