Honey Lacuna

Maria Sheilah "Honey" Honrado Lacuna-Pangan (born May 6, 1965) is a Filipina physician and politician who served as the 28th mayor of Manila, the capital city of the Philippines, from 2022 to 2025. The first woman to become the city's mayor, Lacuna previously served as the city's 33rd and second female vice mayor from 2016 to 2022, as officer-in-charge of the Manila Department of Social Welfare from 2013 to 2015, and as a member of the Manila City Council from 2004 to 2013. She is a daughter of the former vice mayor Danilo Lacuna.

Early life Lacuna was born on May 6, 1965, in Manila She earned a biology degree at the University of Santo Tomas, earned a Doctor of Medicine degree from De La Salle Medical and Health Sciences Institute, passed the physician board examination in 1992, and completed her residency training in dermatology at the Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center.

Medical career A general practitioner with specialization in dermatology by profession, Lacuna worked as a resident physician of the dermatology department of Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center from 1992 to 1995 and as the public health center physician under the Manila Health Department from 1995 to 2004. As the latter, she was assigned to the Bacood Health Center in Santa Mesa and later to the Tondo Health Center in Tondo. Her father, then Vice Mayor Danny Lacuna, then tasked her to head the medical team of his office's regular medical and dental mission conducted every week in various depressed communities in Manila. She then won, serving as a Manila city councilor from the 4th district for three consecutive terms from 2004 to 2013. she then won the vice mayoralty race. She became the first woman to be elected vice mayor since the post became an elective position. She was then reelected in 2019, this time as the running mate of her predecessor Isko Moreno, who was running for mayor under Asenso Manileño and defeated Estrada. In 2021, she joined Aksyon Demokratiko and was named as the party's vice-president for Internal Affairs and National Executive Board Member.

Mayor (2022–2025)

With Isko Moreno running for president in 2022, Lacuna was nominated by Asenso Manileño to run for mayor in 2022 to succeed him, with Manila's 3rd district representative Yul Servo as her running mate and vice mayoral candidate. She won the race by a huge margin over her closest rival, Alex Lopez, making her the first-ever female to become mayor of Manila. She was inaugurated before outgoing mayor Moreno on June 29, 2022, at the Manila Cathedral, but only officially started her term on the next day, succeeding him. As mayor, she vowed to prioritize health care and expand Moreno's programs.

On August 5, 2022, Lacuna was conferred with a degree of Doctor of Public Administration, honoris causa by the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila.

As mayor, Lacuna initiated the "Kalinga sa Maynila," which brings essential city hall services directly to residents. She also reported that since assuming office as mayor, she has visited 500 out of Manila's 897 barangays and paid off of the debt left by her predecessor, Isko Moreno, for infrastructure projects as of August 2024. Additionally, three six-story school buildings were constructed under her administration. The Manila city government, under her administration, was also awarded its first Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) in 2024, highlighting focus on transparency, accountability, and inclusivity in governance. Her tenure has also faced criticisms on health permit requirement for Manila workers by virtue of an ordinance signed by Moreno in 2022, the conditions at the Manila Public Health Laboratory in Santa Cruz, delays in infrastructure projects, and the city's garbage crisis in 2025.

On August 6, 2024, Lacuna joined the Lakas–CMD party. On August 27, she announced her re-election bid for mayor in 2025.

Personal life Lacuna is married to Arnold "Poks" Martin Pangan, They have one daughter.

Electoral history