Manila mayoral candidate and incumbent VM Honey Lacuna speaks at an online forum hosted by Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc. pic.twitter.com/AsoovZgL2z

— Jekki Pascual (@jekkipascual) April 11, 2022

MANILA - Manila mayoral candidate and incumbent Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna welcomes reclamation projects, as well as the development of the controversial Manila Baywalk Dolomite Beach.

At a virtual forum hosted by the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc, Lacuna said she is in favor of such projects as long as the environment is protected.

She said national authorities should also weigh on the effects of the project on the economy and the environment.

There are some big reclamation project proposals in Manila as well as nearby cities. Lacuna said reclamation projects, when done properly, can create jobs and help the economy.

She said, "It's something that would help bring progress, not only to our city, but to our entire country. Sa akin po welcome naman ang reclamation, basta po again we should follow all the protocols, basta naiisip natin lahat ng ano [epekto] sa environment natin."

Though the "dolomite beach" is a national government project, Lacuna said she welcomes such development because many residents can't afford to go to the popular beaches.

But she also stressed the importance of preserving nature.

"It's a welcome respite para sa ating mga kababayan. I just hope na kung ipagpapatuloy nila ang dolomite beach dito sa Manila na naconsider po nila ang safety," Lacuna said.

The incumbent vice mayor vows to continue the works of Presidential candidate and current Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso. She cited the many achievements of the current city administration like improvements in the education, health, infrastructure, public safety, housing sector and many more.

Lacuna said, "It's still a work in progress, pero I guess po napakarami na po magaganda na nangyari sa ating city that I would want and definitely would continue."

But she also has plans of her own for the capital city of the Philippines. Among her priorities is to improve the social services of the city like the building of a halfway homes for street dwellers, creating a new building for senior citizens, nutrition program for students, add more city housing developments, and building what she calls an "honest to goodness" rehabilitation center for juvenile delinquents.

"I would be focusing on the social services of the City of Manila, on top of the infrastructure programs that have been introduced or have been started by our mayor," she said.

Lacuna, daughter of the late Manila Vice Mayor Danilo Lacuna, hopes to become the first female mayor of Manila.

She is up against children of former mayors of Manila like Amado Bagatsing, Christy Lim-Raymundo, Alex Lopez and another opponent is former police official Elmer Jamias.