There is nobody in this world that Senator Sherwin Gatchalian would have opted to be with during his oath taking as one of the country’s newest senate legislators, than to be with his fellow Valenzuelanos whom he considers as his ‘secret weapon’ in winning the national seat.

Attended by thousands of Sen. WIN’s avid supporters, Valenzuela’s first homegrown senator took his oath of office before PB John Arenas of Barangay Poblacion on June 30, 2016 at the Amphitheater of the People’s Park.

Sen. WIN’s younger brother and Valenzuela City’s chief executive, Mayor REX Gatchalian, expressed his gratitude to the 620,000 Valenzuelano voters who formed part of the senator’s success. He said in Filipino, “Ang pangangampanya ninyo at pagkukuwento ninyo ng kanyang mga nagawa sa Valenzuela sa inyong mga kaibigan at kamag-anak sa probinsiya ang naging tiket niya upang makarating sa senado.”

Mayor REX’s speech was complimented by a short video presentation of Sen. WIN’s “Campaign Journey” which showed the trail of his provincial visits in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

In Sen. WIN’s special message, he thanked Coun. Antonio Espiritu and PB Arenas for their relentless support to his political career since 2001. He also jested Mayor REX that he got more votes in Valenzuela than his mayor-brother in the recently concluded elections, which made him segue into mentioning that regardless of political color, Valenzuelanos once united to bring him to the senate.

Sen. WIN said he has one promise for his fellow Valenzuelanos. He said in vernacular, “Ang inyong pagtulong at tiwala ay ‘di ko sasayangin at ipapakita natin sa buong Pilipinas na kung ano ang kinaya nating gawin sa Valenzuela ay kaya din nating gawin sa buong bansa.”

Present during the oath taking ceremonies were some city officials, heads of office, MTC and RTC executive judges, DepEd principals, priests and pastors, members of socio-civic organizations, boy scouts and girl scouts, senior citizens, PLV administration heads and students, BFP and PNP officers, members of ALS, SPED, VALAPSA, and VALPRISA, and coordinator-volunteers from Bantay Pamayanan Laban sa Droga (BPLD), members of duly registered fraternities, and volunteers of Nanay-Teacher organization.