Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso has ordered all school officials in the city to remove the names of politicians—including his own—from public school buildings in the city, saying he will not allow “epal” (political opportunists) to use schools for their publicity stunt.
“I ordered the removal of all the politicians’ names, including my name, painted or hanging in schools’ walls,” Moreno said in Filipino during a press briefing Tuesday after meeting with the Manila School Board.
Moreno said he wants to distance public education from traditional politicking.
“Let’s leave politics to politicians, and our educational institutions to academicians,” Moreno told members of the City School Board.
“No ‘epal’ in schools’ walls. No ‘epal’ in basketball courts, gymnasiums that were built by politicians inside schools. ‘Epal’ is strictly prohibited. Let’s stop it,” he added.
“All politicians’ names were painted on the walls, as if you are immortalizing yourself or as if it is your money, that is not your money. That is people’s money,” he added.
Also on Tuesday, Moreno said he will revive the Nutribun bread program in Manila’s public elementary schools to address malnutrition among elementary students, particularly from poor families.
Despite the city government facing a huge financial deficit, Moreno assured Manileños that his administration will steadfastly implement the Nutribun program, first staged in the early 1970s as a supplementary feeding program for public elementary schoolchildren.
Moreno said the nutritious bread would be part of free meals for Kinder and Grade 1 public school students daily starting next year.
“We will find a way to fund the program because that is my commitment to address malnutrition among elementary students,” the mayor said.
Meanwhile, Moreno wants solar panels installed on rooftops and rainwater collectors in all public primary and secondary schools in the city.
With today’s environmental challenges, the new mayor underscored the need to tap renewable sources of water and energy.
“We’re having challenges with water in our dams. While it is true that it already is the rainy season, rains are not falling regularly,” Moreno said. “We are still below comfortable water level in our dams, as per reports.”
“Having said that, I am encouraging the board to come up with environmental projects and programs to harness renewable energies. I also asked if we can install these solar panels in rooftops,” he added.
This is to show children how important it is to care for the environment without saying it directly to them, the mayor said.
“If they are seeing these types of facilities, and it can be done since it’s not even rocket science, they will know how to care for the environment,” Moreno told reporters.
“When they would be given the opportunity in the future, they will do the same when they grow up,” he added.