Isko: Blue tents not sanctioned by city hall

MANILA, Philippines — Persons or groups selling blue tents to vendors along certain streets in Quiapo are not authorized by the city government, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno said yesterday.

He said while he has allowed the vendors to set up kiosks along Villalobos, Carriedo and Hidalgo streets, the blue tents – the color he used for his campaign – may be a ploy by his political enemies to discredit him and his campaign to clear the city’s streets of obstructions.

“Organizers are not sanctioned. If you want to organize as vendors you organize among yourselves based on the policy of the city,” he added.

A vendor, however, said several “organizers” have been collecting money from them since July 1.

“They are the same persons who were selling orange tents during the previous administration,” she told The STAR.

She said a certain “Bunny” has been distributing blue tents and iron frames and collecting P70 per day, P20 of which is remitted to the city government’s hawkers division.

Moreno’s media relations office maintained that the scheme has no blessing from the mayor and no one is authorized to paint blue lines on these streets.

Moreno has also ordered the Manila School Board to remove the names of politicians, including his, from public primary and secondary school buildings in the city “as soon as possible.”

He said politicians who put up their names act “as if you are immortalizing yourself or as if it is your money… Pera yan ng taumbayan (That is the people’s money).”

Moreno said politicians’ graduation greetings will be allowed so long as the streamers are outside school premises.

Former Manila mayor Joseph Estrada, on the other hand, challenged Moreno and the Commission on Audit (COA) to investigate him and file charges if they have evidence of wrongdoing.

According to an initial COA report, Estrada had P141 million in unresolved transactions and unliquidated cash advances during his last three months in office.

A 2018 COA report also showed that the Estrada administration left the city government with a P4.3-billion cash deficit.