Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso appealed to national leaders Monday to set aside political rivalries and find common ground to resolve the country’s ongoing political crisis.

Speaking during a flag-raising ceremony at Manila City Hall, Domagoso said the welfare of the Filipino people — not political parties — must be the foundation of any resolution.

“I hope the leaders of our national government will sit down together one morning, share a meal and talk about where they can find an intersection,” Domagoso said before city officials, police officers and municipal employees.

“Our country has no direction if two opposing streets just keep moving forward without a meeting point,” he added.

The mayor delivered his remarks ahead of the nation’s Independence Day celebrations, noting that the freedom won by historical heroes came with a responsibility that national leaders appear to have forgotten in the midst of partisan battles.

“The common ground is the Filipino people,” Domagoso said. “I pray they receive the wisdom to see that their obligation to the public is far more important than their obligation to their political parties.”

Domagoso warned that political dysfunction at the national level carries real consequences for ordinary citizens. He noted that Manila, as one of the country’s most densely populated cities, stands to suffer directly if national institutions fail to deliver on their mandates.