Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto has revealed his plans after completing his third and final term in office — and they don’t include running for higher political office.
In an interview on The Pod Network Entertainment, Sotto shared that he hopes to return to the academic world to teach and possibly pursue further studies once his term as mayor ends in 2028.
“Ang plano ko, balikan ‘yung mga hindi ko nagawa dahil tumakbo akong mayor. I’d like to teach if I have an opportunity. That’s one thing,” he said.
While he hasn’t decided on a specific course to teach, Sotto believes that his years in government have equipped him with valuable lessons that he can share with students.
“Nine years of experience (as mayor) plus three years as a councilor — so 12 years of experience as a government official, plus other experience engaging the government with other hats on,” he explained.
“I feel I have a lot of experience to share with younger students,” he added.
Before entering politics, Sotto once taught for a semester at Arellano University before being elected mayor in 2019.
The 36-year-old mayor also said he plans to return to studying and continue his advocacy work after leaving public office.
“Kasi kapag mayor ka, unang-una, sa Local Government Code, bawal ka magkaroon ng ibang trabaho. So, of course, dapat sumunod tayo du’n,” he noted.
Sotto has previously stated that he has no plans to run for a higher position after his term ends.
Recently, he was recognized internationally when TIME Magazine included him in its TIME100 Next list of the ‘World’s Most Influential Rising Stars,’ alongside Filipino-Canadian actor Manny Jacinto.
In her profile of Sotto, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa praised him for his “radical transparency” and ethical leadership, describing his governance style as “a master class in modern, ethical leadership.”
“Vico Sotto is proving it can be done,” Ressa wrote. “At 36, Pasig City’s mayor has toppled a 27-year family dynasty not through money or machinery, but through radical transparency… His courageous approach — data-driven, direct, and empathetic — is a testament to the power of the individual to ignite a movement for change.”
