Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso on Monday filed his certificate of candidacy to run for president in the May 2022 elections.

Domagoso, 46, popularly known by his celebrity nickname Isko Moreno, filed with his running-mate Dr. Willie Ong their certificates of candidacy at the Commission on Elections office at the CCP Complex in Manila.

The mayor of the Philippine capital will run under the political party Aksyon Demokratiko, of which he is the president.

Domagoso appealed to the Filipinos to support his quest to serve them.

“Let’s heal our country, and together, there will be a better future for each of us. With your help, we can do it, Philippines,” he said during the flag-raising ceremony at Manila City Hall before filing his candidacy.

“Today, we’ll be part of history, and I hope it’s destiny,” he added.

Domagoso, along with his running mate, also visited Tondo, a poor district in Manila City where he was raised by his stevedore father and his mother who made a living by doing laundry and peeling garlic.

Domagoso, who grew up in Manila’s slums, appeared in movies when he was a teenager before using his popularity to enter politics. His political career began in 1998, when he was elected Manila councilor at 23. After serving three terms as councilor, he was elected vice mayor in 2007. Domagoso was elected Manila mayor in 2019 after defeating former President Joseph Estrada.

Domagoso has reaped praises for his efforts to clean up and decongesting the city streets since he assumed office.

Ong, Domagoso’s running mate, is well known for giving medical advice through social media. The Chinese- Filipino doctor has more than 16 million followers on Facebook. He also served as a consultant of the Department of Health under former administration.

According to a recent survey published by Pulse Asia, 13 percent of the Filipino respondents expressed support for Domagoso as a “probable” presidential candidate.