The local government of Valenzuela marked its 27th cityhood anniversary by distributing 33 fiberglass rescue boats to each barangay and mobile water filtration trucks to the city's Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO) as part of its ongoing efforts to enhance disaster preparedness.
Valenzuela City Mayor Weslie “Wes” Gatchalian led the event and was joined by Peace Philippines Chairman Dra. Josephine Bundoc, Valenzuela City Health Office (CHO) Dra. Marilyn Liwanag from the Valenzuela City Health Office (CHO), VCDRRMO Head Dr. Arnaldo Antonio, Liga ng mga Barangay President Councilor Mario San Andres, and Barangay officials on Saturday, Feb. 15.
In his speech, Gatchalian hoped they would never have to use the equipment, saying, “Ipanalangin po natin na sana ay hindi natin magamit ang mga ito [rescue boats]. Gayunpaman, kung sakali mang magkaroon pong muli ng matinding bagyo ay handa na rin tayo, kahit papaano (Let us pray that we won't have to use these rescue boats. However, if another severe storm hits the city, we are prepared).”
The local government said that the rescue boats were made out of fiberglass and equipped with two paddles and two life jackets to strengthen the city's rescue response and ensure safer operations during emergencies such as storms and floods.
“The fiber material was specifically chosen for its durability and resistance to damage, making the boats reliable for high-risk operations such as retrieval, flood monitoring, and evacuee rescue,” it said.
Meanwhile, the mobile water filtration trucks will provide potable water to affected communities during calamities and disasters. Each truck has a 1,000-liter capacity and will be strategically deployed to evacuation centers and water-scarce areas.
These trucks will be strategically deployed to evacuation centers and communities experiencing water shortages to ensure accessible clean water for those affected by natural disasters.
In addition, two mobile shower units, one for each district, will be deployed to supply clean water to communities.
This initiative is the local government’s immediate response to last year’s extreme heatwave, which worsened water shortages due to global warming. It is also hoped that the equipment will serve the community for years to come.
Meanwhile, the Physicians for Peace Philippines also extended support to the city by allowing students from Valenzuela City Technological College (ValTech) to use their mobile biomedical van for prosthesis production studies.
“This partnership provides students with hands-on experience in prosthetics manufacturing, addressing the growing need for accessible rehabilitation services within the community,” the local government said.
It added that over the next two years, students will have access to the van, potentially paving the way for the city to establish its own prosthetics specialization program.