With the National Capital Region (NCR) still placed under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) until May 15, 2020, the City Government of Valenzuela prepares on reaching out to more individuals – ensuring that food is readily available as an answer to the extended ECQ woes of Valenzuelano families.

More than 230,000 families are expected to receive the third wave of the Alagang Valenzuelano Food Vouchers on its 7-day distribution beginning May 04, 2020.

“With the extension of the community quarantine, the City Government of Valenzuela aims that we still have food on our tables so we have launched our third wave of the Alagang Valenzuelano Food Vouchers. This time around, the food voucher that you will receive is color blue and like our previous food vouchers, the food vouchers indicate the place, the date and the time of the food pack redemption,” Mayor REX Gatchalian said.

Similar to the previous food voucher schemes, the distribution will take around a week and is expected to also cover all families in Valenzuela.

“We will make sure that in 6 to 7 days, we will finish the food voucher distribution. My first request [to you is] let’s not react quickly if you have not received your food voucher yet… We will make sure that if not all, almost all Valenzuelano families will receive their food voucher in 6 to 7 days,” Mayor REX added.

In its first wave last March 23 during the onset of the ECQ, 105,000 food vouchers were distributed covering poor families, near poor families and poorest of the poor families. The second wave, launched last April 13, covers 230,000 families including those in the middle income class which is the same with this week’s third wave but is anticipated to cover more than 230,000 families.

Valenzuela’s “signature” food pack has gained praises with its content’s quantity and variety. Consistent with the previous distributions, the third wave’s food pack is loaded with around 5 kilos of rice, 5 pieces of packed noodles, 12 canned goods and half kilo of sugar.

Valenzuela City, with its localized targeted mass testing ongoing, now records 118 positive COVID-19 cases as of May 04, 2020. The City continues the mass testing which now targets the vulnerable sectors including frontliners, the police force and immunocompromised individuals. Seeing the “natural increases” in confirmed COVID-19 numbers, Mayor REX strictly reminds everyone to “follow the schedule indicated in the food voucher to observe social distancing” at the redemption sites.

Moreover, the City continues to lay out programs for Valenzuelano families in the next coming days, staying true to its Alagang Valenzuelano initiative.

“We hope that in this way the local government can help suppress the problem in hunger. We hope that you continue to be our partner in these times and you can expect that in the next coming days, we will launch programs that will help the Pamilyang Valenzuelano,” Mayor REX stated.