‘Yorme’ warns vandals ahead of protests

Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso issued a firm warning to upcoming protesters Thursday, pledging high tolerance for peaceful assemblies but declaring that vandalism and property damage will not be tolerated.

Speaking before a Manila Police District command conference, Domagoso clarified that while demonstrators using designated freedom parks can gather without permits, those marching in other public areas must secure city approval beforehand.

He stressed that free expression must be balanced with civic responsibility.

“The streets are for everyone, not just for a few,” Domagoso said, noting that demonstrations must not disrupt the daily lives of Manila residents.

He also drew a sharp line at the destruction of public property, citing past instances of defaced traffic lights and damaged automated teller machines.

The city will deploy emergency response teams, traffic personnel, and medical units to monitor scheduled demonstrations, a policy managed under the General Welfare Clause of the Local Government Code.

Domagoso commended acting district director Brig. Gen. Arnold C. Santiago for keeping the capital’s peace and order situation stable.

In other developments Thursday, Domagoso announced that the Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center has successfully completed its third free angioplasty procedure, providing a low-income resident with a cardiac surgery that typically costs up to P1.5 million at private hospitals.

Speaking during his “Talk to the People” Facebook livestream, the mayor said the patient, a 67-year-old Manila resident, walked out of the facility paying zero.

Angioplasty is a minimally invasive procedure that opens blocked heart arteries without open-heart surgery, letting patients recover within days.

Domagoso stressed that the city will continue to offer the treatment at no cost to qualified residents, drawing from his own upbringing in poverty to highlight the need for equal access to healthcare.

The breakthrough follows two successful procedures in March, made possible after the city opened its Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory in September 2025.

Domagoso cited that the city has maintained nearly P25 million in standby funds to secure and maintain the specialized equipment needed to sustain the cardiac program.