MANDALUYONG CITY celebrates
62ND LIBERATION DAY and 13TH CITYHOOD ANNIVERSARY

Today, Mandaleños gather at the Liwasan ng Katubusan at General Kalentong Street for a simple memorial for the heroic locals of the 1896 Revolution. Today will be a day of thanksgiving for the freedom, peace and development of the 13-year old city.

The twin celebration this month is made special with Mayor Neptali M. Gonzales II winding up his term as the city’s chief executive, reporting with humility his administration’s collective achievements in local governance.

Mayor Gonzales took the reins of Mandaluyong’s local administration in July 2004. In barely three years, he has proven himself to the constituency as an able leader and doer. He embraced risks and tread on the unconventional just to ensure maximum benefit and gain for his people.

He was no stranger to public service being a public trust, having been a three-term Congressman before becoming the Mayor of Mandaluyong. He said: "Ang kapakanan ng bawat isa, mula sa pinakabata hanggang sa pinakamatanda ang naging batayan ng iisang pagkilos ng aking pamunuan. Ang bawat proyekto at programa na ipinatupad at isinagawa sa nakalipas na tatlong taon ay bahagi ng layuning itaguyod ang higit na mataas na antas ng pag-unlad at pamumuhay sa Mandaluyong."

The city’s income for the past three years under Mayor Gonzales’ leadership has reached an all-time high at P1.78 billion, thanks to his persistent initiatives to improve the city’s tax collection schemes. Reports of the Accounting Department revealed that from 2004 to 2005, tax collection increased by 12.15 percent, or about P173.5 million. In 2005, city income was pegged at P1.6 billion, while income for 2006 was P1.78 billion.

A primary factor in the rise of income are the various programs of Mayor Gonzales focused on enhancing tax collection, and implementing public works and projects that in turn encouraged the growth of confidence of taxpayers to pay their city dues diligently.

Education has always been a priority for Mayor Gonzales. Millions of pesos’ worth of equipment, infrastructure and incentives were poured to the education sector by the city government in terms of new school buildings, learning equipment, and technical support to teachers and school personnel.

He increased the city’s yearly budget of P25 million for textbooks, notebooks, and school supplies of public schools to P35 million to ensure that schooling children can maximize their learning potentials. Mayor Gonzales invested millions for the procurement of lot, construction and/or renovation of school buildings and even school ground improvements.

He believes that public education need not mean inferior education. From school facilities, to teachers’ benefits through added incentives, Mayor Gonzales made sure he gets generous support. He even enhanced Day Care services in the city through the implementation of the "Beach-head program." This strengthened day care teaching with the employment of qualified day care teachers to handle regular classes of pre-schoolers. This way, children are formally taught and prepared for primary education. From only 21 Day Care Centers in 2004, there are now 36 Day Care Centers in Mandaluyong. And from only 20 day care teachers in 2004, the city now have 44, a clear manifestation of Mayor Gonzales’ strong commitment to uplift and support the education of his young constituency.

The City of Mandaluyong Collegiate Scholarship Program which started in 1996 continues to support 289 students today. Mayor Gonzales continued to support this program with an annual appropriation of P5 million.

He also set-up the free Internet Access for students at the Kaban ng Hiyas Library in January 2005, where about 18,000 students doing researches have benefited to date.

A healthy citizenry is a happy citizenry. This is an important part of the city government’s thrust of improving the quality of life of every Mandaleño, to have the capacity to truly provide for the best possible health care to the people. Under Mayor Gonzales, the enhancement of health service through the city hospital, the health centers and all health care providers took center stage. He made sure health infrastructures are in place by providing for the rehabilitation and expansion of the city hospital and health centers, and enough equipment, medicines and supplies to these facilities. Like in education, he pumped in millions of pesos in the strengthening of the delivery of health care programs.

It is under his stewardship that the Employees’ Clinic and the X-Ray Laboratory at the city hall were realized which greatly eased the health concerns of employees. The procurement of Health Certificates by clients has become a one-stop-shop at the city hall grounds because the lab also facilitates other tests such as fecalysis, urinalysis, STD, blood count, etc.

Even without much resource both in funding and land space, Mayor Gonzales was able to tap private entities for his social housing program. Through the Gawad Kalinga, 710 families were given decent housing in various barangays.

The Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission (PRRC), through the Asian Development Bank has made it possible for 183 homeless families to have their own homes. At the same time, the intercession of the local government to the National Home Mortgage Finance Corp (NHMFC) will enable 61 families to become legitimate homeowners while 409 families are with pending applications through the Community Mortgage Program (CMP), which has given informal settlers the chance to own their homes through low-cost financing with the NHMFC.

Mayor Gonzales’ Urban Renewal Program is premised on his vision of Mandaluyong as a well-managed city, possessing good roads, efficient drainage system, lighted streets, and people-friendly surroundings. Under this program, he undertook road and drainage improvement projects, street lighting, and beautification of center islands, plant boxes and city entry/exit points. He also improved the general look of the city hall by embarking on a thorough upgrading of the whole Maysilo Circle: this area now incorporates pocket parks, new parking areas, landscaped gardens, and an upgraded sidewalk and perimeter fence.

Well-planned linear parks along the Pasig River were also completed during his term, and without its millions in project costs making a dent on the city coffers. Each boasting of amenities such as promenades, playgrounds, stage, parking, etc., the eight linear parks covering eight barangays in the city were developed through his excellent partnership with the PRRC.

On the local front, Mayor Gonzales more than proved his genuine concern for the welfare of his fellow employees. In barely three years, he has initiated various programs that improved employee management, which in turn translated to better public service performance of city hall employees.

Foremost in his list of achievements is that he was able to regularize and promote 634 employees during his term alone, thus epitomizing his concern for employee welfare. He also instituted the provision of a P2,000 productivity pay/incentive allowance annually to employees, as well as approved the permanent additional monthly allowance of P1,000 to all regular and casual city employees. He also extended the clothing subsidy benefit per employee at P2,000, including casuals. For the street sweepers, he added another P500 to their hazard pay, giving them a total of P1,000 hazard pay per month.

As a show of support to the continuous career advancement of all employees, Mayor Gonzales ordered the periodic free conduct of review classes for all civil service exam takers, and shouldered all fees associated with the eligibility exams. The generous and always joyous Employees’ Raffle during Christmas, and the Bingo sa Empleyado are events much anticipated by employees especially during the last two years.

In the field of employment and providing sources of livelihood to its constituency, Mandaluyong strengthened its Public Service Employment Office (PESO), which undertook numerous job fairs that averaged nine times per year since 2004. It has employed about 15,000 hired-on-the-spot individuals for the total of 28 job fairs initiated by the city. Through these job fairs, employment in 2006 increased by 55 percent compared to 2005, while 2005 employment records showed more than 300 percent increase compared to 2004.

In embracing the technological offerings of the modern times, Mandaluyong benefited a lot especially in areas of tax mapping and attendance monitoring. Work for employees became more efficient while transaction processes of clients became faster. The implementation of the biometrics-based attendance monitoring system brought about ease and discipline to employees, not to mention savings for the city because employees are paid only for the actual time of work rendered, with tardiness and absences readily deducted from the salary if without proper documentations.

This February, as the city celebrates its biggest ever twin anniversary the people of Mandaluyong continue to look ahead to the future more confident with these current achievements tucked under its belt.

Mandaluyong City will always be moving forward to cope up with the challenges of the changing times. With excellent peace and order situation, highly productive and literate people, responsive local government, and with a dynamic and cooperative private sector, nothing could go wrong from hereon for the city.

As Mayor Gonzales puts it:"Hindi ko aangkining lubusan ang lahat ng nakamit ng ating lungsod sa nakaraang tatlong taon, magiging kalabisan sa akin ang gawin iyon. Ang lahat ng mga ito ay nagawa ng inyong lingkod dahil sa inyong binigay na pagtitiwala at suporta."

Five outstanding individuals from various professions were recently conferred the Order of Tatlong Bayani Awards, the highest civilian award to be given to an individual in Mandaluyong City.

Four Mandaluyong citizens who have achieved levels of excellence in certain endeavors and thereby brought honours to themselves and the city were recipients of the Order of Laureano Gonzales Award, while another Mandaleño was conferred the Order of Andres Bonifacio Award. The five outstanding citizens were awarded with medals of distinction at the City Gymnasium, led by no less than City Mayor Neptali M. Ginzales II himself. The City Council confirmed the awards by citing the achievements of each awardee through City Resolution Nos. 1248 and 1249, S-2007.

The four recipients of the Order of Laureano Gonzales Award, who were chosen based on the criteria of strength of character, competence, integrity, impact on field work, public welfare and national development, were: Ambassador Antonio Cabangon-Chua (Business and Media), who excelled in the advancement of business and media outfits while, at the same time, contributed to the promotion of press freedom in both print and radio; Engr. Narciso C. Bernardo (Sports), who was an erstwhile basketball legend in the country¯Rookie of the Year 1957, Mr. Basketball of the Philippines 1962-63, as Basketball Hall of Famer in 1998¯and a proud representative of the Philippines in countless tournaments globally, including the Olympics; Dr. Esperanza I. de Castro (Medicine and Science), who, among other distinctions, pioneered the Family Planning Program in Rizal in 1965, with Mandaluyong as the pilot area; was founder and first president of the Mandaluyong Medical Society in 1963; and an outstanding municipal health officer of the country for 1975-76; and Dr. Armand Vincent Fabella (Education), whose posts included Vice President, 1966-80 and President, 1980-92 of Jose Rizal College, now Jose Rizal University (JRU); Secretary of Education, Culture and Sports, 1992-94; and since 1995 Chairman, Board of Trustees of JRU.

During the awarding rites, Mayor Gonzales expressed his heartfelt words for the five awardees, saying that "we are truly humbled by the presence of great people from Mandaluyong today. You showed us how it is to truly serve. We are privileged for having you as an example to us all, and you are part of our pride as Mandaleños.

He added that the Tatlong Bayani Award may have been the sweetest of all awards and distinctions received by the resident-recipients because usually it is very difficult to impress your own people. "Mahirap maging propeta sa sarili mong bayan," he pointed out, "But these people have proven otherwise. They worked not for the award but because it is really in their hearts to serve the country and its people with excellence."

Traffic Re-routing in Mandaluyong today

Vehicles bound to Manila or San Juan coming from Pasig are advised to take Shaw Boulevard, turn right at Torres or Pilar Streets and right again at Araullo St. then right at Gomezville St. and P. Guevarra/Haig Sts., then right at Kalentong thru F. Manalo St. or San Juan proper. Motorists may also take Ortigas Avenue northbound then straight ahead to EDSA.

Vehicles coming from Manila and are bound for Pasig may take F. Manalo St. (San Juan) and turn right at Kalentong, left to Haig St. and straight ahead to Pilar St. or Lee St. then Shaw Blvd. thru EDSA to Pasig east bound. Alternative route is through F. Manalo St. straight ahead thru intersection, turning right at P. Guevarra St./Mabini St. thru Lee St.

Makati-bound motorists coming from San Juan or Manila should take Haig St., thru P. Guevarra St., then Lee St. and left to Shaw Blvd. then right to EDSA south bound thru Makati; or take Ortigas Ave. then right to EDSA.

San Juan-bound motorists coming from Makati-Mandaluyong Bridge may take left to Coronado St. then Pantaleon St. and straight ahead to Barangka Drive or may take an alternative route to EDSA then Shaw Boulevard.

All motorists coming from Sta. Ana bound to Gabby’s or Boni should take Castañeda St. straight ahead to J.P. Rizal/Coronado Sts. and turn right at Barangka Drive thru Boni Avenue. Motorists are strongly advised to avoid the open canal and Maysilo route during this time.

The City of Mandaluyong is one of the fastest-growing, strategically-located cities in Metro Manila. It is bordered on the west by the country’s capital, Manila, to the north by the municipality of San Juan, to the east by Quezon City and Pasig City, and by Makati City to the south. At present, it is widely considered the ‘Tiger City of the Philippines, and the ‘Mall Capital of the Philippines’.

Mandaluyong City is also a center for education, where some of the country’s prestigious institutes of learning are located: Lourdes School of Mandaluyong, La Salle Greenhills, and Don Bosco Technical College.

The city’s name is derived from the Tagalog mga (‘many’) and daluy which means flowing, as the early site where the city stands today had many tall grasses that seemed to ‘flow’ in the wind. Mandaluyong formed part of what was once the Kingdom of Sapa of the Great Majapahit Empire around 1300.

During the American period, San Felipe Neri was consolidated with the municipality of San Juan del Monte For several months in 1904, San Felipe Neri became the capital of Rizal province. However in 1907, San Felipe Neri became an independent municipality with its separation from San Juan. It was also renamed its town to its present name. Mandaluyong City was liberated from the Japanese forces on February 9, 1945 and attained its cityhood that same day 49 years later.

Being the very city where the National Mental Hospital is located, Mandaluyong City among Filipinos had been the object of jokes pertaining to a person’s mental health (one whose mental well-being is suspect is often labeled as coming from Mandaluyong, the joke going "sa loob o sa labas?, which translated, means ‘inside or outside?’).

But all this have changed now. Straddling the main route of the MRT system along EDSA, Mandaluyong City now follows the relentless march of progress with its non-stop construction, commercial, retail and leisure activities. Among the many attractions in the city is the western half of the Ortigas Center, one of the major centers of business, commerce, dining and entertainment in the metropolis (the eastern half is in Pasig City). Found within the Mandaluyong portion of the Ortigas Center is the main headquarters of the Asian Development Bank and the headquarters of San Miguel Corporation, South East Asia’s largest food and beverage company. SM Megamall, one of the biggest shopping malls in Asia, can be found here, as well as the Shangri-la Plaza Mall, Star Mall and the deluxe EDSA Shangri-La Hotel.