Isko Moreno leads by 78 points vs Lacuna in race for Manila mayor – OCTA

FILE PHOTO: Then presidential candidate and Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso tours parts of the Bicol Region in this file photo taken during the 2022 campaign period. Photo from Isko Moreno’s Office

MANILA, Philippines — Former Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso will score a landslide victory for Manila’s mayoral race if the elections were held from July 8 to 10, an OCTA Research survey showed.

According to the survey, if the battle is just between Moreno and current Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna, OCTA Research’s poll showed that Moreno would take a commanding 86 percent of the votes against Lacuna — who would get just 8 percent herself, an unusually low number for any incumbent.

OCTA also said that Moreno will win across all six Manila districts if he and Lacuna faces off:

• 90 percent against 9 percent for the 1st District
• 89 percent against 5 percent for the 2nd District
• 91 percent against 7 percent for the 3rd District
• 85 percent against 6 percent for the 4th District
• 73 percent against 13 percent for the 5th District
• 91 percent against 4 percent for the 6th District

In a phone call interview, Professor Ranjit Rye — President of OCTA Research — verified with Inquirer that the survey was commissioned by Daniel Tan.

Moreno served as Manila mayor for one term, winning in 2019 with Lacuna as his Vice Mayoral running mate.  When Moreno ran for president in 2022, Lacuna took over, winning as Manila’s first woman mayor.

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READ: ‘Peace be with you’: Isko tells Lacuna Manileños will decide if they want him

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However, the pair appear to be headed for a showdown in 2025, with Lacuna expressing intentions to seek reelection.

Last July 17, Lacuna said she is giving former Moreno time to reconsider his possible mayoral bid in the 2025 polls — saying that while she she understands “the reality of politics”, her “sibling love” for Moreno remains.

Over social media, there have been calls for Moreno to run for mayor again, with the former mayor sharing multiple videos of large crowds chanting “bumalik ka na” (please return). Moreno captioned this by saying, “Laging may awa ang Diyos (God is always merciful) #TimeWillTell.”