TENS of thousands of residents lined up the streets of Manila Tuesday as a show of support behind Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso, a former “basurero” who is now running for president under the Aksyon Demokratiko, the political party built by the late Bicolano Senator Raul Roco.

Even Mayor Isko was overwhelmed by the tens of thousands of Manila City residents who came out of their homes and lined up in the streets to cheer for him and express their full support behind Mayor Isko, his running mate Doc Willie Ong, and the three senatorial bets of Aksyon Demokratiko.

“Maraming Salamat, nagulat ako siyempre. As I have promised you, we wanted a very modest way of doing it. Wala eh hindi mo mapigilan ang tao. I’m very grateful, alam mo yun heartwarming? Hindi ko maipaliwanag eh basta masayang-masaya ako sa mainit na paghatid nila sa atin sa 90 days ng buhay na ating tatahakin sa kampanyang ito,” Moreno told reporters who were able to interview him while the caravan was on a standstill.

About 5,000 motorcycle riders wearing blue t-shirts joined the “Blue Wave” caravan that saw Moreno, vice presidential bet Doc Willie Ong, and senatorial candidates Dr. Carl Balita, Samira Gutoc, and Jopet Sison, touring the streets of Tondo on top of a medium-sized truck with a makeshift roof.

“At may awa ang Dyos. Sana maging ligtas ang lahat pati ang kapwa ko kandidato, ‘yung mga kalaban natin na sana sila rin maging ligtas lalo na syempre sa impeksiyon ng COVID-19. Isa sa mga posibilidad na pwedeng mangyari sa amin ‘yun bilang mga kandidato and that goes to everyone,” said the 47-year-old presidential candidate.

Moreno and his Aksyon Demokratiko slate had earlier heard Mass at the Sto. Nino Parish Church in Tondo. It has been the practice of Moreno to always hear mass at the start of every political campaign or when there is a big event like the filing of his certificate of candidacy for president.

The caravan lasted for several hours as the movement of the motorcade around the two districts of Tondo went on a snail-pace with the huge number of people who went out to get a glimpse of their idol – the former 3-term councilor who went on to become a 3-term vice mayor and finally city mayor in 2019.

From Tondo, the motorcade went through Sta. Cruz District and then to Sampaloc District before going to Sta. Ana District which leads to the Kartilya ng Katipunan, the venue of the Aksyon Demokratiko’s proclamation rally.

Informed that thousands of people were also watching their motorcade through his official Facebook page, the Aksyon Demokratiko presidential bet said: “Grabe ang tao, grabe! Nakaka-overwhelm. Grabe ang dami ng tao. Naglabasan ang lahat ang mga ordinaryong tao.”

Moreno said tens of thousands of people lining up along the streets and ignoring the heat just to have a glimpse of him and his team prove that there is a God.

“Sabi ko sa ‘yo may Diyos eh, sabi ko sa ‘yo may Diyos,” Moreno said. “Samahan nyo kami 90 days. Malakas ang loob namin kasi kasama namin kayo.”

Moreno said he chose Tondo to kick off their campaign as everything starts in Manila, the capital of the country. “Manila, di ba kilometer 0? Everything starts in Manila o tingnan mo doon sa Luneta nakalagay kilometer 0. So, from here we will try to reach as many people as possible in the entire country,” he said.

The presidential bet also expressed confidence that just like in 2016 when then Davao City Mayor and current President Rodrigo Roa Duterte won the elections and became the leader of the country, he too will also be victorious.

Moreno, meanwhile, assured city residents that his work as local chief executive will not be hampered with the start of the 90-day campaign.

He also said that Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna is also hands-on when it comes to the city government’s effort to protect the people from COVID-19 through their non-stop vaccination drives.

“Unang-una I am able and capable. At napakasipag na vice mayor at talagang si Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna hands on ‘yun kasama natin sa pagtulong sa taong bayan. In fact, kanina pagsama niya sa simbahan sabi nya after mag-motorcade magbabakuna na ulet,” Moreno said.

“I am very proud of her and of course the other department heads and their respective tasks masayang masaya naman ako at umasa kayo hanggat maari talaga basta kayo ang prayoridad ko,” he said.

If elected president, Moreno said he will address the perennial problems of the country by providing the minimum basic needs of the people – housing, education, health care, and jobs – through the efficient and prudent management of government resources.