“I have no worries. Why? Always remember, I came from nothing.”

Tinanong ko si Isko Moreno kung ano ang sariling analysis niya sa kanyang pangunguna sa surveys kumpara sa ibang mga kumakandidato para mayor ng Maynila.

"Siguro damdamin ng tao 'yon, eh," sagot ng actor-turned-public servant nang makaharap namin sa isang intimate interview sa Casa Roces. "Basta kami, we do what is necessary within the bounds and allowed rules of Commission on Election. We do campaign, house to house, motorcade, caucus, meetings, pocket of meetings... gaya nito, ‘di ba, kaya lang ang sector, press. Meron din kami for urban poor, business sector, so we try to reach as many people as possible.

National

4.7-magnitude na lindol, tumama sa Davao Occidental

"But the real survey is on May 13. Gayunman, nagpapasalamat kami sa damdamin nila sa kasalukuyan at sana pumanatag ang damdamin nila at manatili ang matibay nilang pananaw sa kagustuhan nilang maiba naman ang Maynila. Kasi sa kanila galing 'yon, eh. They really wanted different things. And I told them, and I've been telling them every night, like what (Albert) Einstein said, 'Don't expect different result will come tomorrow if what you did today is the same as yesterday.' So, I hope....”

Agad nilinaw ni Isko na hindi personalan ang pakikipagtunggali niya sa pulitika.

"Tumakbo ako hindi para labanan ang personalidad kundi to offer programs of governance, to pursue our dreams and aspirations for the city of Manila. Though at the same time, wala naman sigurong masama na sabihin naming, ‘sir, pahinga na po kayo, napagbigyan na namin kayong maglingkod, iba naman’. Twelve years of former Mayor Alfredo Lim, six years of now Mayor (Joseph) Estrada, so I think it's time for them to rest, you know, at 82 years old.”

Hindi ba siya nanghihinayang sa iniwan niyang puwesto sa Department of Social Welfare and Development bilang undersecretary?

"Hindi naman. I'm grateful to Tito President (Rodrigo) Duterte for the opportunity to bring me back to public service, but I owe it to Manila. If you're from Manila, I owe it to you. Because if you cannot take anymore what's going on in the city of Manila... what I mean, not doing anything is being part of the problem.

"Yes, marami akong matutulungan sa ibang parte ng bansa pero hindi naman ako makikilala sa public service kung 'di rin dahil sa mga taga-Maynila. So, paano naman ako makakapamuhay nang marangya sa labas ng bakod ko kung 'yon mismong loob ng bakuran ko nalulugmok?"

Bukod sa mas bata, ano pa ang edge niya sa mga katunggali?

"Modesty aside, mas makakakonek ako ngayon sa existing populace unlike them na iniwan na sila ng panahon. I mean, it's a fact.

"Halimbawa lang, ina-address ko ang mga kababayan ko, 'O, mga kababayan, i-PM n'yo nga pala ako sa mga suliranin n'yo. Huwag n'yong ilagay dito sa chatboard nang live, i-Messenger n'yo ako. These are petty simple new things that are existing on how can you relate with people and you know, a lot of professor of mine will agree with me that adapting technology is one way of being efficient and openness.

"Biruin mo, kaya mo nang makausap ang taong-gobyerno by sending a message, sa ayaw at sa gusto n'ya. Dalawang bagay lang ang mangyayari sa message mo, seen or unseen. Pero sa ayaw at sa gusto n'ya, naibato mo 'yong concern mo."

Nararamdaman ba ni Isko na destiny niyang maging mayor ng Maynila?

"Well, destiny bago s'ya maging fact. But I don't want to preempt God, I don't want to preempt the people if this is my destiny or not. But just being given the opportunity to challenge the biggest names in political world—a former president and a former presidentiable... we're the characters of like David and Goliath.

"But remember, biblically, David is a nobody, a shepherd. David is known to us because God gave him Goliath. Sabi nga, do your best and God will take care of the rest. If that is the case, then I have no worries. Why? Always remember, I came from nothing."

Ano ang unang gagawin niya kung sakaling manalo siya sa eleksiyon?

"Lutasin ang problema sa basura. We will literally clean the city of Manila. We don't need to beautify it. Manila is beautiful as it is. All we have to do is to shine it, we will clean it."

Ano ang vision ni Isko para sa Maynila?

"We'll protect the heritage of the city of Manila while we adapt to the demand of solving the existing challenges. We have to modernize certain level of services, certain infrastructure, but at the same time we will not forget what happened in the past, katulad ng sinabi ng mga bayani, ang hindi lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makakarating sa paroroonan.

"Itutuloy natin ang pagbibigay sa kabataan ng Maynila ng mga impormasyon kung ano ang pinanggalingan natin, where do we belong. 'Wag lilimot. The future and the past will meet, parang gano'n, positive technology. ‘Di ba, ang Kyoto, sa tapat ng mga Samurai house, ‘di ba, modern buildings? See?”

Dindo M. Balares