Anticipating the extension of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) period to April 30, 2020, Valenzuela City has long prepared for the second wave of the Alagang Valenzuelano Food Voucher and Food Pack distribution to a bigger target of reaching 230,000 families.

On April 07, 2020, President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the extension of the Luzon-wide ECQ until April 30, 2020 as a result of the continuing surge of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the country. To date, there are 6,599 confirmed cases in the country – almost double of the then 3,764 confirmed cases last April 07 when the ECQ was announced to be extended.

With the localized targeted mass testing in place, Valenzuela City is now seeing a better picture on its COVID-19 status recording a total of 79 confirmed cases today, calling for a stricter implementation of the Stay At Home Ordinance and social distancing policies.

Understanding the difficulty of buying essential goods to get by, the second wave of the Alagang Valenzuelano Food Voucher was distributed door-to-door starting April 13, 2020, with a target of finishing the distribution on seven (7) days.

The 230,000 vouchers were already distributed and this week ramps up the redemption of the food packs across 24 3S Centers or pick-up sites in the City. It is also expected that the redemption of the food packs will take up to seven (7) days. Food vouchers contain the date, time and venue of the food pack redemption.

Around 105,000 food vouchers were distributed on the first wave of the program starting as early as March 23, 2020 covering poor families, near poor families and poorest of the poor families. This second wave’s bigger allocation of 230,000 families shall include stranded workers who were affected by the Metro Manila lockdown and those who live in subdivisions who are now running out of funds because of the prolonged ECQ.

A food pack contains around 5 kilos of rice, 5 pieces of packed noodles, 12 canned goods and half kilo of sugar.

At the redemption sites, Mayor REX Gatchalian reminds everyone to follow the schedule on the food voucher and to be cooperative while getting their food packs.

“Mangyari lamang po na sundan natin [ang schedule] para hindi ho tayo magkumpulan sa mga 3S Center… Noong unang wave natin ipinamalas natin na may disiplina tayo… Mas marami tayo ngayon kaya kakailanganin ko ang inyong kooperasyon para masigurado natin na susunod ang bawat isa at may social distancing sa pag-claim ng ating mga food packs (Please follow the schedule so we don’t crowd the 3S Centers… On the first wave we showed discipline… We really need your cooperation, we need to make sure that everyone follows and we still observe social distancing on claiming the food packs since we allotted more food vouchers this wave),” Mayor REX stated.