Cover Photo By Ivy Berces
Cover Photo By Ivy Berces.

A different Sotto


Lauded by the public for his refreshing and honest leadership, Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto has become a household name in Philippine politics—however, is he really the “face of change?”


By Benildean Press Corps | Monday, 13 July 2020

Campaign season in the country has always had a hallmark of being the over-the-top fiesta-like atmosphere with ridiculously catchy jingles and photos of candidates plastered on walls, posts, and vehicles. Amidst all this madness is Vico Sotto, unheard of in the political universe but whose family name is known in both show business and politics. Unknown to most, Sotto would then lead on to reconstruct local politics with a fresh perspective.

By all means, Mayor Vico Sotto could have hinged his campaign on his family name. As the son of the celebrities Vic Sotto and Coney Reyes, and nephew of Senate president Vicente “Tito” Castelo Sotto III, Vico’s campaign could have easily made noise at the outset.

Instead, he opted to steer clear of the limelight and needless publicity. With his under-the-radar persona and limited resources, Vico launched an “alternative campaign,” refusing to spend any money during campaign season, doing away with social media, and going “offline” for the most part.

This low-key and seemingly unremarkable campaign method, ironically secured Vico the traction he needed to win the 2019 Pasig elections. With approximately an 87,000-vote lead over incumbent mayor Robert Eusebio, Sotto put an end to the Eusebio clan’s 27-year dynasty.

#IbaNaman: Reinventing Pasig politics

Mayor Sotto, who holds a degree in Political Science from Ateneo de Manila University, coined his winning campaign as the “Big V (Five) Agenda,” zeroing in on developing Pasig City’s healthcare, housing programs, education, public consultation, and efforts on anti-corruption. Out of the city’s ₱12-billion budget, ₱2.5 billion was allocated to healthcare. Through proper investment in the building and repair of various housing projects, Sotto ensures development in the housing sector of the city for all Pasigueños.

Additionally, as an advocate for quality education, Sotto has provided the students of Pasig with better facilities and scholarships.

Sotto’s work against the recent Coronavirus outbreak in the country has also been gaining traction among the masses. Sotto, who has not only deployed disinfectant drones, turned hotel establishments into quarantine areas, and prepared 160 million worth of food packs for Pasig residents, but has also appealed to the national government to allow tricycle operations to resume. In turn, Filipinos have taken to social media to commend Sotto’s proactive measures.

In an interview with The Benildean, ID 119 Architecture student and Pasig City resident Kathleen Beltran expressed that Sotto’s way of politics “is something we [Pasigueños] could hope for.”

“Most of the time, the “humble” and discreet servants of the public always give the most efficient help and solutions […] basically, they walk the talk without the validation of the public–they just do what they know is right,” Beltran said.

However, Sotto’s first 100 days in office were not all smooth sailing. In fact, his first Executive Order (EO) as Mayor was the suspension of the odd-even number traffic scheme in Pasig. Consequently, this led to criticism from the public. According to Sotto, who called the traffic scheme “ineffective,” the EO was necessary for the Traffic Management Task Force to solve the problem of traffic in the city.

Pasig’s crackdown on corruption

Sotto is ever-vigilant on cases of corruption in his city, quick to act on this venality in the streets and in the city government. He already dealt a firm reproving hand on notorious errant traffic enforcers, known as the “Blue Boys,” as well as on the Traffic and Parking Management (TPMO) staff who have proven links to extortion. He has also suspended high-ranking environment officers who were identified to engage in bribery.

One notable achievement is the ₱150-million save from public biddings. The city government managed this by reducing all Approved Budget Contracts by at least 10% and through a rigorous, “honest-to-goodness” bidding process, which was streamed live on Facebook for transparency.

Sotto, alongside the new generation of Philippine mayors, like Francis Zamora of San Juan City and Francisco “Isko” Moreno of Manila City, are a batch of fresh blood with competence, tenacity, verve, and influence to bring about change.

Strongly advocating for change in the Philippine political scene, he is indeed walking the talk so far. His campaign and resolve have made believers optimistic for a better future.

Despite his inexperience in the political arena, his work shows promise for the country’s future political landscape, and the potential to make the Filipino dream of an honest and efficient government system become a reality.


This article is also published in the first ever fully-online magazine of The Benildean: Update Vol. 6 No. 2.



Last updated: Tuesday, 8 June 2021