The City Government of Valenzuela is the first local government unit to receive a Safety Seal Certification from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) today, May 25, encouraging not only businesses but also local government offices to comply with the minimum public health standards to contain the spread of COVID-19 while safely reopening the economy.

The Safety Seal Certification Program is instituted by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) through a joint memorandum circular of the DTI, DILG, the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Tourism (DOT), and the Department of Transportation (DOTr).

The program assures consumers and the public that establishments with the Safety Seal are compliant with the minimum public health standards set by the government. This also includes the use of a digital contact tracing system, where Valenzuela City has been known to implement one of the first digital contact tracing solutions in the country, the Valenzuela Contact Tracing App or ValTrace.

“Napakaimportante ‘yung pagbigay ng kumpyansa muli sa mga businesses at saka sa consumer… Kapag may Safety Seal ang isang establisyimento, ang maganda ho doon, parang pang-attract siya… Safe dito sa lugar na ito. Kaya lahat ini-encourage namin mag-comply dito sa Safety Seal [Program]… Sunod sunod na ho ito para tuloy tuloy na ang recovery natin sa pandemya.... Kakayanin po natin ito na sama-sama,” DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez stated.

The Safety Seal shall be displayed conspicuously at all entrance points of the establishments at no cost. The LGU Inspection and Certification Team will also conduct inspection of establishments, monitoring of compliance, and revocation of the seal. Requirements include compliance in maintaining minimum public health standards such as availability of thermal scanners, handwashing stations, regular disinfection, and presence of a designated Safety Officer, to name a few.

With the Safety Seal Certification Program in place, the City Government of Valenzuela will continue to strengthen its local business audit team to make sure that the program will be sustained and will remain effective not only in the City Hall but across business sectors, Valenzuela City Mayor REX Gatchalian affirms, “Makakaasa kayo na pananatilihin namin na pumapasa kami sa safety standards… We will ensure na yung standards na nilagay niyo, lagi kaming compliant diyan.”

“Ako po ay natutuwa na sa 17 city hall sa buong Kalakhang Maynila, ang unang bibigyan ng Safety Seal ay ang City Hall ng Valenzuela… Sana po sa mga susunod na araw, mas marami pa pong negosyo ang magco-comply, mas marami pang government offices ang makakuha ng Safety Seal… Isa po ito sa mga susi para maka-recover na ang ating ekonomiya sa banta at epekto ng pandemya,” DILG Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said.

Since the start of the enhanced community quarantine last year, Valenzuela City has maintained and has intensified the monitoring of its City Business Inspection and Audit Team (CBAT). Apart from focusing on the proper regulation and operation of business establishments in the City, it has a new function of executing all new safety measures, standards, and protocols in the workforce brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In support of the program, Mayor REX pledges that the local government will continue to support the initiatives of the national government, “Makakaasa kayo na sa lahat ng inisyatibo para sa safe na reopening ng ating ekonomiya, partner niyo ang lokal na pamahalaan ng Valenzuela.”