Vico Sotto facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Vico Sotto
Sotto during a public address in 2024
12th Mayor of Pasig
Incumbent
Assumed office June 30, 2019
Vice mayor	Iyo Bernardo (2019–2022) Robert Jaworski Jr. (2022–present)
Preceded by	Bobby Eusebio
Member of the Pasig City Council from the 1st District
In office June 30, 2016 – June 30, 2019
Personal details
Born	Victor Ma. Regis Nubla Sotto (1989-06-17) June 17, 1989 (age 36) Quezon City, Philippines
Political party	Independent (2015–2018, 2022–present)
Other political affiliations	Aksyon (2018–2022) Giting ng Pasig (2021–present)
Education	Brent International School (secondary)
Alma mater	Ateneo de Manila University (AB, MPM)
Occupation	Politician
Signature
Parent(s)	Vic Sotto (father) Coney Reyes (mother)
Relatives	Sotto family

Victor Ma. Regis "Vico" Nubla Sotto (born June 17, 1989) is a Filipino politician. He is currently the mayor of Pasig City in the Philippines. He first became involved in politics when he ran for a seat on the Pasig City Council in 2016. He won as an independent candidate and served one term.

In 2019, he was elected mayor of Pasig. His main goals included improving healthcare, providing housing, making education easier to access, and fighting against corruption. He was re-elected as mayor in 2022. In 2021, the United States Department of State honored Sotto with an International Anticorruption Champions Award for his efforts to fight corruption.

About Vico Sotto

Early Life and Education

Vico Sotto was born on June 17, 1989. His parents are famous actors Vic Sotto and Coney Reyes. Many people thought he would follow his parents into entertainment. However, Vico was interested in government from a young age, around 10 years old.

He went to Philippine Montessori for preschool. He attended Brent International School for most of his grade school and high school years. In 2011, he graduated from the Ateneo de Manila University with a degree in Political Science. Later, he earned a Master's degree in Public Management from the Ateneo School of Government in 2018.

In 2018, Sotto received the YSEALI Professional Fellowship Award. This allowed him to work at the Iowa Public Information Board as part of his fellowship. Before becoming a politician, Sotto also taught social science at Arellano University for a semester.

Becoming a Politician

Serving on the Pasig City Council (2016–2019)

Vico Sotto was elected as a member of the Pasig City Council in 2016. He served one term before becoming mayor on June 30, 2019.

As an independent councilor, it was sometimes hard for him to get his ideas approved. He focused on creating "The Pasig Transparency Mechanism Ordinance." This law makes it easier for regular citizens to ask for public records. These records include financial documents and contracts. This law was the first of its kind in Metro Manila. It was like a local version of the freedom of information law.

Mayor of Pasig (2019–present)

Running for Mayor in 2019

When Sotto ran for mayor in 2019, he had a plan called the "Big V" (Big Five) Agenda. This plan focused on five main areas:

• Universal healthcare (healthcare for everyone)
• Housing programs
• Education
• Public consultation (asking citizens for their ideas)
• Anti-corruption efforts

His Campaign Promises

Sotto said that healthcare would be his top priority. He wanted to make sure that Pasig's health facilities had enough medicine. He also promised that every family in Pasig would eventually own their own home. He said that people living in informal settlements would not be moved until new homes and jobs were ready for them.

For education, Sotto promised to make scholarships easier to get. He wanted to remove complicated requirements for applying. He also worked to provide tablets and laptops to public school students and teachers. This helped them prepare for online learning during the "new normal."

Sotto also promised that the city government would ask for public opinion on all decisions. He wanted all government projects to be transparent. This means everyone could see how projects were planned, carried out, and checked. He also planned to set up a "Government Efficiency and Anti-Corruption Commission." He wanted to create a hotline for reporting corruption. Also, he wanted non-governmental organizations to watch over the city's bidding processes.

A key part of Sotto's plan was using data to make decisions. He wanted to make sure that services were given based on facts, not on who people knew in government.

Winning the 2019 Election

Vico Sotto won against the current mayor, Robert Eusebio, in the 2019 Pasig local elections. This ended the Eusebio family's 27-year control over the Pasig mayoralty. He officially became mayor on June 30, 2019.

Early Actions as Mayor

Sotto quickly showed his commitment to change. He asked supporters to remove political posters with his image. He wanted to discourage the "celebrity treatment" of politicians.

His first order as mayor was to create a Pasig City Traffic Management Task Force. This group was tasked with finding new solutions for traffic problems. He also ended the Pasig odd-even coding scheme. This scheme had added to the traffic rules already in place.

Sotto also supported workers' rights. He visited protesters at Zagu Foods Corporation. He reminded the company that workers have the right to protest peacefully. He also stepped in during a protest at Regent Foods Corporation. He asked the company to reconsider charges against arrested workers. He even helped raise money for their bail.

In February 2020, Sotto worked to close businesses linked to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) that were operating illegally. He ordered the closure of a restaurant that did not have a permit.

Re-election in 2022

Sotto speaking at a campaign rally in Pasig on March 25, 2022

In July 2021, Sotto announced he would run for re-election as Pasig mayor. For the 2022 election, he chose former Pasig representative Robert Jaworski Jr. as his running mate for vice mayor. They ran under the Giting ng Pasig (Bravery of Pasig) ticket. They won the election, defeating the other candidates.

Political Parties

Sotto first ran as an independent candidate for the Pasig City Council. He won without belonging to any political party.

In 2019, Sotto joined Aksyon Demokratiko, a national political party. He chose this party because he agreed with its goals. These goals included promoting freedom of information and ending political dynasties. However, in 2022, after being re-elected, Sotto resigned from Aksyon Demokratiko. He felt that the party's members no longer shared the same goals.

Even though he is not part of a national party, Sotto has his own local party in Pasig, called Giting Ng Pasig.

Election Results