The Mandaluyong City local government started the month of August on a positive note as it announced on Tuesday, August 1, that there was no active Covid-19 case reported in the city three years since the pandemic began. "Zero active case ang naitala sa unang araw ng Agosto 2023 sa Mandaluyong City matapos ang 3 taon na nakaranas ng Covid-19. Sa kabuoang 46,597 na Covid cases ay 45,887 o 98.5 percent ang gumaling ayon sa City Health Department - City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (CHO-CESU) (On the first day of August 2023, Mandaluyong City recorded no new active case after three years of living with the pandemic. Out of the 46,597 Covid cases, 45,887 individuals or 98.5 percent have recovered from the virus according to the City Health Department - City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit)," Mandaluyong City Mayor Ben Abalos said. "Ito po ay magandang hudyat sa ating tuluyang pagbabalik sa normal na pamumuhay. Pagpapaalala lang po na lagi pa rin nating bantayan ang ating kalusugan at panatilihin ang malusog na pamumuhay (This is a good sign of our recovery and normalization of our lives. I just want to remind everyone to please look after your health and maintain a good and healthy lifestyle)," Vice Mayor Menchie Abalos noted. The local government attributed this to the adherence of Mandaleños to the public health and safety protocols and Covid-19 vaccination initiatives. At the height of the pandemic, the Coordinated Operations to Defeat Epidemic (CODE) team recognized the city government’s Covid-19 vaccination plan, especially its “Ugnayan sa Barangay” program spearheaded by former Mayor Menchie Abalos, now the city's vice-mayor. During the team’s visit to the city, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) lauded former Mayor Menchie Abalos and the city’s medical officials for their hands-on approach in implementing the Ugnayan sa Barangay program wherein the mayor herself, together with city doctors and medical practitioners, visited different barangays to properly explain the ongoing Covid-19 situation, the city’s efforts in stopping the spread of the virus, and to urge its residents to be inoculated by explaining to them the benefits of being vaccinated and the safety features of the vaccines. The agency said that the city’s Ugnayan sa Barangay initiative is very commendable because of its tremendous effort in urging the residents to be vaccinated and mitigating the number of people who were still hesitant in being inoculated.