Fourth in a series
IF not quite a tale of rags to riches, the story of Manila Mayor Isko Moreno’s rise to prominence certainly comes close. His was a saga of tribulations and triumph, from obscurity to celebrity, and the pages of his life-manuscript still keep unfurling into new heights. Here is a fellow who chartered a map in the streets of Manila, which served both as his playground and workplace.
Early in life, he scoured the city lanes for restaurants to collect pagpag or discarded food and leveled up to selling old newspapers and used bottles. Growing up, Moreno committed to memory the streets, slums and spaces of the city of Manila, along with the informal language through which street-folks converse, not because he wanted to but he was constrained to. This eventually worked to his advantage later on when he became a politician because he had personal and intimate knowledge of the city and its people. He could breeze through every nook and cranny in the heart and mind of a Manileño.
“There is life in death,” as in the case of our “free-sidentiable,” Mr. Moreno. He “found life” when attending a wake as it paved the way for an eye of a showbiz talent manager who hooked him up with the ’80’s TV show, That’s Entertainment. Years thereafter, Francisco Domagoso evolved from a showbiz personality “Isko Moreno” into a credible force in the 2022 Presidential elections. The determined Tondo kid finished high school, and, by a stroke of some providence, joined the political arena. He served as councilor for three consecutive terms before rising to become a vice mayor, a position that he also held for three terms. In one interview, Isko predicted he would become mayor someday, and true enough, he won the hearts of Manileños who now fondly call him as their Yorme. While in public office, Yorme reportedly pursued further studies at the University of the Philippines (special courses on legislation), as well as overseas: at the John F. Kennedy School of Government in Harvard University (leadership and governance courses), and at the Business School of the University of Oxford. It was this diligent effort at becoming educated that polished the man and the politician.
As word reached the farthest of places, Yorme cleaned up the infamous Divisoria and Quiapo in a matter of days. At the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, Mayor Isko buckled up, met the problem head on, and crafted a facility for patients at the Luneta Park. He made a blueprint too for the aesthetic and functional improvement of his city, a prodigious dream yet, knowing how he sees a vision and claims it. Currently, the city government of Manila is undertaking the construction of vertical housing projects—Tondominium 1 and 2 in Tondo, and Binondominium 1 and 2 in Binondo—while a townhouse-style project in Baseco Compound, Tondo, had its groundbreaking in December 2020.
Yorme now aspires to become a lo-Pangu (or “Pangulo” – President). His job application could be a reflection of his inspirational narrative as a rags-to-riches boy. However, his accomplishments in the city could be neutralized by other matters of national concern—defense, foreign policy, and agriculture, to name a few. While he could cozily brush elbows with Muslims in the city of Manila, those in Mindanao and distant areas may not know him well or his credentials.
Apart from said weak spots, it is quite disconcerting for Yorme to have arrogantly lashed out against a fellow Presidential aspirant. Like most Filipinos, I was surprised when Yorme called VP Leni Robredo as a “fake candidate” with a “fake color,” especially since Yorme’s campaign team pictured him as pleasant and genial as his own notable achievements. His efforts to apologize deteriorated as an act of mechanically plucking a fruit from a tree of “insincere sorries” as he threw another tirade, yet again, on the lady Presidentiable. Mayor Isko should be advised, or take it upon himself, to step on the brakes and steer clear of using unpresidential verbal attacks.
After Mayor Moreno learns to manage his spewing lava from his apparent volcanic style of leadership, he should start sharing his platform for agriculture, food security, drugs, employment, and the country’s claims over its maritime waters, among others. I rather see Yorme attaining his lo-Pangu dream through his powerful narrative, inspiring the young and old alike, and his sheer audacity in reaching for his dreams. He envisions what he hopes to happen and claims it by working hard to get it. He sees it, and seizes it!
Yorme Isko reminds us of the Biblical Jabez in the Book Chronicles. Jabez was named after pain or sorrow, which name did not deter him from turning a miserable life into a blessing. Coming to God in prayer, Jabez affirmed his pleas, as if certain he would receive them. And true enough, the Heavenly Father conferred unto him what he asked for, thus: “Jabez was more honored than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.” Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request. (1 Chron. 4:9–10 NIV)
Like Jabez, Mayor Isko had a difficult and painful life early on. Yet he set his eyes on getting schooled, on earning income from decent work, on lifting his feet up, away from the clutches of scarcity, and of becoming a City Mayor! True enough, he got all that he dreamt of and hopefully prayed for.
What we can learn from their life stories is that the pain that surrounded Jabez’s birth, or the pain that latched on to Yorme’s life as a child, did not define or limit them. Jabez prayed and God transformed his curse into a blessing. Yorme aimed for and claimed better things. He too must have certainly prayed as God allowed his transformation from a hapless situation into a spectacle of provision. In the words of a Bible teacher, “the point is not that Jabez’s prayer has some kind of magic power in its words. The point is that Jabez’s God has awesome power to change a person’s destination from curse to blessing.”
Much as Yorme needs it, we too require a reminder that our fate is never about what we can do or the extent of the struggles we encounter. Becoming who we are or accomplishing what we can in life is all about God’s sovereignty and ability to transform a curse into a blessing by His hand, through prayers! This is precisely the essence of 2 Chronicles 7:14: “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” Such a verse is a timely reminder for Yorme and other candidates to pray for the presidency with a humble tongue and a contrite heart. Should Yorme refuse to learn and yield, he might just fail to seize what he sees next time around.
A former infantry and intelligence officer in the Army, Siegfred Mison showcased his servant leadership philosophy in organizations such as the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, Malcolm Law Offices, Infogix Inc., University of the East, Bureau of Immigration, and Philippine Airlines. He is a graduate of West Point in New York, Ateneo Law School, and University of Southern California. A corporate lawyer by profession, he is an inspirational teacher and a Spirit-filled writer with a mission.
For questions and comments, please e-mail me at sbmison@gmail.com.