In line with the plans to redevelop the emergency hospital that stands more than a decade, the city allocated a total cost of PhP 70,995,764.18 that will be utilized to improve the facilities and equipment of the 3-story infirmary that also has a 50-bed capacity. The renovation works covered a total floor area of 3,320 square meters, which includes the main lobby, medical wards, laboratory, pharmacy, X-ray room, isolation wards, doctors’ quarters, and the administration office.

In the bargain, the newly improved VCEH now has an operational hemodialysis centre in partnership with AC Health. The facility is equipped with 12 hemodialysis machines and chairs. Additionally, PhilHealth will cover up to 156 sessions at a maximum per year, which cost approximately PhP 6,000 each in order to assist the patients in bearing the significant financial burdens. While the excess expenses will be taken care of by the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) Program.

 

On the flip side, coincidental with the momentous inauguration of the emergency hospital, the multi-level parking building was built right beside it that is designed to accommodate more vehicles carrying the patients—especially government vehicles such as ambulances. The 2-story parking building cost PhP 61,031,075.21 and has a total floor area of 2,223 square meters. The aforementioned facility has 37 parking spaces, four concessionaire spaces, a dining area, and restrooms. The decision to set aside a large space for cars was made in response to the congestion dilemma as clients arrive at the emergency hospital simultaneously. 

 

In his message during the ceremony, Mayor WES conveyed his enthusiasm for the succeeding health programs he has in store for Valenzuela City. As part of his Valenzuelife campaign—a city where everyone appreciates the beauty of life—he outlined his future goals to further improve the healthcare system. He said, “Natutuwa po ako na bago matapos ang aking unang termino ay nagawa po nating magawa ang lahat ng ating renovation at upgrading sa ating ospital na ito. As you can see, more than 13 years na po ang ating pasilidad [at alam naman po natin] na ito ang isa sa pinakaimportanteng pasilidad sa Valenzuela. Maraming buhay na po ang naisalba ng pasilidad na ito. Bagamat marami na tayong na-budget-an na proyekto, para po sa akin, pinakamahalagang pagandahan ang VCEH.” [I feel proud that before my first term ends, we were able to complete all the renovations and improvements in our hospital. As you can see, our facility has been operational for more than 13 years, and we all know that it's one of the most important facilities in Valenzuela. Many lives have been saved by this facility. Although we have established budgets for several projects, but for me, VCEH should be our top priority].

 

Moreover, the local government vows to institute and outline initiatives for the betterment of the healthcare system in Valenzuela City.  On July 1, 2025, Mayor WES Gatchalian will deliver his 1st State of the Health Address (SOHA) to further lay his plans on the health sector. 

 

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As the new school year approaches, the City Government of Valenzuela, led by Mayor WES Gatchalian, has left words of warning for the existing street gangs in the city who were involved in illegally recruiting minors and causing havoc or disturbance in the peace and order of Valenzuela City; with statements given through a comprehensive press conference with the media and the students from the Dalandanan National High School, on June 16, 2025.

 

The press conference was held on the first day of the school year to serve as a reminder for students to prevent themselves from being associated with any street gangs or partaking in any illegal activities, particularly physical and sexual violence. The panel is spearheaded not only by Mayor WES but also by the governing peace and order officials such as the Action Officer for Task Force on Fraternities and Gang Intervention and Prevention (TAFFGIP), District 1 Councilor Ghogo Deato-Lee; District Director of the Northern Police District, PBGen. Josefino Ligan; OIC of Valenzuela City Police Station, PCOL. Gerson Bisayas; Chief of State Community Affairs, PMAJ. Randy Llanderal; and Schools Division Superintendent, Mr. Noel Bagano.

 

PMAJ. Llanderal provided an overview of the current situation revolving around gangs. He outlined the common reasons why such gangs recruited minors and also cited some of their gruesome initiation rites which is a cause of concern for the safety of the youth. There were also reported rape cases and illegal drug use that were reported. Additionally, he also stated that certain bodily marks signifying their membership to said gangs are some of the police’s leads in order to identify their so-called “OG” or “Original Gangster”, which signified the leader of the street gang.

 

As the police were enforcing laws of order, the City Council, represented by Councilor Ghogo Deato-Lee, had authored a firm ordinance and resolution to prevent these street gangs from forming and expanding membership across the city. He explained in the conference the City Ordinance No. 1262, Series of 2025 – also known as “An Ordinance Prohibiting the Creation and Operation of Street Gangs, Recruitment of Minors to Take Part in Violent Gang Activities, and Activities that Disrupt Public Peace and Order” — which provides administrative and criminal sanctions to whoever will be caught recruiting or causing any disturbance in the city as an active member of a gang. Section 5 provides administrative penalties for any person who violates the code: the First Offense amounts to PHP 1,000.00, the Second Offense amounts to PHP 3,000.00, and the other Succeeding Offense shall amount to PHP 5,000.00, respectively. Meanwhile, Section 7 states that should any offender fail to comply with his/her obligations, a filing of a case in the court may ensue and upon conviction thereof, they may be punished by a fine of PHP 1,000.00 or imprisonment of not more than 30 days or both.

 

In support of the Anti-Gang Ordinance, Resolution No. 3467 was also passed which declares all identified gangs in the city, and their respective members, as “persona non grata” or “unwelcomed persons”  in the context of law. This is to further prevent any of their illegal operations and involve more vulnerable persons in their federation. 13 identified gangs in the city were declared persona non grata, namely:

 

• True Brown Style (TBS)
• Little Brown Style (LBS)
• Temple St. (TST)
• BB Hood
• NVC ISD Hood
• PMC Hood
• Nortenos Loccos
• Deathrow Hood Valenzuela Locos
• Varrio Latino
• TST - Rosario Hood
• TBS - Disiplina Village Lingunan
• Piru Hood
• Original Trouble Maker Gang (OTM

 

In his statement, Mayor WES expressed his serious resolve in addressing these alarming cases of gang violence and how he intends to mobilize the city departments and the police force to sustain public safety. “Binibigyan natin ng prayoridad ang sekyuridad ng inyong mga anak, sa loob man o sa labas ng Valenzuela. One year na ho nating pinaghahandaan ang araw na ito at ang programang ito at hinahabol ang mga gangs na kumakalat sa Valenzuela.”

 

Lastly, PBGEN. Ligan of the Northern Police District demonstrated the police’s swift response through a test of real-time response to reported cases. This is his way of reassuring that the police are bolstering their visibility to properly monitor far-flung areas and immediately respond to any emergencies.

 

The collaborative efforts of the governing officials and the police force were forged to ensure public safety by heightening awareness of the issue of gangs and preventing them through the passed ordinance and resolution. To maintain a liveable Valenzuela City, the local government shall continue to exhaust means to protect the Valenzuelano youth at all times.

 

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Sa inilabas na desisyon ng lupon laban kina PSSg Ernesto Camacho Jr. at PSSg Robert Masong Cabudoy Jr. ng Manila Police District (MPD) ay pinapanagot ang dalawang pulis-maynila sa kanilang kasong kinakaharap.

 

Matatandaang noong Hulyo 14, 2024, sa salaysay ng biktima, pasado alas kwatro ng umaga, habang bumabiyahe papasok ng trabaho ang biktimang si David sa kahabaan ng kalye M.H. Del Pilar, Brgy. Mabolo, Valenzuela City, napansin niya ang dalawang sakay ng motorsiklo na pawang walang mga suot na helmet at naka-tsinelas lamang. Binabalak pa lamang umano niyang sitahin ang mga ito nang bigla na lamang siyang nitong salubungin para komprontahin.

 

Nang makorner si David ng mga nakamotor ay bumaba ang mga ito at nilapitan siya. Doon na napag-alaman na mga parak ng Maynila ang dalawa. Una siyang nilapitan ng angkas ng motor na si Camacho, bumunot ng baril, at itinusok sa kanyang sikmura. Namilipit sa sakit ang biktima habang ang kanyang motor naman ay natumba. Tila lalo namang umangat ang tensyon noong sumunod na lumapit ang nagmamaneho ng motor na si Cabudoy. Naglabas din ito ng baril at itinutok sa biktima. Habang nakatutok sa biktima ang baril ay nagbanta pa ito kay David, “Gusto mo patayin na kita rito?”

 

Noo’y lumapit  ang isa pang kasamahang pulis ng dalawa na nagpakilalang si PCpl James Dale Vargas Dela Peña, at agad namagitan sa insidente. Iniabot niya ang tumilapong helmet sa biktima at pinaalis na ito upang hindi na magkagulo pa. Sinamantala naman ito ng mga suspek at agad na lumipad patungong Malanday.

 

Sa kabilang banda, nahatulang guilty ng Metropolitan Trial Court ang mga suspek sa kasong Grave Threats at Physical Injury–sa bisa ng R.A. No. 10951–at pinatawan ng parusa ayon sa bigat ng kanilang nagawa.  Si Camacho ay makukulong hanggang 20 araw at magbabayad ng PhP 5,000 halaga para sa pinsalang moral, habang si Cabudoy naman ay mapipiit nang hanggang apat na buwan at magbabayad ng danyos na PhP 10,000.

 

Sa isang presscon na pinangunahan ni Mayor WES Gatchalian, binati niya ang mga taong nagtulong-tulong upang panagutin ang mga sigang pulis. Pinasalamatan niya rin ang pamunuan ng MPD sa kanilang pakikipagtulungan para sa mas mabilis na paggulong ng kaso. Tiniyak din ni Mayor WES na walang pangamba mula sa mga abusadong pulis sa Valenzuela City. Ibinigay niya ang kanyang buong suporta sa mga kawani ng pamahalaang lungsod at siniguradong lagi siyang nakaagapy sa kanila. Aniya, “Dito sa Valenzuela, hindi natin tinotolerate ang mga bastos at siga. Dito sa Valenzuela, mahal ko ang mga kawani natin sa city hall. Bilang ama ng lungsod at kayo ang aking anak, ipagtatanggol ko kayo hanggang sa dulo.”

 

Sa ginanap na media briefing ay dumalo rin sina PLEB Chairperson Councilor Ricar Enriquez, Valenzuela City Transportation Office (VCTO) Head Jose Valenzuela, at mga opisyal mula sa National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) na sina NAPOLCOM Consultant Atty. Monina Cayayab at Vice Chairperson and Executive Officer Atty. Rafael Vicente Calinisan.

 

Sa kasalukuyang pag-uulat ay wala pang natatanggap na pahayag ang lokal na pamahalaan mula sa dalawang suspek.

 

 

 

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A total of 76,947 elementary students are set to receive school kits consisting of a backpack, notebooks, Math and English textbooks, a ruler, intermediate pad, pencil case with crayons, pencils, pens, eraser, and sharpener, as well as a tumbler and lunch box — all purchased through a budget allocation of PhP 30,222,573. Meanwhile, 55,520 junior and senior high school students will receive two sets of school uniforms each, with a total budget of PhP 56,698,000. The number of high school uniform beneficiaries is based on the estimated number of enrollees from the previous school year, as enrollment for the upcoming school year is still ongoing and not yet final.

 

The distribution is scheduled to take place over a span of four days across various public schools in the city, with teams deployed simultaneously to ensure orderly and efficient delivery of the supplies. This annual initiative, which began in 2008, has become a cornerstone of Valenzuela City’s Education 360 Degrees Investment Program - a holistic approach that supports learners, educators, and schools alike.

 

Mayor WES Gatchalian led the ceremonial distribution and expressed his commitment to supporting the Pamilyang Valenzuelano as they prepare for the new school year. “Alam ko kung gaano kagalak ang ating mga magulang, dahil alam naman natin na excited na excited pumasok ang ating mga anak kapag bago ang mga school supplies. Minarapat na rin po nating gawing libre ang mga uniporme, dahil alam naman po natin na mataas na ang presyo ng mga bilihin, kaya sana ay makatulong itong mga ito sa mga gastusin. Kami po ay nagiisip lamang ng mga proyektong makakatulong sa ating mga kabataan,” the mayor said.

 

With this initiative, the City Government of Valenzuela continues to strengthen its commitment to inclusive, accessible, and quality education for all — living up to its campaign: This is the life, Valenzuelife!

 

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Rolling in its 10th year, the City Government of Valenzuela, in partnership with DepEd and Synergeia, kickstarted the annual Valenzuela Summer Reading and Mathematics Camp at the city's elementary public schools. These free remedial classes are held to further develop and help the assessed “frustrated readers” and “non-readers”, as well as the “low proficient” and “non-proficient” Mathematics learners, and prepare them for the upcoming school year.

 

Contrary to the previous year, this year’s summer camp revived its mathematical branch, which was launched last 2016. Aimed at incoming Grade 4, 5, and 6 students, the Valenzuela Summer Reading and Mathematics Camp is an initiative of the city government to enhance the students who face challenges in reading and comprehension but also in arithmetic and logical thinking, based upon initial assessment.

 

There will be a total of 1,548 student beneficiaries for Reading Camp, which is comprised of  1,537 frustrated readers and 11 non-readers. On the other hand, this year’s Math Camp will cater to 3,009 learners; consisting of 2,934 learners under the low proficient category, and 75 non-proficient learners.

 

The beneficiaries will undergo an extensive 10 half-day sessions in reading and arithmetic to further enhance their critical and problem-solving skills. To ensure that they are properly guided throughout their learning journey, the City Government of Valenzuela also conducted the Valenzuela Teaching Camp for teachers and teacher’s aides last May 19 and 29, 2025. Before the summer camp kicked off, 84 English teachers with 168 teacher’s aides and 152 Math teachers with 304 teacher’s aides underwent comprehensive training in order to properly and accurately mentor the learners. All their extensive practice in teaching was facilitated by the Synergeia Foundation.

 

The Valenzuela Summer Reading and Mathematics Camp 2025 will last from June 2 to June 13, 2025. Students who will complete the 10-day session are set to receive a gift certificate worth PHP 300, courtesy of the city government.

 

Empowering students through quality and equitable education is one of the local government’s goals and objectives in order to lead a liveable Valenzuela City.

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Now on its third run, the largest Zumba party in Valenzuela City known as “Mega Zumba: Mag-WESxercise Tayo!” has brought Valenzuelanos up on their feet for an adrenaline-pumping Zumba exercise once again. The local government's annual free dance program headed by Mayoress Tiffany Gatchalian aims to promote wellness in the mind and body through a series of upbeat dance exercises facilitated by professional Zumba instructors.

 

Mega Zumba 3 offered leveled-up Zumba dance segments this year by having a special guest — actress, model, and Zumba advocate Ina Raymundo — take the stage and lead the fitness dances along with Zumba instructor, John Carlo Rasay. Just before the break of dawn, about 2,500 Valenzuelanos of all ages hailing from different barangays showed up with their colorful outfits, filling up WES Arena with vibrant energy and movement.

 

Aside from free Zumba and fitness training, the participants also received various giveaways such as weighing scales, tumblers, tote bags, shirts, and towels to commemorate this special event; encouraging them to keep an active lifestyle in the long run.

On the other hand, the new season—Valenzuela Olympics 2025 has officially kicked off to showcase the talents of athletes in the field of sports once again. Retired PBA player and former MVP Asi Taulava, NLEX Road Warriors Power Forward Jake Pascual, along with Valenzuela homegrown athletes Angelica Faye Rosales, Xandres Ragusta, Gedrick Ranses, James Maliwat, Dale Ortega, and King Ahron Diama, led the symbolic lighting of the cauldron, officially rolling down the competition between the athletes from each barangay.

This year’s Valenzuela Olympics features some well-known sports categories from the previous year, along with the addition of new sports disciplines. Among the sports included are basketball, volleyball, billiards, table tennis, chess, darts, badminton, lawn tennis, obstacle sports, the newly included E-sports featuring Mobile Legends Bangbang (MLBB), among others. Representatives from various barangays will compete in these categories.

Surrounded by the enthusiastic young athletes from their respective barangays, this sporting event aims to determine which participating barangay will excel and claim the prestigious crown. In total, 33 barangays from the city have sent their best athletes, who will test their skills, face their rivals, and strive for ultimate victory.

Mayor WES Gatchalian, present in the opening ceremony, reminded everyone of the significant ideologies a Valenzuelano athlete should live by—Dream, Believe, Achieve. Conversely, in his message, he urged everyone to unceasingly hone their talents while utilizing the provided sports facilities of the local government. “Itinayo po ang WES Arena para sa ating mga atleta. Itinayo po ang pasilidad na ito para maging tahanan ng mga pangarap, tahanan ng mga atletang Valenzuelano. Ginagawa po natin taon taon itong Valenzuela Olympics para ipakita ang galing ng ating mga atleta sa bawat barangay,” he said. [The WES Arena was built for our athletes. This facility was built to be a home for dreams, a home for Valenzuelano athletes. We hold the Valenzuela Olympics every year to showcase the talent of our athletes in every barangay]

The local government continually develops initiatives like these that encourage all families in Valenzuela to commit to an active and healthy lifestyle. This is while the city continuously hones the talents of the youth in the field of sports.

 

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Several young talents and artists blossomed during the annual free art workshop, the Arts in the City: Valenzuela Arts Workshop 2025; which ran from April 21 to June 1, 2025, all throughout the summer. An initiative of the City Government of Valenzuela through the Cultural Affairs and Tourism Development Office, the workshop consisted of various training sessions such as singing, dancing, acting, piano, ukulele, classical guitar, visual arts digital painting, wall art painting, and photography. 

These sessions were facilitated by professional and hands-on mentors who guided the young Valenzuelano trainees during the month-long workshop held at the Valenzuela City Academic Center for Excellence. For this year, a total of 1,070 Valenzuelano youths registered in the summer arts workshop while 27 mentors signed up to teach them the fundamentals of each art form.

The time has finally come for these trainees to showcase what they learned from the workshop at the culminating activity of AITC known as Recital Day, which will show different performances and visual art exhibits starting from May 29 to June 4. In the recital, various presentations from the departments of singing, acting, dancing, and instrument demonstrated each learner’s artistry and improved set of skills – not only practical skills but also personal skills such as confidence and determination. Meanwhile, the visual department also displayed their artistic masterpieces in their artwork exhibit

Running on its 18th year, the Arts in the City: Valenzuela Arts Workshop aims to enhance art appreciation among the youth, by providing opportunities for free training and unleashing their skills and potential prowess for any art form. Part of AITC’s goals is to ignite the passion of the young generation toward making art and encourage productivity.

On the other hand, the local government also featured the creativity of young Valenzuelano writers across the city through its Susulat Ako: 1st Valenzuela Storywriting Contest for the Youth which opened last February 3, 2025. This contest was open for participants from Grades 7 to 12 in public or private schools in Valenzuela City. A comprehensive writing workshop was also held before the contest proper.

Today, the contest yielded a grand winner who received a Php 20,000 cash prize, a laptop unit, and an additional Php 10,000 for his/her school; 2 honorable mentions who both received a Php 10,000 cash prize and an additional Php 5,000 for their respective schools. Further, there are 2 special awards which were granted as well namely the Mayor’s Choice Award and Best Effort Award.

Ms. Mikhaila D. Avendaño of Valenzuela National High School was crowned as the grand winner of the story writing contest, recognized for her remarkable piece “Ang Taling Hindi Maitali”. Meanwhile,  Ms. Einjhelle Mishz Delos Santos and Ms. Beatriz Allondra M. Magallanes, both hailed from Gen. T. de Leon National High School, were awarded Honorable Mentions.

A revolutionary project of Mayoress Tiffany Gatchalian and the City Government of Valenzuela through the Valenzuela City Library, the “Susulat Ako” aims to develop the writing skills of the children and reflect their creativity and authenticity through their work. 

With these two art programs that concluded, it is proven that the life of art – in all of its intricacies and forms — is well-thriving and continuously celebrated in the City of Valenzuela.

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