Valenzuela sweeps Galing Pook Awards

MANILA, Philippines — Three programs of the Valenzuela City government were recognized during the 2021 Galing Pook awarding ceremony on Wednesday.

The city’s Streaming School, which aims to educate students and guide their parents on distance learning during the pandemic, was cited by the foundation.

The Tagalag fishing village was also recognized for providing livelihood to the residents of Barangay Tagalag, which is the eco-tourism zone of Valenzuela.

The local government’s “paspas permit” was also recognized for allowing the online issuance of provisionary business permits in just 10 seconds after payment confirmation. The program was launched in 2019 to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and stop red tape.

It is the first and the fastest of its kind in the country, which spares business permit applicants from the cost and time required for personal application at city hall, Valenzuela Mayor Rex Gatchalian said.

The local government garnered a total of seven Galing Pook Awards.

“These awards will be our inspiration to improve the city government’s services to the public,” Gatchalian said.

The Galing Pook Foundation aims to recognize the programs of local government units that promote innovation and excellence in governance, especially during the pandemic.