MANILA, Philippines — Exactly 366 days since being inaugurated as Pasig City mayor, Vico Sotto concluded the first year of his term with optimism that his plans for the city are in the right direction even with the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic at hand.
“Isang taon na ang ating administrasyon sa Pasig... Maraming pagsubok kada araw, ngunit 'wag nating kalimutan ang pinaglaban natin. Labang hindi para sa posisyon, kundi para wakasan ang kultura ng pananakot at pagkatakot... para sa isang tapat at makabagong lokal na pamahalaan,” Vico posted on social media earlier this week.
Binalikan ko kanina ang mga pangako ko nung Unang Araw:https://t.co/3HxjpFTvH9
— Vico Sotto (@VicoSotto) June 30, 2020
May mga planong naantala ng Covid19, ngunit tayo'y nasa tamang direksyon.
Ngayong Araw ng Pasig (ika2 ng Hulyo) magbibigay ako ng State of the City Address– ulat ukol sa progreso ng ating unang taon
Related: Internet users going gaga over Vico Sotto: 'E di ikaw na lang mag-presidente'
Here’s a recap of select Pasig City programs and policies during the local chief executive’s first year in office.
July 1, 2019: Suspension of "unfair and ineffective" odd-even traffic scheme in Pasig
July 15, 2019: Freedom of Information (FOI) and Complaints Unit "Ugnayan sa Pasig" launched
August 30, 2019: One-year feeding program "Wastong Pagkain, Tamang Nutrition" launched
September 25, 2020: The newly-rebranded Pasig City Scholar Program (previously named "BCE Scholarship Program" after former mayor Bobby C. Eusebio) sees a record 13,000 students provided with scholarships.
October 8, 2019: Vico ordered the Pasig Housing Regulatory Unit to stop collecting compounded penalties against delinquent occupants and beneficiaries due to the lack of ordinance and additional financial burden posed.
October 8, 2019: Vico ordered the closure of a meat processing plant for failure to set up a sewage treatment plant.
November 4, 2019: Pasig City was announced to be donating P14 million and relief goods for earthquake victims in Mindanao.
November 17, 2019: Vico sides with "Regent 23," saying that he told the owners and management of Regent Foods Corporation to drop the charges against the workers.
January 20, 2020: Pasig City was announced to be donating P7.5 million in cash and P5 million worth of food and other supplies to the victims of the Taal Volcano eruption.
March 11, 2020: Public spaces in Pasig City, including each of its 45 schools and key spaces like the Mega Market, are disinfected as a precautionary measure for COVID-19 even before the lockdown was implemented.
March 13, 2020: A total of 500 sets of backpack sprayers with disinfectants and personal protective equipment (including hazmat suits, face shields, gloves, boots) are turned over to 30 barangays.
March 16, 2020: The Anti-Panic Buying and Hoarding Ordinance of Pasig City is approved.
March 17, 2020: Vico allows tricycles to operate within Pasig, subject to guidelines, based on the risk assessment that shows banning tricycles would mean health workers would not be accommodated.
March 18, 2020: A bus service is provided for essential personnel during the community quarantine, with health workers prioritized.
March 23, 2020: A total of 400,000 food packs including canned goods and rice are distributed, with poor communities prioritized.
March 24, 2020: A "mobile palengke" is launched to decongest the Mega Market and promote social distancing.
March 26, 2020: P55.5 million worth of financial assistance is provided to over 18,000 lockdown-hit public transport drivers, including drivers of jeepneys, tricycles and UV units.
April 18, 2020: The Anti-Discrimination Due to Infectious Diseases Ordinance is approved, adopting a related ordinance in Manila.
April 25, 2020: Pasig City implements barangay coding (maximum 10 barangays per day) to further decongest the Mega Market and promote social distancing.
June 17, 2020: Vico said the local government raised P1.2 billion to purchase laptops and tablets for public school students and teachers in order to address gaps in distance education.
July 2, 2020: Vico said during his State of the City Address that Pasig City saved over P400 million during his first year by reforming its procurement process.