Amidst heating debate on privatization of public hospitals, the local government of Valenzuela unveiled the new city-funded PhP 120 million three-storey, 50-bed capacity Valenzuela City Emergency Hospital last week, along with other several completed landmark projects to boost its health and social welfare services programs. 

The bigger and better modern hospital to replace the flood-prone old emergency hospital is more accessible to residents of both districts and is “flood-proof,” as City Mayor Sherwin T. Gatchalian described it.

“The very reason we built this hospital in a better location is to enhance the delivery of health services to the Valenzuelanos,” the Mayor emphasized. 

The new primary healthcare facility, which will officially start serving under the management of the local government on December 1, features modern services and equipments, such as, ultrasound, x-ray, laboratories, emergency and normal delivery room, and a dialysis division with six machines to cater to local residents, especially to the city’s indigent patients.

It has a provision to expand for a third floor, which, once completed, will increase its bed capacity to 100 which is 400% more than the former 20-bed capacity emergency hospital in Barangay Poblacion which has gained much attention from the media because of the extreme flooding there during rainy season.  

The old emergency hospital which has been serving the constituents since the 70’s is now closed to the public to give way to the transfer of staff, equipment and current patients to the new facility.

Also unveiled as part of the celebration of Valenzuela City’s 389^th Foundation Day anniversary celebration were the new 16-classroom, two-storey building for the students of Valenzuela City Polytechnic College and the newly-renovated Valenzuela City Astrodome.

As a boost to the city’s sports program, the Valenzuela City Astrodome was fully-renovated under the administration of Councilor Gerry Esplana.  It is now even more comfortable watching the games and programs at the city’s biggest venue with 2,158 individual seats installed.  It is also more exciting to play with the new maple wood flooring and other features which are not only at par with first-rate coliseums in the country but to US State Colleges as well.

The new building of the Valpoly, on the other hand, is part of the continuing commitment of the local government to improved tertiary and vocational education.  The new classrooms shall become the training grounds for world-class skilled Valenzuelanos.

The Foundation Day of Valenzuela City is celebrated this year with the theme, “Kasaysayan, Kasarinlan at Kaunlaran,” by virtue of City Ordinance No. 55, Series of 2012, “An ordinance declaring November 12 as the Foundation Day Anniversary of Valenzuela City,” authored by Councilors Cecil Mayo and Marlon Alejandrino.