Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan reported that more than 88,000 individuals have benefitted from the city's "Kalinga sa Maynila" program, which has now covered at least 600 barangays across the capital.
This initiative is part of her administration’s commitment to bringing essential government services directly to the people.
Since its launch in 2022, the "Kalinga sa Maynila" program has worked to address the various needs of Manila residents, saving them time, money, and effort by bringing City Hall services directly to their communities.
During these events, heads of different city offices, bureaus, and departments are on-site to respond to queries, complaints, and requests from residents.
The program offers a range of services, including job fairs, free pet vaccinations, medical assistance, and the provision or renewal of IDs for senior citizens, solo parents, and persons with disabilities.
Residents can also obtain important documents, such as birth and death certificates, without having to go to City Hall.
Mayor Lacuna-Pangan also announced the groundbreaking of a new, modern ten-story "Kalinga Center" in Paco, Manila.
This facility will serve as a one-stop shop for essential social services, housing various city offices in a spacious, state-of-the-art environment.
The center will help alleviate overcrowding at the Manila City Hall and improve service delivery.
The mayor was joined at the groundbreaking by Vice Mayor John Marvin "Yul Servo" Nieto and Congressman Irwin Tieng, both of whom pledged their support for the project.
The center is being funded without taking out loans, with the total project cost amounting to P973.3 million, split into two phases.
Phase 1, valued at P400 million, is set for completion by December 2025, while Phase 2, costing P573.3 million, is in the bidding process.
“Ang tanong marahil ninyo ay bakit ngayon lang? Atin pong sininop muna ang pondo ng lungsod. Ang gusto ko po kasi, galing sa sariling sikap ang ang gagamiting panggastos at hindi 'yung mangungutang pa. 'Yan po ang mahalaga. Lahat ng gawaing panglungsod na ating ginagawa ay galing sa sariling sikap. Pupuwede naman pala Kailangan lamang nating magsinop at maayos na pangasiwaan ang pondo ng ating lungsod. 'Yan ang lagi ninyong maaasahan sa amin (The question you may be asking is, "Why now?" We first made sure to save the city's funds. What I want is for the expenses to come from our own efforts, not by borrowing money. That’s what’s important. All the city projects we are doing come from our own hard work. It’s possible; we just need to save and manage the city’s funds properly. That’s something you can always count on from us),” she explained.
The Kalinga Center will house the Senior Citizens Affairs Office, a Youth Center, a Crisis Center for Women and Children, a Trabaho Center, a modern public library, a Bahay ng Barangayan Center, a multipurpose convention hall, and a performance art theater.
The new center will provide daily access to the "Kalinga" services, extending the benefits of the program to even more residents.