32 Facts About Vico Sotto

Vico Sotto won the election as an independent and served a term in the city council.

Vico Sotto joined the Aksyon Demokratiko party and was elected mayor of Pasig in 2019 with a platform focused on public consultation, data-driven governance, and universal health care in the city, which prioritizes housing programs, easier access to education, and cracking down on corruption.

Vico Sotto was re-elected in 2022; shortly afterwards, he resigned from Aksyon Demokratiko.

The public expected Vico Sotto would make regular appearances on the show, but he kept a low profile and exhibited an early interest in government at the age of 10.

Vico Sotto attended preschool at the Philippine Montessori Center with future actress Janine Gutierrez as his classmate.

Vico Sotto attended Brent International School for most of his grade school and high school.

Vico Sotto graduated from the Ateneo de Manila University in 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, and earned a Master of Arts in Public Management from the Ateneo School of Government in 2018.

In 2018, Vico Sotto received the prestigious YSEALI Professional Fellowship Award.

Vico Sotto did his professional residency at the Iowa Public Information Board as part of the fellowship.

Vico Sotto was elected as a member of Sangguniang Panlungsod of Pasig in 2016, serving a single term before he was sworn in as Mayor on June 30,2019.

Vico Sotto focused his attention on "The Pasig Transparency Mechanism Ordinance," which seeks the disclosure of public records, including financial documents and contracts, upon request by ordinary citizens.

When Vico Sotto ran for Mayor in Pasig in 2019, he campaigned on a platform called, "Big V" Agenda, which promotes universal healthcare, housing programs, education, public consultation, and anti-corruption efforts.

Vico Sotto assured the public that every family living in Pasig would eventually own their own house and promised that informal settlers would not be forced to leave their homes until primary services and livelihood could be assured at the selected relocation site.

Vico Sotto promised transparency in government projects, from planning to implementation, to monitoring and evaluation.

Vico Sotto indicated that his administration's anti-corruption drive would begin with the establishment of a "Government Efficiency and Anti-Corruption Commission," the establishment of a Pasig anti-corruption hotline, and assurance that a non-governmental organization or civil society organization would watch over each of the city government's bidding processes.

Vico Sotto's proposed solution to this problem was to ensure that decisions on the provision and prioritization of services would be based on data, rather than the political will or whims of officials.

Vico Sotto defeated incumbent mayor Robert Eusebio in the 2019 Pasig local elections, ending the 27-year rule of the Eusebio family over the Pasig mayoralty.

Vico Sotto received favorable press coverage when he issued a policy statement against the proliferation of political propaganda signages prior to his inauguration.

Vico Sotto has made statements discouraging the "celebrity treatment" of politicians in the Philippines.

On July 9,2019, media reports noted that Vico Sotto had visited protesters who were being forced away from their picket line in front of the main factory of Zagu Foods Corporation in Pasig.

Vico Sotto reminded Zagu Foods' management that the protesters were within their rights to engage in protest activities.

In February 2020, Vico Sotto again gained positive media reactions as a result of his efforts to crack down on illegally-operating businesses linked to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators.

Vico Sotto received significant positive attention in both traditional and social media in response to Pasig's quick, data-driven responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the resulting 2020 Luzon enhanced community quarantine beginning March 17,2020.

Vico Sotto's administration executed a number of transportation initiatives during the enhanced community quarantine.

Vico Sotto thus went on national media pleading to the national government that an exception be made for Pasig's tricycles, based on the studies.

Vico Sotto immediately responded that Pasig would stop allowing tricycles to ply their routes.

The National Bureau of Investigation invoked the said law on April 1,2020 against Vico Sotto, summoning him to appear at their office on April 7, claiming that he had violated the law's provision which bans public transportation.

In July 2021, Vico Sotto announced his plans to run for reelection as Pasig mayor in the 2022 Pasig local elections.

Vico Sotto originally ran as an independent for a seat in the Sangguniang Panglungsod of Pasig and won without any party affiliation.

In 2019, Vico Sotto joined Aksyon Demokratiko, a national political party founded by former Senator Raul Roco in 1997.

Vico Sotto was sworn into the party alongside Roman Romulo, who won as representative in Pasig's sole legislative district and Marielle del Rosario, who ran as representative of Navotas.

However, six months after his re-election as Pasig mayor in 2022, Vico Sotto resigned from Aksyon Demokratiko due to differences regarding the party's direction, noting that "recent events have made it apparent" that its members no longer shared similar political goals and ideals.