SAN Joaquin, Iloilo — Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso on Tuesday took his Listening Tour to Sitio Liit, Barangay Purok 1 here to attend the Domagoso-Sandoy Family reunion and finally meet his paternal relatives.

San Joaquin is the birthplace of Mayor Isko’s father, Joaquin, who in his youth went to Hamtic, Antique, and later on tried his luck in Manila in the 1960s and worked as a stevedore in the ports of Manila.

In the slums of Tondo, Manila, Joaquin Domagoso would later meet and fall in love with Rosario “Chayong” Moreno, a native of Allen, Northern Samar, who bore him a son who was named Francisco Moreno Domagoso.

Moreno said he is very happy that after spending all his life in Tondo thinking he is all alone as a Domagoso, he has now actually touched base with his humble roots. The Sandoys are the offsprings of his father’s sister who remained in San Joaquin.

“Masaya ako dahil for the first time, nakita ko na kung anong uri ng kapaligiran ang lugar ng kapanganakan ng tatay ko. Ngayon hindi na ako rare species. Sa Tondo nag-iisa lang ako. At least totoo pala, marami pala kami, mga Sandoy, Domagoso. Hindi ako rare species,” Moreno said to a crowd of about 200 Ilonggos comprised mostly of his relatives.

“Ulilang-ulila ang pakiramdam ko, pero ngayon parang ang laki ng pamilya ko,” said Moreno.

The Aksyon Demokratiko standard bearer said he is also happy that he was able to prove to the whole world that everything he said about his humble beginnings were true.

Moreno said he is proud to be a Domagoso, because it was from his father that he learned the value of hard work, persistence and uprightness, qualities that have brought him success in his life, both as a fledgling actor and later on as councilor, vice mayor and now mayor of Manila.

He recounted how his father always went to the pier to look for work even if he is not on duty, always hoping that he will be noticed and given work so he can provide for his family.

“Pag walang duty, pupunta sa pier nagbabakasakali baka matawag. Dun ko narinig sa kanya yung ‘huwag kang humilata dyan, paggising mo apat na sulok pa rin ang bahay natin.’ Kaya natutunan ko sa tatay ko, magtrabaho, magtrabaho,magtrabaho, maghananap ng tratarabahuin at pag nagka-trabaho, pagbutihan mo para mapansin ka,” Moreno said.

“Ito naman ang ikakatangos niyo dito sa San Joaquin. Kahit na mahirap ang tatay ko, hindi nagnakaw, hindi namerhwisyo ng kapuwa,” he pointed out.

Moreno said the same could be said to his mother, who taught him the value of discipline in his early life in the slums.

“Ganun din ang nanay ko, hindi nagnakaw at hindi rin namerwhisyo ng kapuwa. Pero ang nanay ko, lahat ng kulata inabot ko dun. Bawat konting kibot, palo diyan palo dun. Sobrang disciplinarian. In fairness to her, pag hindi naging disiplinado ang nanay ko para sa akin, baka napariwara ako,” Moreno explained.

The 47-year-old presidential aspirant said his family’s life story should serve as an inspiration to ordinary folks like the people of San Joaquin.

“Yung mga nandirito ngayon, huwag na huwag kayong mawawalan ng pag-asa. Sino ang makakapagsabi na pwedeng maging possible na dito sa lupang kinatitirikan natin at dito sa lupang nakapaligid dito, mayroong pwedeng maging presidnete ng bansa,” Moreno said.

“Nangyari sa akin, pwede na rin mangyari sa anak ninyo. Kahit anak ng mahirap, basta nagsikap at nagpursige ang magulang, yung bata nagsikap, may mararating sa buhay,” he said.

Having said that, Moreno asked for the support of his relatives and the people of San Joaquin in his journey to the presidency.

Moreno said the success of his quest, as well as the respective bids of his running mate, Dr. Willie Ong, as well as his senatorial candidates, Dr. Carl Balita, Samira Gutoc and Jopet Sison, lies on the single peso that they can give to their candidacies by texting their close friends and relatives.

In this way, he said people can proudly say that, if he is elected, they were the cause of his success because of the single peso they invested on him, an investment that they could later on ask to be re-compensated with.

Moreno vowed that their investment would be returned in the form of public housing, public hospitals, schools, jobs, and other basic services through his “Buhay at Kabuhayan” agenda of governance.

“Kapag politiko ang gumastos, may singilin sila. Dahil kayo ang gumastos sa akin, may singilin kayo sa akin, at serbisyo ang singilin niyo sa akin,” Moreno said.