Valenzuela to open new tech college

TO mark its 400th founding anniversary, Valenzuela City will soon open the city-funded Valenzuela Technological College (Valtech) and build the Valenzuela East Medical Center. Mayor Weslie Gatchalian revealed the new projects during the anniversary celebration held over the weekend at the Casa de Polo in Barangay Poblacion. Gatchalian was joined in the festivity by former Trade and Industry secretary Ramon Lopez, who has been appointed as vice chairman of the ValTech Board of Trustees. To further solidify ValTech’s vision of providing quality education to future students, Gatchalian said the city government and ValTech signed a memorandum of agreement with 17 industry and organization partners. The agreement outlines a collaborative effort to improve the curriculum of ValTech, the mayor said. “The main objective of the agreement is to gear students with an education that aligns with the evolving demands of various industries. ValTech’s new campus is expected to open next year with an enhanced curriculum and new courses for its ‘Valenzuelano’ students,” Gatchalian told The Manila Times. The Valenzuela East Medical Center, an ambulatory and surgical facility, will be located in Barangay Paso de Blas. “With the challenge of congestion in emergency hospitals in the city, this forthcoming medical facility is designed to deliver accessible, multi-specialty health care for all, not just for the ‘Valenzuelanos’ but also to all neighboring cities,” Gatchalian said. Another highlight of the anniversary celebration was the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the local government and Ayala Healthcare Holdings Inc. (AC Health). Under the agreement, AC Health will donate public health consultancy services to the city regarding Universal Health Care. “This strategic collaboration underscores a shared commitment to enhance the implementation of the Universal Healthcare Law in the city, thereby fortifying its health care service delivery network,” the mayor said. He thanked the industries that established a relationship with the city and shared their resources in improving the lives of the city’s residents. “Valenzuela has almost 19,000 factories, warehouse and commercial establishments; this is the lifeline of the city, where we could not see big infrastructure projects like university, hospitals and parks without them,” said Gatchalian. The grand celebration ended with the awarding ceremony for the Top 20 Taxpayers and Top 17 Job Providers of 2022. The ceremony was a tribute to the integral role played by businesses in fostering the economic vitality and development of the city, Gatchalian said. Valenzuela used to be known as the Pueblo de Polo and was established on Nov. 12, 1623.