MANILA – In a moment of levity amid the grind of national housing woes, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. couldn’t resist a cheeky nudge toward Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso on Thursday, half-jokingly floating the idea of the former national star tapping his local wizardry to turbocharge the country’s sluggish shelter programs. The banter unfolded against the backdrop of a gleaming new residential complex in the capital, where Marcos openly envied the city’s breakneck pace on affordable homes – a stark contrast to the bureaucratic crawl plaguing national agencies.
Picture the scene: Sun-drenched ceremony in Sta. Cruz, ribbons snipped, families beaming as keys to fresh digs are handed out. Marcos, fresh from lauding the Manila local government unit’s (LGU) feats, turned to Domagoso – the silver-haired showman who’s traded mayoral robes for a potential encore on the bigger stage – with a grin that said more about admiration than appointment. “I’m jealous of what Yorme is saying – that one housing project was built in three months, with over 200 units,” Marcos quipped, using the mayor’s affectionate moniker. “That kind of speed is just a dream for us at the NHA and DHSUD.”
He didn’t stop at envy. “We need to learn from you how that’s done,” the president added, his tone laced with that signature mix of jest and genuine plea. “You take charge there so that it can be expedited.” It was classic Marcos – light touch masking a deeper itch to inject Manila’s hustle into the national machinery, where the National Housing Authority (NHA) and Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) often tangle in red tape and funding funks.
The spark? The ceremonial handover of San Lazaro Residences, a P1.9-billion triumph cooked up by the Manila LGU. This 382-unit haven isn’t your cookie-cutter high-rise; it’s a thoughtful stack of two-bedroom sanctuaries, each boasting living and dining nooks, a zippy kitchen, and a no-fuss toilet and bath. Tucked into the lower levels? A public health outpost, admin hub, function room, outdoor play zone, and – because why not? – a splashy swimming pool to beat Manila’s swelter. Aimed at the everyday grinders, eligibility zeros in on Manila residents and government workers pulling salary grades 18 and below, with a modest monthly tab of P2,000 to P3,000 that refunds in full when they pack up. Sweet deal: 193 units are earmarked for Manila Health Department folks, a nod to the frontline warriors who kept the city ticking through pandemics and potholes.
Domagoso, ever the crowd-pleaser, soaked up the spotlight without spilling on any cabinet daydreams – at least not yet. His track record speaks volumes: The man who razed slums and built bridges as mayor from 2016 to 2022 has long been whispered as a Marcos ally eyeing a federalist future. But this tease lands amid a housing crunch that’s got the administration hustling for solutions, with Marcos vowing in recent speeches to ensure “every Filipino has a home.” Three months for 200-plus units? That’s the kind of clip that could shave years off the backlog of 6.5 million shelterless households.
For now, it’s all in good fun – or is it? As the president eyes 2026 midterms and a legacy of livable legacies, Moreno’s name bubbling up again feels less like a punchline and more like a plot twist. In a town where politics plays out like a telenovela, who knows? The next episode might just cast Yorme as the housing hero Manila – and the nation – needs.