More sectoral groups, including the 70,000-strong Taytay Urban Poor and 35-strong LGBTQIA+, have joined the presidential bandwagon of Manila City Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso, as their leaders took their oath of support before the Aksyon Demokratiko standard-bearer on Monday.
The expression of all-out support by the leaders of the Taytay Urban Poor for Mayor Isko and Rainbow Warriors of Isko further energized the presidential bid of Domagoso, indicating the mayor’s strong acceptability to the Filipino masses, particularly the so-called downtrodden sectors of society.
Leaders of the two sectoral groups personally met with Mayor Isko and took their oath of support before the Aksyon Demokratiko presidential candidate despite having a hard time getting transportation from their places of origin.
The Taytay Urban Poor for Mayor Isko is composed of community leaders, members, and families of urban poor communities in and around Taytay, Rizal.
The Rainbow Warriors of Isko assured the mayor of their full, “loud and proud” support in campaigning for him in and beyond the lesbians, gays, bisexuals, queer, intersexed and asexual community.
The group leaders are already planning on organizing several activities around Metro Manila in the coming months that will promote the mayor’s candidacy and push for their advocacies.
The group is composed of several LGBTQIA+ organizations headed by LGBTBUS (Bahaghari United Secularists Philippines), a non-government, non-religious group pushing for LGBTQIA+ civil rights that also serves as a support group for abused members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
The organization and its affiliates are mainly based in Pasig, Marikina, Montalban, Valenzuela, Manila and Quezon City and has a membership of about 35,000.
Mayor Isko, who was also accompanied by senatorial candidate Samira Gutoc, spoke of a major part of his platform of government that will focus on inclusive, sustainable, and implementable economic plans and programs that will address most of the problems of the urban poor.
Domagoso said that he understands their plight, coming from the urban poor himself.
He cited Manila being a showcase of respect and protection of LGBTQIA+ rights with his anti-discrimination ordinance and his promotion of equal opportunities to all productive members of society regardless of economic status, sexual orientation, or preference.
The mayor’s speech was very well received by attendees, the party said.
More groups are scheduled to be sworn in in the coming days by Mayor Isko, who is running on a platform of good, clean, transparent, and inclusive governance, fast, effective, and efficient government action, and leadership by example.
