In celebration of the 152^nd Birth Anniversary of Dr. Pio Valenzuela, the City Government of Valenzuela launches the Groundbreaking and Capsule Laying Ceremony of its fourth Disiplina Village in Barangay Arkong Bato this July 12, spearheaded by Valenzuela City Mayor REX Gatchalian with the presence of Hon. Eduardo D. del Rosario, Secretary of Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD).

The soon-to-rise Disiplina Village Arkong Bato (DVA) is supported by the National Housing Authority (NHA), the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), and the DHSUD. DVA is the fourth In-City Resettlement Site in Valenzuela City after Disiplina Village Ugong, Disiplina Village Bignay, and Disiplina Village Lingunan.

The City targets to relocate the remaining Informal Settler Families (ISFs) from dangerous areas (beyond 3-5 easements of waterways, and ISFs living along and underneath the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines transmission lines).

With the help of NHA, the construction of the 20 three-storey low-rise buildings compose of 720 housing units with an individual unit floor area of 16 sqm. and a loftable space of 11 sqm.

The City yearns that the newly-relocated families will live in a safe and sustainable community with adequate facilities. With the motto, “Bagong Bahay, Bagong Buhay”, beneficiaries are empowered to rebuild their lives and can become more productive members of their community.

Housing Czar Secretary del Rosario in his speech commended the City Government of Valenzuela for keeping informal settlers out of danger and building a model housing project that is a pioneer of its kind in the Philippines.

“Si Mayor Rex ang nagsimula ng rental housing program dito sa Valenzuela and that is the direction of DHSUD most especially in urban areas dahil napakasikip na po ng ating mga siyudad. Sixty-five percent of residents will be residing in urban communities by 2050, so there is no way but to go up in our residential units,” Secretary del Rosario said.

“In the rental housing program, double-purpose ang ginawa ng Valenzuela City para maging zero ang informal settlers at danger zones. Sa aking paglilibot sa buong bansa, Visayas, Mindanao or anywhere in Luzon, kapag pinag-uusapan ang housing… Ang aking model ay ang Disiplina Villages of Valenzuela City,” he added.

Mayor REX appreciates the Secretary and called him the “Ninong ng mga Disiplina Villages” for being present from the start of building Valenzuela City’s very first Disiplina Village up to its upcoming fourth Disiplina Village.

Mayor REX also gives significance to the 152^nd Birth Anniversary of Dr. Pio Valenzuela and stressed in his speech, “Itong proyekto na ito, dito nagtatagpo ang nakaraan at kinabukasan ng Valenzuela.”

“Pangarap ni Dr. Valenzuela ang inklusibong komunidad, inklusibong siyudad… And what a better way para sumimbulo rito ay ang pampublikong pabahay. Kaya dito makikita natin ang nakaraan, ‘yung Arkong Bato... Dito rin natin makikita ang kinabukasan ng Valenzuela City. Isang lungsod na walang napapabayaan, niyayakap ‘yung mga mamamayan na maaaring naiiwanan sa laylayan ng lipunan,” he noted.

The City will continue to empower its people and build model communities and character villages, living out the City’s promise of a liveable city for every Valenzuelano.

Present also in the event are Vice Mayor Lorena Natividad-Borja and City Councilors, Regional Manager Albert Perfecto of the NHA-North Sector, DHSUD Assistant Secretary Leira Buan, Chairman Alvin S. Feliciano of the Presidential Commission for Urban Poor (PCUP), and representatives from DBM.

Meanwhile, DHSUD also launched its BALAI-NET Community WiFi Program with Alpha 3 Technologies, Inc. at the Disiplina Village Bignay. Alpha 3 Technologies enabled access points in the different buildings in the village to provide for an accessible and affordable community WiFi. This comes perfect with the situation of the COVID-19 pandemic as most of the City’s barangays in the eastern portion of Valenzuela experience poor internet connectivity.

“Nagpapasalamat kami ngayon kasi binigyan kami ng alternatibo na serbisyo na mabilis at mura na internet para sa mga residente ng Disiplina Village kaya taos puso po kaming nagpapasalamat sa DHSUD dahil binigyan niyo ng lunas yung aming problema… Makakaasa kayo na talagang tatangkilikin and programang ito para makita ng ibang komunidad na this is a way to go,” Mayor REX shared during the launching of the community WiFi in Disiplina Village Bignay.