In another historic feat, Valenzuela City grabs three (3) spots in this year's Top 10 Outstanding Local Governance Programs of the 2021 Galing Pook Awards -- marking another first for Valenzuela City and Mayor REX Gatchalian to have all three entries placing in the Top 10 for the prestigious award in just one year.

The Galing Pook Foundation conducted its very first online awarding ceremony this October 20 with the theme, GobyerNEW: Magagaling na Programa Mula sa Magagaling na Pook. This year, 22 programs competed for a spot in the Top 10.

Through the rigorous selection process and online focused group discussions from more than 199 eligible entries all over the country, all three entries from Valenzuela City successfully secured a spot as finalists in the Top 22, undergoing tough panel interviews and discussions between the project management team and the Galing Pook Selection Committee.

Valenzuela City’s Paspas Permit, Valenzuela LIVE Streaming School, and Tagalag Fishing Village each secured a spot as one of the best local government programs in the country which exemplifies efficiency, innovation, positive results and impact, transferability, promotion of people’s participation and empowerment, and adaptive COVID-19 response.   

Valenzuela LIVE Streaming School, the City’s answer to education’s new normal, secured the first spot for Valenzuela City as a known education champion for its holistic and inclusive programs in education. Valenzuela LIVE became the City’s local education channel with carefully curated locally produced contents to actively keep track of students’ progress now that learning delivery is done virtually.

The City’s hidden gem, Tagalag Fishing Village, received the second spot for Valenzuela City for its community-empowered approach in rebranding the once dying fish pond area into an eco-friendly, child-friendly, and pandemic-friendly tourism destination.

Paspas Permit, the country’s first and only end-to-end online platform for all permits in the business spectrum and a known “disruptor” in doing permits in the local government arena, clinches the tenth spot to wrap up this year’s Galing Pook Awarding Ceremony.

Overwhelmed, Mayor REX extends his heartfelt gratitude to the Galing Pook Foundation and to all Valenzuelanos, “To the Galing Pook Foundation, maraming maraming salamat ho sa inyo. We are truly overwhelmed... ‘Yung maisama lang sa finalists, masayang masaya na ho kami… Ito ay magiging inspirasyon hindi lang namin kung hindi pati na rin ng buong siyudad -- na kaya pang pagbutihin at pagandahin ang ating lungsod kapag sama-sama tayo at collective ‘yung efforts.”

“Sa huling termino ko, ito yung pinakamaganda siguro na go-away present... Pero hindi ito tagumpay para sa akin kung hindi tagumpay ito ng bawat isang Valenzuelano. Mula sa Barangay Tagalag hanggang sa education sector namin sa Valenzuela LIVE, and now pati sa business sector namin… Ito ay tagumpay ng bawat Valenzuelano,” Mayor REX happily shared.

Not a first-timer

The Galing Pook Awards recognizes program excellence and innovation in local governance aiming for a public, private, and civil society partnership that will bring forth advocates to inspire more local governments to come up with innovative programs.   

To date, Valenzuela City now has seven (7) Galing Pook Awards under its belt since 2012:

• 2012:  3S Plus in Public Service Program
• 2015:  Education 360 Degrees Investment Program
• 2017: Disiplina Village - Bagong Bahay, Bagong Buhay (Complete In-City Housing Package for Disaster Preparedness and Resiliency)
• 2018: Tayo na, Mapayapang Valenzuela - Valenzuela City’s Comprehensive Safety and Security Plan
• 2021:  Valenzuela LIVE Streaming School, Tagalag Fishing Village, Paspas Permit