Valenzuela City Mayor Rex Gatchalian has asked his constituents to patronize and buy local products, especially those that are being sold by small business owners in the city.
As the local government passed an ordinance banning the use of firecrackers, Gatchalian on Saturday told his constituents to just spend the money on food this holiday season.
"Reminder, as you prepare your households for the coming New Year's , remove from your list firecrackers...these are all prohibited in our city while under the State of Public Health Emergency," Gatchalian said in a Twitter post.
"Ikain na lang natin yung pangbili ng paputok. Ang daming home based food entrepreneurs sa city natin (Let's just spend the money on food than on fireworks. We have more home-based food entrepreneurs in our city). Visit the online food fiesta for complete lineup," he added.
Gatchalian is known as a supporter of small city-based entrepreneurs.
On his social media account, he frequently posts foods or products being sold by Valenzuela City residents as a way to support and help advertise their business.
Recently, Gatchalian even signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the administrators of Facebook groups, Valenzuela Online Palengke and Valenzuela Online Tiangge today, as the local government expressed its support for small, medium, and micro entrepreneurs (SMMEs).
Under the agreement, the local government would boost the Facebook posts of the local SMMEs and online sellers in a bid to help them get a wider range of audience, including those living in other cities aside from people who are following the pages.