I have been watching Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto since 2019, when he first ran and won against the old guard. He began his term alongside Manila Mayor Isko Moreno and Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte. Their baptism of fire was the pandemic, and they were quickly called the “Pandemic Mayors.” Each had their own brand of leadership, but it was Vico who drew the most attention. And rightly so. After all, he ended the 27‑year political rule of the Eusebio family in Pasig.
He was 29. A breath of fresh air. A non‑trapo. It felt like David defeating Goliath in the political arena. Over time, he proved to his constituents that he deserved their votes. Now on his third and final term, Vico’s leadership remains innovative, his approach still new, and yes, still charismatic as when he first stepped in as a neophyte councilor in 2016. He has kept his record clean and gained more approval when he exposed the Discayas and rid city hall of rampant graft and corruption.
Perhaps, the reason why Mayor Vico is admired not only in Pasig but across the country is because he represents what the ideal politician should be—simple living, low key, approachable, magaling na lider, but more importantly, incorruptible.
The truth is, the traits he shows should be the bare minimum for anyone aspiring to public office. Nakakalungkot lang that in our political culture, these qualities are treated as extraordinary when they should be expected of everyone who seeks to serve. In a world where corruption and scandals abound, Vico became one of the standards by which the public measures leadership. Alongside former Vice President and now Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo, he is seen as a role model for what a leader should be.
Many pin their hopes on him running for president someday, thinking he could save the Philippines. He cannot run yet in 2028 because of age requirements. By now, Sotto is seen by many as a “savior” who will lift the country from the rotten political system. But here I recall Mayor Leni’s reminder against savior mentality. “Ako sa tingin ko dapat, alisin yung mentality na may isang savior. Dahil wala namang ganyan. Wala namang monopoly ng kakayahan,” she said in an interview where she also made clear she is no longer interested in running for any national position. She then mentioned Mayor Vico and Mayor Belmonte as examples of qualified public servants making a difference.
Indeed, no single leader can save us. Institutions, reforms, and collective responsibility matter more than one person. The good thing is that Vico has remained grounded. His time and energy are focused on Pasig (Very much like Leni who refused to be sidetracked as she focuses on Naga). His term is ending, and many Pasigueños worry about what happens next. Ideally, the reforms he has initiated for the past seven years should have taken root so that whoever succeeds him will build on the gains of his administration.
Two years before he bids city hall goodbye, Sotto has initiated practices that hopefully will stay long after he leaves. With Civil Society Organizations and students from Rizal Technological University’s College of Engineering, Pasig recently launched the “Citizen Monitoring of Infrastructure Projects.” The program aims to clean the system, fix the processes, and institutionalize the changes. This is new- students and civil society will watch over contractors. “Kasama rito ang mga proseso mula sa pagpaplano hanggang sa monitoring… Monitoring ng 3rd party (external) para hindi lang tama ang presyo, kundi responsibo sa pangangailangan ng tao at tama ang kalidad ng mga proyekto,” Sotto wrote on Facebook.
When asked about his future plans, the 36‑year‑old bachelor has publicly stated that after his third and final term ends in June 2028, he does not plan to run for higher office. Instead, he intends to return to academia, focusing on teaching at Ateneo de Manila University, his alma mater. He has consistently reiterated that politics beyond Pasig is not in his immediate plans.
Often, those who deserve to be in public office are the ones reluctant to cling to it. Former President Corazon Aquino is an example. When her supporters urged her to run for re‑election in 1992, she refused, respecting the one‑term rule under the constitution she fought to ratify. In her last State of the Nation Address in 1991, she said: “Someone who will do better may stand in this place next year, for I believe in the inexhaustible giftedness of the Filipino people. I only hope that he will be someone who will sincerely mean you well.”
That line stays with me. It reminds us that leadership is not about saviors. It is about trust, reforms, and the belief that many Filipinos are capable of serving sincerely.
Mayor Vico Sotto has shown what grounded leadership looks like. His story is not just about ending a dynasty or winning recognition. It is about proving that the bare minimum—honesty, transparency, accountability—can still inspire hope when practiced with sincerity. And maybe that is the challenge for all of us. To stop treating the bare minimum as extraordinary. To demand it from every leader, not just the few who stand out. To remember that reforms must be institutionalized, not personalized. To believe, as Cory Aquino did, in the inexhaustible giftedness of the Filipino people.
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