PGMA Groundreaks Valenzuela City Housing Project for Ondoy Victims

After Tropical Storm Ondoy left their families in Tullahan River homeless last year, these children will soon find a better and safer place to live in once the Valenzuela's Disiplina Village is put up for around 900 families.

Amidst swirling cloud of dust and late morning sun, Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo came over Valenzuela City on February 12 to groundbreak Disiplina Village in Bgy. Ugong, a housing project for 900 families whose homes were swept by the raging waters of Tullahan River at the height of last year's Tropical Storm Ondoy.

An initial 100 families are temporarily sheltered there on makeshift houses to participate in the construction phase that exemplifies the spirit of 'bayanihan."

Being in the profession, it's my third instance to cover an event where the Chief Executive is the leading figure of interest. The first two assignments were held in a rather confined environments (a BPO facility in Alabang and in Malacañang) but this is the first time to document her engagement outdoors.

With my white polo being embraced by the dusty wind, an old-timer who lives near the area told me the vicinity used to be a quarry site for adobe during the Marcos administration. Even though the landscape is barren (which reminds me of Barrio Cupang straight from Ishamael Bernal's "Himala"), if seen with eyes wide open, the promise of a better life for the recipients is hard to miss.

For full report: http://www.valenzuela.gov.ph/press.php?id=200900615&tbl=press

Valenzuela school children nix drug abuse thru art

Elementary pupils raise a fistful in support of anti-drug abuse initiatives of the local government.


An interesting play of colors and words jazzed up by Valenzuela City elementary and high school students conveyed powerful messages against drug abuse at the recent jingle, slogan and poster making contest organized by the DepEd Division of City Schools of Valenzuela.

The contest was done in collaboration with the Valenzuela City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (VADAC) chaired by City Mayor WIN Gatchalian to drum up public support for the anti-drug abuse initiatives of the city.

VADAC Action Officer Antonio Espiritu said having anti-drug abuse advocacies the youth can actively participate in will help empower them with the right set of information and attitude. Authorities have claimed awareness and firm acceptance to these set of principles will deliberately keep people off the risk, thus effectively curbing the prevalence of drug dependency.

This cycle reflects on the recommendations made by the United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) to emphasize campaigns aimed at values formation among the youth.

Presidential Proclamation No. 124 of 2001 declares the second or third week of November of every year as Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Week to promote public awareness against the evil effects of illegal drug use, as well as encourage public cooperation in the government’s anti-drug campaign.

With this development, participating students from public and private schools were able to produce effective materials that will be officially incorporated in VADAC creative communication campaigns.

For the high school category, Sitero Francisco National High School was handed first place and a P10,000 prize money for its jingle penned by Virgilio Santos. The composition that carries the lines “gobyerno man eskwelahan at ating pamilya, tayo’y magtulong-tulong puksain natin ang droga” also bagged additional P3,000 for originality.

Parada National High School meanwhile claimed first place and P3,000 cash prize for its slogan “Walang lugar ang droga sa pamayanang may disiplina at nagkakaisa.” An interpretation of war on drug abuse as a community effort from the Canumay East High School capped the top prize for the poster making contest with P3,000 prize money.

Top prizes for the elementary category on the other hand went to Bignay Elementary School for the jingle making contest with an original composition titled “Kilos Mamamayan, Droga ay Labanan” by Rodel Azana. The entry won a total of P10,000 plus P3,000 for originality.

A slogan from Gen. T. de Leon National High School made the cut with a P3,000 prize for the line “Ipinagbabawal na droga ay hindi papasa sa mamamayang nagkakaisa.” An illustration from the Lingunan Elementary School made it to the list with a P3,000 prize.

Dr. Bryan Ilan, Program Supervisor-in-Charge, described the initiative against drug dependency as “herculean” but called on all sectors to remain vigilant and undaunted by “institutionalizing collaborative efforts.”

Speaking before a young audience at the SM Valenzuela Supercenter, DepEd-Valenzuela City Division Superintendent Dr. Flordeliza Mayari called on everyone to stand against drug abuse and adopt it as their own personal battle.

Text and Photos by Mark Lester S. Cayabyab for the Valenzuela City Public Information Office

http://www.valenzuela.gov.ph/press.php?id=200900588&tbl=press

10-month feeding program to instill child care awareness

As the City of Valenzuela embarks on a 10-month long supplementary feeding program for undernourished children, health officials are bent on instilling positive attitude change in terms of child care among parents.

The Valenzuela City Health Council led by Mayor WIN Gatchalian and the City Health Office headed by Dr. Jaime M. Exconde Jr., launched the program Nov. 10 that will address malnutrition affecting some 1,121 children aged three to five chosen from 32 barangays.

Winona Villarueza, City Nutrition Program Coordinator, said the beneficiaries were selected thru health check ups by city health workers, in close coordination with the Center for Social Development and Welfare.

Each child will be allotted roughly P15 worth of milk, fortified biscuits and vitamins per weekday for 10 months to augment their nutrition needs. A monitoring routine will be implemented to track individual progress.

Villarueza noted that the program, nutritionists will also be working closely with the parents citing their role as essentially relevant to the success of the project. The program coordinator explained “parents should also be committed to providing their child proper nutrition and adequate care at home.”

In a report published recently by the World Bank, experts rooted “malnourished children perform poorly in school and are more likely to drop out” and thus have “lower life-time earning potential.” Reversing this trend will benefit not only the individual but also the community.

The City Health Office is placed at the center of development by the city government thru active capacity building strategies with different stakeholders.

The program formally commenced with 52 children joining the ceremonial feeding in First District’s Lawang Bato covered court while another 114 children took part in Second District’s kick off in Mapulang Lupa Day Care Center. Special Projects Office led by Dorothy Evangelista, together with barangay officials, spearheaded the campaign.

Members of the Valenzuela City Health Education and Promotion Office also gave the children lectures on sanitation and performed drills on proper toothbrushing and handwashing.

Mark Lester S. Cayabyab

http://www.valenzuela.gov.ph/press.php?id=200900585&tbl=press

Valenzuela set to expand city hall

A P90million structure is set to rise on the new government center of the City of Valenzuela as Mayor Sherwin T. Gatchalian, Vice Mayor Eric Martinez together with City Councilors, key city officials and construction partners groundbreak the People’s Center and Legislative Building, Oct. 14.

Construction will start next month and is expected to be finished within a 180-day timeframe.

The three-storey building boasts of 4,200 square meters of footprint space and will be integrated with the existing Executive Building adjacent to the proposed site. Once fully operational, several key offices of frontline services will be conveniently housed under one modern and more convenient home.

Expected to relocate are the offices of the Vice Mayor, City Councilors of First and Second Districts, Sangguniang Panlunsod Secretariat, Liga ng mga Barangay, Sangguniang Kabataan, City Health, City Social Welfare and Development, Public Employment Service, Department of Local and Interior, Bureau of Internal Revenue, City Accounting, City Finance, City Internal Audit and City Legal Office.

“We are building this center so that people will have greater and better access to city government services,” Mayor WIN said.

“This is for them and that is why we will call it the People’s Center.”

The city chief executive also bared plans of acquiring adjacent properties to further expand the city government center now conveniently located along McArthur Highway in Bgy. Karuhatan, the main thoroughfare cutting across Valenzuela. Mayor WIN proposes a park for the people once implemented.

Architect Glen Encarnacion, Head of Planning and Projects Evaluation of the City Engineering Office, said part of the Mediterranean-inspired structure also is a museum dedicated to the city’s heritage at the ground floor level.

The old City Hall, now under major renovation, will house the Hall of Justice and the Regional Trial Court. This will be connected to the new City Hall by an overpass bridge.


Mark Lester S. Cayabyab
Valenzuela City Public Information Office
http://www.valenzuela.gov.ph/

Tie that binds

High school sophomore Anna Mae (left), 13, and her sister Grace Ann, 11, a grade four pupil, work on binding their notebooks with a yarn string - three days after the opening of this year's school year - at a commercial arcade in Sikatuna Village, Quezon City.

The sisters are underprivileged. Often this reporter would see them doing their homework not on their house but at the corner near where this picture was taken as their mother sells balut. The sisters would even be found sleeping on that corner.

These girls deserve better. It's up to us if we'd keep them tied down to the burden of a mismanaged country.

Tulay pantao

Sa ikauunlad ng bayan, pink na overpass ang kailangan. Bow!

Ano na kaya ang nangyari sa pagpapatigil ng Citi (Citibank dati) sa pagtatayo ng MMDA ng isang tulay pantao sa tapat mismo ng gusali nito sa Eastwood, Quezon City? Nasolusyunan na kaya?

Bonifacio's Fort

A GuillermoTolentino historical tour de force right smack in the middle of urban chaos. Do we care? Oh, here comes the MRT-3 extension project...

Against the flow

By reputation, they're dangerous.

But in reality, they're a reflection of calmness and simplicity in life as seen in this series taken under Quiapo's Quezon Bridge, July 27, 2007.

A silent river runs deep as they say.