Valenzuelanos, and other commuters and pedestrians can expect of safer and brighter MacArthur Highway in its fulll stretch in Valenzuela City this year. 

The road which is also known as the Manila North Road, one of the oldest major thoroughfares in the country and certainly one of the busiest in the Metropolis has been allotted funding for rehabilitation locally. 

The project, which was officially announced during the Valenzuela City Development Council (CDC) meeting recently, along with other great projects in store for all barangays, will get a total budget of PhP 96 million. The City Government will install additional lights and new high-definition closed circuit television cameras (CCTVs) within the 6.7-kilometer stretch of this national road in the city. The improvement will cover the five barangays of Marulas, Karuhatan, Malinta, Dalandanan and Malanday. 

Also included in the lined-up big projects this 2018 is the construction of the 1.4-hectare Valenzuela Family Park in Barangay Karuhatan which shall protect and maintain centuries old trees inside the property. The project is in line with Mayor REX Gatchalian’s governance thrust of making Valenzuela City more liveable by building ample open and green spaces for its residents. 

The Valenzuela City Blood Bank and Red Cross Volunteers Building at the ALERT Center is also underway this year, finally fulfilling the ALERT Center’s objective to gather in one place all the offices and agencies that response during diasasters and emergencies. Previously constructed in the center and are now fully-functional are the Valenzuela City Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Building and the Disaster Preparedness Building, which houses the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (LDRRMO), and satellite offices of the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), City Health Department (CHD), Valenzuela City Command and Coordinating Center (VCC3), Public Information Office (PIO), and the Mayor’s Office. 

Furthermore, new Sentro ng Sama-samang Serbisyo or 3S Centers will be constructed in the barangays of Canumay East, Maysan, Arkong Bato and Lingunan. These are integrated facilities, also dubbed as Satellite City Halls, that function as government centers on a regular day, and shall serve as rescue and emergency hub during disasters. 

There are already 13 operational 3S Centers in the barangays of Poblacion, Malanday, Dalandanan, Karuhatan, Parada, Lawang Bato, Punturin, Bagbaguin, Ugong, Maysan, Bignay, Gen. T. De Leon and Marulas. Another five are currently under constructon in the barangays of Balangkas, Dulong Tangke, Malinta, Pasolo, Pulo and Wawang Pulo. By the time these proposed additional four 3S Centers have finished construction, their number will be raised to 22. The target is to have at least one of such structure in every barangay. 

Various road and drainage improvement projects are also among the plans included in the annual CDC and Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (LDRRMC) Fund utilization.