Manila City Mayor addresses employees of Cebu CFI Community Cooperative and other guest cooperatives to ask for their support in the May 2022 elections. | via Mae Fhel Gom-os

Manila, Philippines - The Manila Mayor and Presidential Candidate Francisco "Isko" Moreno Domagoso visited the Provincial Capitol of Cebu on Friday, November 5, 2021, after he arrived on a Thursday evening to embark on his two-day "Listening Tour".

The running President under the Aksyon Demokratiko had a special gathering in one of the country's biggest and most successful cooperatives, with over 150,000 members nationwide and more than P15 billion in assets. This makes Cebu one of the most vote-rich province in the country.

Around 50 representatives of Cebu coops, including the Cebu CFI Cooperative Chairman Atty. Winston F Garcia and Cebu Governor Gwendolyn F. Garcia were gathered at the meeting hall of the CFI coop to hear Mayor Isko's views and programs, his role in the cooperative movement, especially the recovery of the Philippine economy after the COVID 19 pandemic.

The Garcia siblings gave their heart-warming messages to the Manila Mayor as Moreno was the only Presidential Candidate who visited the Cebu CFI and honored their late mother, Judge Esperanza.

"You coming here Mayor, is an honor for the Cebu CFI but you bring honor to our mother and to our family. On behalf of our family, from the bottom of our hearts, we, thank you very much," Atty. Winston Garcia said.

"There have been other, well, national candidates that have been visited the capitol, but it is only 'Yorme' who asked if he may visit the Cebu CFI. You have done your research Yorme" Gov. Gwen Garcia added.

The Cebu CFI Cooperative was founded in 1970 by the late Judge Esperanza "Inday" Phil Garcia. CFI was initially built in response to the loan abuse practices imposed upon the Courts of First Instance of Cebu employees.

The Manila Mayor pledged to the people of Cebu that if he gets their support, he will ensure the lives and livelihood of the people.

"Let me take this opportunity, pagdating ng araw ha, kakailanganin kong tulong niyo sa takdang panahon. Ako kasi nangangailangan ng tulong dahil siyempre wala naman akong tatay na presidente…," he said.

"Ito naman ang sukli ko. May awa ang Diyos, palarin ako. May awa ang Diyos basta ang aasahan niyo sa akin dalawang simpleng bagay lamang muna. Pipilitin kong itawid muna ang pamumuhay ng tao. Life and livelihood will be my outmost concern in the next two years.  Itatawid lang muna natin yung tao maibsan lang muna yung kinatatayuan," he added, saying that he does not want to overpromise.

Moreno noted that a lot individuals lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic, the reason why he promised to create more jobs opportunities and lower oil prices and taxes if elected president.