At 4:30 a.m. on Sunday, September 21, Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso addressed city government workers ahead of their deployment to 14 protest sites across the capital, reminding them that their mission is to serve the public.
The deployment covers 300 personnel from the Department of Public Services (DPS), Manila Traffic and Parking Bureau (MTPB), Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW), Manila City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MCDRRMO), and Manila Health Department (MHD).
The workers will provide medical aid, water, sanitation, and traffic management support during the day’s mass protests.
“My fellow public servants, una, maraming salamat sa inyo. Magkasama-sama tayo. You will be put in your designated areas,” Domagoso told the assembled workers at City Hall.
“Ang bilin ko lang, simple: tayo ay tutulong. Basta tayo, bilang gobyerno sa Maynila,” he said, stressing that medical aid and emergency response must be extended to anyone in need, regardless of affiliation.
“Kung may mangangailangan ng medical assistance, kahit sino, ulitin ko, kahit sino pa sila na mangangailangan ng assistance nila, tutulungan natin,” he said.
The mayor noted that the city is prepared for health and safety risks, whether from the heat, rain, or the size of the crowds.
“In our own little way, as a City Government of Manila, we are going to deliver public service. Public service,” he said urging workers to keep focus on their duties. “Mag-ingat lang kayo. Ayaw ko kayong makisali. Tutulong lang tayo. Iyon ang purpose natin dito.”
The mayor also offered a prayer for the safety of both the workers and the public. “Ang wish ko ay gabayan kayo ng Panginoong Diyos, na siguruhin na ligtas lahat sa araw na ito,” he said, before sending them off with well wishes.
“=Good luck sa inyo. Mag-ingat kayo. May God guide and bless you, and keep you safe today, and our people and those people who will come in the City of Manila. Manila, God first,” Domagoso said.
