Valenzuela, Metro Manila
Template:Short description Template:Use Philippine English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox settlement Valenzuela (Template:IPAc-en, Template:IPA; Template:IPA, Template:IPA), officially the City of Valenzuela (Template:Langx), is a highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 725,173 people.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Valenzuela ranks as the 6th most populous city in the National Capital Region and the 11th most populous in the Philippines. Located Template:Convert north of the nation's capital, Manila, it is categorized as a highly urbanized, first-class city. This is due to Republic Act Nos. 7160 and 8526, which are based on categories of income classification and population.<ref name="RA8526"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The landlocked city is located on the island of Luzon, bordered by the province of Bulacan to the north, the cities of Caloocan to the west, Malabon to its south and north-east, and Quezon City to its east. Valenzuela also shares a border with the Tenejeros-Tullahan River with Malabon. The city has a total land area of 45.75 square kilometers (17.66 square miles). Its residents are composed of about 72% Tagalog people, followed by 5% Bicolanos, with a small percentage of foreign nationals.
The city was originally called Polo, which was formed in 1623,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> after separating from Meycauayan, Bulacan. The 1899 Battle of Malinta, during the Philippine–American War, was fought in Polo. In 1960, President Carlos P. Garcia ordered the split of Polo's southern barangays to form another town named Valenzuela, after Pío Valenzuela. He was a physician and a member of the Katipunan, a secret society that fought against the colonial government of Spain.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However, in 1963, the split was revoked by President Diosdado Macapagal after political disagreements, and the merged town retained the name Valenzuela. The modern-day borders of Valenzuela were chartered in 1998.
Toponymy
In Spanish, Valenzuela is a diminutive form of Valencia, which means "little Valencia".<ref>Template:Cite book Template:ISBN. Alternative URL can be found in Ancestry.com</ref> The name Valenzuela is also the surname of Pío Valenzuela y Alejandrino. He was regarded as a member of the Katipunan triumvirate, which started the Philippine Revolution against Spanish colonial authorities in 1896. He also served as the provisional chairman for the Katipunan.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Harvnb</ref>
Before 1960, Valenzuela was formerly known as Polo, where Pío Valenzuela was born.<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref> The name Polo was derived from the Tagalog term pulô, which means "island" or "islet", although the area was not an island itself. The town of Polo was entirely surrounded by the rivers, thus creating an impression of being an island.<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref>
History
Early Spanish period
During the Spanish era, present-day Valenzuela, Obando and Novaliches (now in Quezon City) were parts of Bulacan. The areas now covered by Valenzuela included four haciendas (Malinta, Tala, Piedad, and Maysilo), small political settlements and a Spanish garrison.<ref name="arenas36">Template:Harvnb</ref> Collectively, these areas were known as Polo. The region was bounded by the Tullahan River to the south and streams branching from the Río Grande de Pampanga in some areas.
When Manila became an archdiocese in 1595, regular friars who had already established permanent churches in Meycauayan decided that the sitio of Polo should be separated from the town and have its own church to cater to its increasing spiritual needs. Through successive efforts of Franciscan friar Juan Taranco and Don Juan Monsód, sitio Polo and Catanghalan (now part of Obando) were successfully separated from Meycauayan on November 7, 1621, at the feast day of the town's new patron, St. Didacus of Alcalá, known locally as San Diego de Alcalá.<ref name="ord3">Template:Cite web</ref> The first cabeza de barangay of Polo was Monsód, while Taranco led the parish in a small tavern, which would become the present-day San Diego de Alcalá church.<ref name="arenas39">Template:Harvnb</ref> The separation was then confirmed by Governor-General Alonso Fajardo de Entenza through a proclamation letter on November 12, 1623. Later, the date of November 12 was adopted as the foundation day of the city.<ref name="nhcp valenzuela">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="ARAW NG VALENZUELA 2012 Kasaysayan, Kasarinlan, Kaunlaran">Template:Cite web</ref>
Polo Church
The construction of a parochial church dedicated to St. Didacus of Alcalá began in 1627, under the supervision of José Valencia and Juan Tibay. The first church structure was completed in 1632, but its bell was looted during the Chinese uprising of 1635. At that time, Chinese merchants resided mainly in Barrio Pariancillo, which was located behind the church. In 1852, the church was repaired and remodeled under the direction of Fr. Vicente. The church was later re-dedicated to another patron, to the Nuestra Señora de la Inmaculada Concepción. A convent was also built, followed by a common house (casa tribunal) that had a rectangular prison cell and a schoolhouse made of stone.<ref name="arenas42">Template:Harvnb</ref> On June 3, 1865, a strong earthquake destroyed the belfry of the San Diego de Alcalá Church, followed by an epidemic that killed thousands of people.<ref name="arenas47">Template:Harvnb</ref>
Separation of Obando
On May 14, 1753, Governor-General Francisco Jose de Obando y Solis, Marquis of Brindisi, ordered that a new pueblo be carved out of the northwestern area of Polo. The new town was named Obando, in honor of the governor-general, and was incorporated into Bulacan.<ref name="arenas42"/>
British invasion of Bulacan
In 1762-1764, during the British occupation of Manila and its surrounding suburbs, the colonial government, led by Simón de Anda y Salazar, fled to Bacolor, Pampanga, via Polo. The British pursued Anda, and at one point, they stayed in sitio Mabolo while awaiting orders from the British civil Governor, Dawsonne Drake. They explored the nearby communities of Malanday, Wakas, Dalandanan, Pasolo, Rincon, and Malinta. The terrified local population fled and sought refuge in the forests of Viente Reales, where many of them succumbed to malaria.<ref name="arenas46">Template:Harvnb</ref> The British then proceeded to Malolos, Bulacan, where they were ambushed by the stationed Spanish soldiers. After the chase, the local population of Polo returned to their homes on May 12, 1763, after days of reconstruction. The day May 12 was commemorated as the feast of St. Roch, locally known as San Roque, as another patron saint and as a memorial to those who died in the Seven Years War.<ref name="arenas46"/>
Separation of Novaliches
In 1854, General Manuel Pavía y Lacy, Marquis de Novaliches, was appointed Governor-General of the Philippine Islands. Upon his arrival in Manila, he was tasked with establishing a penal colony in which prisoners would be granted land to cultivate in exchange for the prospect of eventual release. The settlement became known as Hacienda Tala, named for its resemblance to a landscape where a star (tala) had fallen after the forest was cleared. This hacienda grew into a larger community that eventually merged with the haciendas of Malinta and Piedad to form the independent town of Novaliches on January 26, 1856.<ref>Template:Usurped</ref> A new road from Polo to Novaliches opened, traversing the barrios of Mabolo, Pasolo, Rincon, Malinta, Masisan, Paso de Blas, Canumay and Bagbaguin.
Revolutionary period
In 1869, Filipino physician and patriot Pío Valenzuela was born in Polo. He would later be known as one of the key leaders of the Katipunan, which he joined in 1892 at the age of 23. His admission to the society led to more recruits from Polo, including Ulpiano Fernández, Gregorio Flamenco, Crispiniano Agustines, and Faustino Duque. When Valenzuela was the chief editor, Fernández held a special role in the Katipunan as a printer of the Ang Kalayaan, the organization's official newspaper.<ref name="arenas48">Template:Harvnb</ref>
The now-defunct Manila-Dagupan Railway opened in 1892 and traversed the barrios of Marulas, Caruhatan, Malinta, Dalandanan and Malanday, with the station being in Dalandanan.<ref>https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10215303585008491&id=1401141105 Template:User-generated source</ref>
A constituted branch of the Katipunan was established in Polo on February 1, 1896.<ref name="katipunan at polo">Template:Cite web</ref> The town joined other revolutionaries when the Philippine Revolution broke out in August 1896, while Valenzuela availed the amnesty offered by Spanish authorities a few weeks later.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> One of the notable battles in Polo occurred in sitios Bitik and Pasong Balite in Pugad Baboy, where the locals won under the command of General Tiburcio de León y Gregorio.<ref name="arenas50">Template:Harvnb</ref> During the revolution, the Spanish massacred many residents, most of them in Malinta. Suspected revolutionaries were hanged and tortured to death. Many were forced to admit guilt or shout innocent names; others were shot without trial.<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref>
American invasion period
The Americans imposed a military government when they acquired the Philippine islands from Spain as part of the peace treaty of the Spanish–American War. They appointed Pío Valenzuela as the first municipal president of (presidente municipal) on September 6, 1899, to suppress aggressive leadership in the area. He resigned in February 1901 to become the head of the military division, and an election was held. Later that year, the government proclaimed Rufino Valenzuela, a relative of Pío, as the second president and first elected municipal president of the town.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
When the Philippine–American War broke out in early 1899, the Americans were directed to capture Emilio Aguinaldo, who was escaping to Malolos, Bulacan. Polo was one of the towns where Aguinaldo retreated; thus, it received heavy casualties in the first stages of the war.<ref name="Tiongson 2004 109">Template:Harvnb</ref> On February 22, 1899, General Antonio Luna camped at Polo after an unsuccessful engagement with the American forces in Caloocan.<ref name="Tiongson 2004 109" /><ref>Template:Harvnb</ref><ref>Template:Harvnb</ref> A bloody battle on March 26, 1899, happened near the barrio chapel of Malinta. The Filipino forces had to retreat with the arrival of American reinforcements after being initially successful in defending Malinta and killing Colonel Harry Egbert.
On October 8, 1903, the adjacent town of Obando merged with Polo by virtue of Act No. 932.<ref>Template:Cite PH act</ref> It was later separated from Polo, effective August 10, 1907, by virtue of Act No. 1588 dated January 25, 1907.<ref>Template:Cite PH act</ref>
In 1910, a stone arch was built at its municipal boundary with Malabon, Rizal , along Calle Real (modern-day Marcelo H. Del Pilar Street). In 1928, Manila North Road (Highway 3) opened and became the new gateway. The once-agricultural town slowly shifted to an industrial one. Businesses soon put up factories, the most famous of which is the Japanese venture Balintawak Beer Brewery that opened in 1938.
Japanese occupation period
The entrance of the Japanese into Polo during the Second World War was met with almost no resistance. However, there were still many murders committed. The place became a center of Makapili and spies. It was found that the Balintawak Beer Brewery became a front for manufacturing ammunition for the Japanese forces. The old church of San Diego de Alcalá was used by the Japanese forces as a torture chamber.
On December 10, 1944, Japanese forces massacred more than a hundred males in both towns. About 1:00 am on this day, up to the setting of the sun, cries could be heard from the municipal building when males were tortured to death. Mayor Feliciano Ponciano was killed along with other municipal officials.<ref name="arenas52">Template:Harvnb</ref>
When liberation came, the town was partly burned by the approaching military forces of combined Filipino and American regiments who used flamethrowers. They bombed and shelled big houses in the town, not exempting even the more than 300-year-old church of San Diego.<ref name="arenas52" />
The historic old bridge that once connected the northern and southern sectors of the town of Polo played a crucial role in its geographic and economic unity. However, during World War II, this vital structure was deliberately destroyed by retreating Japanese forces in an effort to hinder the advance of the Allied troops. The destruction of the bridge effectively split the town into two isolated zones, complicating both civilian life and military operations.
Following this, the northern section of Polo was promptly liberated by the combined forces of Filipino guerrillas and American soldiers. Meanwhile, the southern sector, including the poblacion, which served as the town's administrative and commercial center, remained under Japanese occupation. This strategic division underscored the tactical importance of the bridge and the river it spanned.
On February 11, 1945, the situation dramatically shifted when the joint Filipino and American forces succeeded in crossing the river. This maneuver led to the complete liberation of Polo, as Japanese forces, recognizing their untenable position, abandoned the town. The recapture marked a significant milestone in the broader campaign to free the region from Japanese control and restore civil governance.
Philippine independence
In 1947, the Balintawak Beer Brewery was acquired by San Miguel Beer. The Spanish church was never rebuilt, and only the belfry and the entrance arch remained. A new church was built perpendicular to the ruins of the old one.
On July 21, 1960, President Carlos P. Garcia signed Executive Order No. 401, which divided Polo into two: Polo and Valenzuela.<ref>Template:Cite PH act</ref> Polo comprised the northern barangays of Wawang Pulo, Poblacion, Palasan, Arkong Bato, Pariancillo Villa, Balangkas, Mabolo, Coloong, Malanday, Bisig, Tagalag, Rincon, Pasolo, Punturin, Bignay, Viente Reales, and Dalandanan. Valenzuela, on the other hand, comprised the southern barangays of Karuhatan, Marulas, Malinta, Ugong, Mapulang Lupa, Canumay, Maysan, Parada, Paso de Blas, Bagbaguin and Torres Bugallón (now Gen. T. de Leon). A provisional town hall was built across today's SM City Valenzuela, until a permanent town hall was built near the intersection of MacArthur Highway and the old Polo-Novaliches Road.
The division soon proved to be detrimental to economic growth in each town, so Bulacan Second district Representative to the Fifth Congress, Rogaciano Mercado and Senator Francisco Soc Rodrigo filed a bill which sought the reunification of the two towns. On September 11, 1963, President Diosdado Macapagal signed Executive Order No. 46, which reunified Valenzuela and Polo, adopting Valenzuela as the name of the resulting town.<ref name="arenas54">Template:Harvnb</ref>
In 1967, Mayor Ignacio Santiago Sr. purchased lots in Karuhatan in which the new municipal hall would be built. Misinterpretation of property surveys and tax appropriation issues sparked the debate on which barangay the municipal hall belonged to: Karuhatan, Malinta, or Maysan. To resolve the issue, Santiago ordered the creation of a new barangay, which was called Poblacion II, a reference to the old Poblacion barangay.<ref name="arenas56">Template:Harvnb</ref>
Incorporation of Metro Manila
On November 7, 1975, jurisdiction over Valenzuela was moved from the province of Bulacan to Metro Manila. Metro Manila was then headed by First Lady Imelda Marcos as its governor. Due to this, Valenzuela is the only area in the modern National Capital Region that was neither part of Spanish colonial-era Manila, Rizal province, nor the wartime City of Greater Manila.<ref name="arenas55-6">Template:Harvnb</ref>
In 1968, the North Diversion Road (now North Luzon Expressway) was opened.<ref name="arenas58">Template:Harvnb</ref> Rail transport to the city ceased in 1988 with the closure of the Philippine National Railway's North Line.
Cityhood
The passage of the Local Government Code in 1991 provided local governments with autonomy, which has allowed them to develop into self-reliant communities. On February 14, 1998, President Fidel V. Ramos signed Republic Act No. 8526, which converted the municipality of Valenzuela into a highly urbanized chartered city. The law also ordered the division of the newly created city into two legislative districts.<ref name="RA8526"/> When the law was ratified on December 30, 1998, Valenzuela became the 12th city to be admitted in Metro Manila and the 83rd in the Philippines.<ref name="timoghilaga">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Contemporary
In 2002, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo proclaimed July 11 every year as Valenzuela Day, which was an official holiday in the city that commemorates the birth date of Pío Valenzuela.<ref name="ord3"/> However, in 2008, the date of the city's charter day was transferred to February 14. Today, Valenzuela celebrates Valenzuela Day and Valenzuela Foundation Day on February 14 and November. 12 respectively<ref name="ARAW NG VALENZUELA 2012 Kasaysayan, Kasarinlan, Kaunlaran" /><ref name="araw ng valenzuela">Template:Cite web</ref>
On December 9, 2002, the National Capital Region Police Office announced that they have discovered the largest illegal drugs factory in the country within a Chinese-owned warehouse in Lawang Bato after a fire broke out in the building, achieving the largest methamphetamine drug bust at the time with over Template:Philippine peso worth of drugs seized.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
On May 13, 2015, a fire broke out in the Kentex Manufacturing factory in Barangay Ugong, killing 74 people in the incident. In 2016, the Ombudsman ordered the dismissal of Mayor Rex Gatchalian and other city officials due to grave misconduct and negligence of duty during the incident.<ref name="Kentex2">Template:Cite news</ref> This is dubbed as the third worst fire incident in the country.<ref name="Kentex fire 1">Template:Cite news</ref>
Geography
Valenzuela is located at Template:Coord, about Template:Convert north of the country's capital, Manila. Manila Bay, the country's top port for trade and industry, is located about Template:Convert west of the city. Valenzuela is bordered in the north by Obando and Meycauayan (Bulacan), to the west by Navotas, and to the east by Quezon City and northern Caloocan.
The highest elevation in the area reaches 38 meters (125 feet) above sea level, situated within the industrial zone of the city, specifically in the Canumay district. This hilly terrain, characterized by a surface gradient of approximately 0.55%, features a gentle slope that contributes to the area's suitability for industrial development. In contrast, the average elevation across the city is relatively low, at just 2 meters (6.6 feet) above sea level, indicating that much of the urban landscape lies close to coastal or flood-prone levels. This topographical variation plays a critical role in urban planning, infrastructure development, and flood management strategies.<ref name="aboutval">Template:Cite web</ref>
Apart from the political borders set by the law, Valenzuela and Malabon are also separated by the Template:Convert Tenejeros-Tullahan River or simply Tullahan River.<ref name="MMDA partners with private firm for Tullahan River dredging">Template:Cite news</ref> The river obtained its name from tulya or clam due to the abundance of such shellfish in the area.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Tullahan is a part of the Marilao-Meycauayan-Obando river system of central Luzon.<ref name="tenejeros">Template:Cite news</ref> It is now considered biologically dead and one of the dirtiest river systems in the world.<ref name="tenejeros"/><ref name="DENR, SMC ink pact to save Tullahan River">Template:Cite news</ref> Tullahan riverbanks used to be lined with mangrove trees and rich with freshwater fish and crabs. Children used to play in the river before it was polluted by developing industries near it.<ref name="tenejeros"/>
To save the river, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, and the local governments of Valenzuela and Malabon signed partnerships with private and non-government organizations to dredge the area.<ref name="MMDA partners with private firm for Tullahan River dredging"/><ref name="DENR, SMC ink pact to save Tullahan River"/><ref name="Group Formed to Clean Up Tullahan River">Template:Cite news</ref>
Increased climate variability, which is associated with global warming, has brought with it periods of heavy rainfall and high tides, which in turn have resulted in stagnant waters that can stay in the area for up to 4 weeks due to insufficient drainage and improper solid waste disposal. People are often stranded inside their homes and are exposed to waterborne diseases such as dengue and leptospirosis. Better early warning systems are needed to manage the risk associated with increased rainfall.<ref>INSIDE STORY: Building resilience to climate change locally – The case of Valenzuela City, Metro Manila</ref>
Administrative divisions
Valenzuela has 33 barangays, the smallest administrative unit in the city. The barangay is headed by the barangay captain or punong barangay and his 7-member local council or mga kagawad, duly elected by the residents. The youth sector of the barangay is represented by the youth council called the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK), headed by the SK chairperson and his 7-member assembly, also known as mga SK kagawad. There are 33 punong barangays and 231 kagawads in Valenzuela; SK officials are also of the same number. The barangays also serve as census areas of the city.
At the national level, Valenzuela is divided into two congressional districts: the first legislative district in the northern half of the city, which contains 24 barangays, and the second legislative district in the southern half of the city, which contains the remaining 9 barangays. Unlike barangays, the legislative districts have no political leader but are represented by congressional representatives in the House of Representatives of the Philippines.
Climate
Template:Climate chart Due to its location in Metro Manila, the climate of Valenzuela is almost similar to the country's capital, Manila. Given its geographic location on the west coast of the Philippines, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) classifies Valenzuela as Type I under its weather scheme. Wind from the Pacific Ocean is generally blocked by the Sierra Madre mountain range several kilometers east of the city.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Its proximity to the equator tends to give the city a very small temperature range, from as low as Template:Convert to as high as Template:Convert, although humidity makes these hot temperatures feel much hotter. The Köppen climate system classifies Valenzuela's climate as a borderline tropical monsoon (Am) and tropical savanna (Aw) due to its location and precipitation characteristics. This means the city has two pronounced seasons: dry and wet seasons.
Humidity levels are usually high in the morning, especially during June–November, making it feel warmer. The lowest humidity levels are recorded in the evening during the wet season. Discomfort from heat and humidity is extreme during May and June, and is higher than in other places in the country. The average sunlight is highest in April at 254.25 hours and lowest in July, August and September at 113 hours.<ref name="bbcmanila">Template:Cite news</ref>
Ecology
Valenzuela City was originally characterized by expansive grasslands that supported a primarily agricultural landscape. These natural grass covers were highly suitable for farming and played a significant role in sustaining local agricultural practices. However, with the accelerated pace of industrialization and economic growth, substantial changes in land use were observed. Large portions of these grasslands were converted into paved roads and urban infrastructure to accommodate the city's growing population and commercial activities, resulting in a considerable reduction of green spaces.<ref name=":0" />
In response to the environmental impacts of urban development, the local government of Valenzuela initiated several measures aimed at preserving and revitalizing urban vegetation. Among the most notable of these initiatives was the establishment of community vegetable gardens and techno-demonstration farms throughout various barangays in the city. These projects were designed not only to promote sustainable urban agriculture but also to encourage environmental awareness and food security among residents. By 2003, the city had established at least two fully operational community farms, serving as models for integrating greenery into an increasingly urbanized environment.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref>
Flora and fauna in Valenzuela include the common plants and animals found in Luzon, such as domesticated mammals. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau declared a two-hectare mangrove/swampy area in Villa Encarnacion, barangay Malanday, as an ecotourism site.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Every year, about 100 species of migratory birds, such as black-crowned night herons (Nycticorax nycticorax) and other native birds such as moorhen (Gallinula sp.), swamphen (Porphyrio sp.) and Philippine duck (Anas luzonica) flock the area. Wooden view decks are built to facilitate spectators, enthusiasts and visitors while having birdwatching and counting activities.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> As of 2020, the said ecotourism site is no longer the Villa Encarnacion today, as the area has been changed, and houses were built on the side of the main road and other residential developments.
In 2007, ordinary fishing ponds in Tagalag and Coloong were transformed into fishing spots that attract anglers every year for a prize catch. Fish tournaments are held yearly to increase tourism and livelihood in the area.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In 2008, the Supreme Court of the Philippines mandated Regional Trial Court Branch 171 as an environmental court handling all environmental cases in Valenzuela.<ref name="environmentalsc171">Template:Cite news</ref>
Thomas Hodge-Smith noted in 1939 that Valenzuela is rich in black tektites occurring in spheroidal and cylindrical shapes and are free of bubbles.<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref>
Government
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Local government
Like other cities in the Philippines, Valenzuela is governed by a mayor and a vice mayor who are elected to three-year terms. The mayor is the executive head who leads the city's departments in the execution of city ordinances and the delivery of public services. The vice mayor heads a legislative council that is composed of 14 members: six councilors from each of the city's two districts, and two ex officio offices held by the Association of Barangay Chairmen President as the barangay sector representative and the Sangguniang Kabataan Federation President as youth sector representative. The council is in charge of creating the city's policies in the form of ordinances and resolutions.<ref name="RA8526">Template:Cite PH act</ref>
The city is geographically part of, but not politically related to, the third district of Metro Manila.
Elected officials
The incumbent mayor and vice mayor of the city are Weslie T. Gatchalian and Marlon Paulo D. Alejandrino, respectively.
| Designation | First district | Second District |
|---|---|---|
| Representatives | Kenneth T. Gatchalian (NPC) | Gerald Cloyd Alexis D.V. Galang (Lakas) |
| Mayor | Weslie T. Gatchalian (NPC) | |
| Vice Mayor | Marlon Paulo D. Alejandrino (NPC) | |
| Councilors | Cristina Marie F. Tan (NUP) | Lorena C. Natividad-Borja (NPC) |
| Joseph William D. Lee (NPC) | Niña Sheila B. Lopez (NPC) | |
| Richard C. Enriquez (Lakas) | Roselle S. Sy (NPC) | |
| Walter Magnum D. Dela Cruz (NPC) | Chiqui Marie N. Carreon (NPC) | |
| Kisha Coleen R. Ancheta (NPC) | Christoffer Joseph M. Pineda (NPC) | |
| Exequil D.J. Serrano (NPC) | Louie P. Nolasco (NPC) | |
| ABC President | Mario B. San Andres (Canumay West) | |
| SK President | Jairus Jeofri P. Esplana (Malinta) | |
Court system and police
The Supreme Court of the Philippines recognizes five regional trial courts and two metropolitan trial courts within Valenzuela that have an over-all jurisdiction in the populace of the city.
The Valenzuela City Police Station (VCPS) is one of the four city police stations in the Northern Police District under the jurisdiction of the National Capital Region Police Office.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Today, more than 500 police officers are working for the VCPS, which puts the police-residents ratio in the city at 1:16,000.<ref name="valenzuela.gov.ph">Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2007, the Valenzuela City Peace and Order Council, of which the VCPS is a member, was hailed 2nd placer for the Best Peace and Order Council award that was conferred by the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the NCRPO, and the Manila Peace and Order Council.<ref name="valenzuela.gov.ph"/> In 2012, the VCPS was cited by the NCRPO for having the best Women and Children Protection Desk in the metro.<ref name="valenzuela.gov.ph"/>
Demographics
The demonym of Valenzuela is Valenzuelano for males and Valenzuelana for females; it is sometimes spelled as Valenzuelaño.
Based on the 2020 census, Valenzuela has a total population of 714,978, the 7th most populous in the NCR and 13th in the Philippines. This is an increase of 7.8 percent from 575,356 people in 2010, at an annual growth rate of 1.45%.<ref name="census2015">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Philippine Statistics Authority">Template:Cite web</ref>
The five most populous barangays are: Gen. T. de Leon (89,441), Marulas (53,978), Malinta (48,397), Ugong (41,821) and Karuhatan (40,996).<ref name="census2015"/>
Valenzuela City's household population in 2010, on the other hand, is at 574,840.<ref name="census.gov.ph">Template:Cite web</ref> Almost half, 50.2 per cent, are males. Females comprise 49.8 per cent of the population, with a total number of 286,548. The city has a sex ratio of 101 males for every 100 females, the second-highest ratio in the region, after Navotas, which has a sex ratio of 102 males per 100 females.<ref name="Philippine Statistics Authority"/> Seven out of ten Valenzuela residents, 66.7 per cent, belong to the working-age group, or those aged 15 to 64. The remaining 33.3% are aged 0 to below 15 and 65 and above, which are classified as the dependent age group.<ref name="census.gov.ph"/>
City population is expected to reach the 700,000-mark by mid-2022.<ref name="census2010">Template:Cite webTemplate:Dead link</ref>
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bar:1948 at: 16740 fontsize:S text: 16,740 shift:(-8,5) bar:1960 at: 41473 fontsize:S text: 41,473 shift:(-10,5) bar:1970 at: 98056 fontsize:S text: 98,056 shift:(-10,5) bar:1975 at: 150605 fontsize:S text: 150,605 shift:(-10,5) bar:1980 at: 212363 fontsize:S text: 212,363 shift:(-10,5) bar:1990 at: 339609 fontsize:S text: 339,609 shift:(-10,5) bar:1995 at: 437165 fontsize:S text: 437,165 shift:(-10,5) bar:2000 at: 485433 fontsize:S text: 485,433 shift:(-10,5) bar:2007 at: 568928 fontsize:S text: 568,928 shift:(-15,5) bar:2010 at: 575356 fontsize:S text: 575,356 shift:(-15,5) bar:2015 at: 620422 fontsize:S text: 620,422 shift:(-15,5)
TextData=
fontsize:S pos:(50,20) text: Demographic evolution of Valenzuela from 1948 to 2015.
</timeline>
Culture
"Himig Valenzuela"
Template:Listen "Himig Valenzuela",<ref>Template:YouTube</ref> or "Valenzuela Hymn", is the official song of the city.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It is sung during flag ceremonies of private and public schools as well as government institutions along with the Philippine national anthem, "Lupang Hinirang". The hymn was composed by Edwin Ortega, which has the primary objective to promote unity, progress and patriotism among the city's citizens.<ref name="valhymnlaw">Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore Web cached using Google cache serviceTemplate:Dead link.</ref>
City ordinance number 18 mandated all citizens of Valenzuela to sing the hymn in all meetings and public occasions.<ref name="valhymnlaw"/>
Before its adoption in 2008, Valenzuela had its official hymn during its time as a municipality, from being part of Bulacan to Metro Manila, called "Bayang Valenzuela", composed by Igmidio M. Reyes and its lyrics by Dr. Eusebio S. Vibar. It is now abandoned in its use as the official hymn of this city. There is a video by Valenzuela City Cultural and Tourism Development Office, which is found on Facebook.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Feasts and holidays
In 2007, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo signed Republic Act No. 9428, which sets February 14 every year as a special non-working holiday to commemorate the cityhood of Valenzuela in 1998.<ref name="1998charter">Template:Cite PH act</ref> On the same hand, November 12 each year is declared by the city government as the city's foundation day, looking back the establishment of then-Polo in 1623. There are misunderstandings regarding the date of the actual foundation of the town; however, this date was decided by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines to be the town's creation, since Spanish colonizers adopted a town's patron saint feast day as its date of creation.<ref name="nhcp valenzuela" /><ref name="ARAW NG VALENZUELA 2012 Kasaysayan, Kasarinlan, Kaunlaran" />
Each barangay in Valenzuela has its own feast. Most of them launch celebrations during May and April to honor patron saints and the bounty harvest. Every April 26, a santacruzan is performed along with the Santa Cruz Festival in Barangay Isla. A santacruzan is a novena procession commemorating St. Helena's mythical finding of the cross. St. Helena was the mother of Constantine the Great. According to legends, 300 years after the death of Christ, at the age of 75, she went to Calvary to conduct a search for the Cross. After some archeological diggings at the site of the Crucifixion, she unearthed three crosses. She tested each one by making a sick servant lie on all three. The cross where the servant recovered was identified as Christ's. St. Helena's feast day falls on August 8 but the anniversary of the finding of the Cross is on May 3, in the Philippines, this celebration took the form of the Mexican Santa Cruz de Mayo.<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Dead link</ref>
Mano Po, San Roque Festival is celebrated every May 12 in Mabolo. In Valenzuela, San Roque is also known as the patron saint of the unmarried. There are countless tales of single girls who danced and prayed in the procession and who claim to have found their husbands during the fiesta. The festival is almost similar to Obando Fertility Rites, where hopeful romantics dance to San Roque, requesting to find their true love.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Street dancing and procession along the city's major thoroughfares in commemoration of the feast of San Roque, highlighting the customs and traditional celebration of the festival.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> This also commemorates townsfolk victory after the British departed the country following the end of Seven Years' War with Spain.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The Feast of San Diego de Alcala is commemorated every November 12 in Poblacion. This is a celebration of the feast of the oldest church in Valenzuela, which includes annual boat racing, street dancing, and different fabulous activities of the festival.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> As part of the San Diego de Alcala Feast Day, a unique food festival in the country is celebrated which features the famous putong Polo, the small but classy kakanin which was created in the town of Polo.<ref name="pistang polo">Template:Cite news</ref> This rice cake was a recipient of Manuel Quezon Presidential Award in 1931 which was cited having its exotic taste and amazingly long shelf-life.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The celebration, known as Putong Polo Festival includes a parade featuring artistic creations from the rice cake which showcases creativity among the residents.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Economy
Owing to the cross-migration of people across the country and its location as the northernmost point of Metro Manila, Valenzuela has developed into a multicultural metropolis. A former agricultural rural area, Valenzuela has grown into a major economic and industrial center of the Philippines when a large number of industries relocated to the central parts of the city.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Template:Stack
Tourism
Template:Travel guide Template:Copy edit section
The Valenzuela City People's Park or simply People's Park, is an urban park located in a 1.3-hectare lot beside the city hall in Barangay Karuhatan. There is an electronically controlled dancing fountain at the park entrance. There are also open areas, a children's playground, and some spaces for animals. The 400-seater amphitheater has also hosted a wide range of activities.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The Valenzuela City Family Park, also located in Barangay Karuhatan, is another public park in the area that integrates nature in the urban setting.<ref name=":1" /> The park features a variety of amenities including a children's playground, an interactive fountain, an aviary, outdoor fitness equipment, an amphitheater, and a food park. The park is also pet-friendly, bike-friendly, and accessible to persons with disabilities.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite news</ref>
One of the many initiatives of the city government to create greener spaces, Polo Mini Park was inaugurated on January 21, 2020, six months after the announcement of the rehabilitation of the historical old town square of Polo. The park is adorned with a hundred-year-old luscious trees, a fountain, a memorial marker commemorating war veterans and statues of Pío Valenzuela and José Rizal. The park signifies not only a place for relaxation but also marks the historical identity of the City.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In English, Arkong Bato means "arch of stone," which was constructed and built by the Americans in 1910 to serve as a border between the provinces of Bulacan (where Valenzuela or Polo, as it was known before, belonged to) and Rizal. (where Malabon used to be part of) The arch is located along M.H. del Pilar Street, which was once the main gateway to North Luzon before the construction of MacArthur Highway and North Luzon Expressway. After Malabon seceded from Rizal and Valenzuela from Bulacan to become part of Metropolitan Manila in 1975, the arch now marked as the boundary between the two towns and their respective barangays, Barangay Santulan in Malabon and Barangay Arkong Bato in Valenzuela.<ref name="tourismdep" /><ref name="travelgrove" />
The Harry C. Egbert Memorial is located in Sitio Tangke Street in Malinta that serves as monument and memorial to Brigadier general Harry Clay Egbert, commanding officer of the 22nd Infantry Regiment of the United States who was mortally wounded here in 1899 during the Philippine–American War. Additionally, Egbert also served the US Army during American Civil War and Spanish–American War.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The Museo Valenzuela (Template:Langx) was the house where Dr. Pío Valenzuela, in whose memory the old town of Polo was renamed, was born and saw the best years of his life. This same house was burned recently. Valenzuela's historical and cultural landmark, Museo Valenzuela, features collections of artifacts depicting the city's past and continuing development.
The Libingan ng mga Hapon (Template:Langx) was built in a 500-square-meter lot of the Bureau of Telecommunications compound. The cemetery served thousands of fallen Japanese soldiers during the Philippines Campaign of 1944–45.<ref name="tourismdep" /><ref name="travelgrove" />
The National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima (Template:Langx) is the center of the Fatima apostolate in the country was declared a tourist site in 1982 by the Department of Tourism and a pilgrimage shrine in 2009 by the Diocese of Malolos. It is near the Our Lady of Fatima University.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The shrine houses the wooden statue of Our Lady of Fatima, one of the fifty images blessed by Pope Paul VI in 1967 as part of golden celebration of the Marian apparition to three children in Fátima, Portugal.<ref name="fatimainquirer" /> The images were later distributed to churches worldwide, where one of them is intended for the Philippines, however, unclaimed ending up in New Jersey. In 1984, Cardinal Jaime Sin, Archbishop of Manila, finally claimed the statue and was then transferred under the custody Bahay Maria Foundation, a Philippine-based Marian organization. During People Power Revolution in 1986, it was one of the iconic figures held by revolutionaries to oust the dictator Ferdinand Marcos.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On October 17, 1999, the statue was then transferred to the shrine. The feast of Our Lady of Fatima is celebrated every March 7 and May 13.<ref name="fatimainquirer">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Dr. Pío Valenzuela, who became part of the triumvirate of revolutionary society Katipunan and founder of the organ Ang Kalayaan, lived and died in 1956 at the old Residence of Pío Valenzuela along Velilla Street in Barangay Pariancillo Villa, where a marker by the Valenzuela city government was placed in his honor. The present house was built after the war on the site of the old house, which once served as a venue for secret meetings and gatherings of the Katipunan. The old house was burned during World War II.<ref name="tourismdep">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="travelgrove">Template:Cite web</ref>
The San Diego de Alcala Church and its belfry were built in 1632 by the people of Polo. Residents were taken to forced labor to complete the church after the town gained its independence through Father Juan Taranco and Don Juan Monsod. The belfry and entrance arch, which are over four centuries old, are the only parts of the edifice that remain to this day. The main structure was destroyed by bombs during the Japanese occupation. Residents of barangays Polo and Poblacion celebrate the feast day of San Diego de Alcala on November 12 every year, together with the putong polo festival.<ref name="pistang polo"/>
Located at Malanday, the Hearts of Jesus and Mary Parish Church, was erected on October 17, 1994, to replace the Santo Cristo Chapel, and solemnly declared on June 24, 2001. The Church belongs to the Vicariate of St. Didacus of Alcala – Valenzuela City, Roman Catholic Diocese of Malolos.
The Valenzuela Astrodome is a large multi-purpose, domed sports stadium located in Barangay Dalandanan that hosts several sports events, concerts, promotional events, seminars, job fairs, etc.
Dubbed as Valenzuela City's "best kept secret", the Tagalag Fishing Village lies beside a Template:Convert boardwalk in Barangay Tagalag. Various activities are being offered in one of the newest attractions in the city, such as recreational fishing, line fishing tutorials, bird watching, boating, photowalk, and sunset watching.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The Valenzuela boardwalk is a conversion of "Tagalag Fishing Village"s' 1.3-kilometer (0.81 mi) flood dike (protection) into a walkway with a bike trail, among other attractions. Its flood wall has a four-meter-wide linear park traversing Barangays Coloong, Tagalag and Wawang Polo. It was inaugurated by a walkathon in September 2024.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Services
Education
The city collaborates with other institutions, government or private, to bring quality education among its citizens under the "WIN ang Edukasyon Program" (roughly means Education WIN sic Program, WIN is the nickname of the current mayor Sherwin Gatchalian). In 2010, the government, in partnership with the local school board, funded the purchase to construct a computer laboratorie in 10 different secondary schools, all having a net worth of Template:Philippine peso (or about Template:US$ as of April 2011). This also includes the distribution of Template:Philippine peso (or about US$34,000 as of April 2011) computers in Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Valenzuela and Valenzuela City Polytechnic College, as part of Department of Education's ICT4E Strategic Plan. In this project, information and communication technology education is extended and expanded among all students.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2009, the City Engineering Office repaired sidewalks and drainage to assist students especially during the wet season; they also repaired and constructed new buildings and classrooms to some schools in the city.<ref name="facilitieseduc"/> Under the same program, elementary school students received free mathematics and English workbooks published by the government especially designed for Valenzuelanos.<ref name="facilitieseduc"/> The steady increase of 3.4% enrollment rate each year forces the government to construct new buildings and classrooms to meet the target 1:45 teacher-to-student ratio, contrary to the current count of 1:50 ratio alternating in three shifts.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> WIN ang Edukasyon Program was done in partnership with the Synergeia Foundation, a non-government organization that aims to improve education in local governments in the Philippines.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
At the same time, WIN ang Edukasyon Program also spearheads the yearly training of some mathematics and English language teachers assigned to Grades 1 and 2 pupils.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The seminar focuses on how to enhance reading skills, language proficiency and mathematics of the students they are teaching through re-acquaintance with various drills and activities. This was done with the efforts of lecturers from Ateneo de Manila University and Bulacan State University using the approach developed by the UP Diliman's College of Education.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The government owns Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Valenzuela and Valenzuela City Polytechnic College that serve as the city's state university and technical school for residents and non-residents, respectively. The Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Valenzuela (PLV) or University of the City of Valenzuela, was established in 2002 and is located within the perimeters of the old city hall in barangay Poblacion. In 2009, the city council passed Resolution No. 194 series of 2008, which authorized the government to purchase lots costing PhP 33M (or about US$750,000 as of April 2011) in nearby Children of Mary Immaculate College as part of the university's expansion.<ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore Web cachedTemplate:Dead link from Google cache service</ref> Mayor Sherwin Gatchalian assisted the development, which has an over-all cost of Template:Philippine peso (or about US$1.7M as of April 2011) loaned from Development Bank of the Philippines.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The newly purchased lots are used to construct an annex building which will house the departments of business administration and accountancy. The Board of Regents expected an increase in enrollment from 800 to 3,000 students in the next few years.<ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
Valenzuela City Polytechnic College (VCPC) was allotted with additional Template:Philippine peso (or about US$420,000 as of April 2011) budget in 2009 from the city fund, which will be used for expansion and upgrade of the college.<ref name="facilitieseduc">Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
There are also privately owned academic institutions, including the Our Lady of Fatima University (OLFU). OLFU was previously granted by Commission on Higher Education autonomy, which includes independence from monitoring and evaluation services by the Commission, though still entitled to subsidies and other financial grants from the national government whenever possible. The autonomous status of the university was approved on March 11, 2009, and expired last March 30, 2014.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Healthcare
There are numerous hospitals in Valenzuela, like the city-run Valenzuela City Emergency Hospital and the Valenzuela Medical Center. There are also privately owned hospitals like Calalang General Hospital, Sanctissimo Rosario General Hospital and Fatima University Medical Center, a tertiary private hospital under the administration of Our Lady of Fatima University.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The soon-to-rise Valenzuela City West Emergency Hospital and Dialysis Center is located in barangay Dalandanan, adjacent to Valenzuela City Astrodome and Dalandanan National High School. It will render adequate healthcare services to underprivileged residents at a minimal fee.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The city implements the VC Cares Program which is designed for individuals who are unable to provide healthcare and necessities for themselves or meet special emergencies of need.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> While health care service and financial assistance are generally the forms of assistance given, these may be supplemented by other forms of assistance, as well as problem-solving and referral services. Appropriate referrals may be made to other agencies or institutions where complementary services may be obtained.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
According to the 2002 Commission on Audit, the city reported accomplishment per health center ranging from as low as 42.26% to as high as 206% and vaccine utilization of 33% to 90% compared to the normal 46% to 377% per basic requirements.<ref name="coa polio">Template:Cite web</ref>
There are swampy areas in Valenzuela, and there are stagnant waters in the Tullahan River on the south, which make citizens vulnerable to mosquito-linked diseases such as dengue and malaria. Though malaria is not a common case in Valenzuela, the city ranks consistently among the top five dengue-infected regions in the Philippines, with around a 56% chance of recurrence every year.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the second quarter of 2008, however, only 500% increase was reported compared to the same period in 2007.<ref>Template:Cite news, in video.</ref>
In September 2009, the Department of Health distributed free Olyset anti-dengue nets treated with permethrin insecticide to Gen. T. de Leon High School. Over 150 rolls of the nets were given and installed in the windows of the said school, as part of DOH's "Dalaw sa Barangay: Aksyon Kontra Dengue" (Visit Barangay: Action against Dengue) campaign.<ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
Legal issues
In April 2024, Wilbert T. Lee filed House Resolution No. 1674 to investigate the reported complaints against Allied Care Experts Medical Center - Malanday, Valenzuela. Richel Mae Pepito Alvaro, 26, and Lovery Magtangob, 28, "palit-ulo" scheme victims, filed complaints of serious and slight illegal detention with the Valenzuela City Prosecutor's Office against the hospital and several of its staff over unsettled hospital bills amounting to P518,519 and P777,378, respectively. "For Case No. 1, a slight illegal detention charge was filed. For Case No. 2, the victim was detained for three days so it will fall under serious illegal detention," Wes Gatchalian said.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Shopping centers and utilities
On October 28, 2005, SM Supercenter Valenzuela (now SM City Valenzuela) was inaugurated.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Other shopping sites such as Puregold Valenzuela, the newly renovated South Supermarket and the newly opened Puregold Paso de Blas is also located in the city.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> All these stores compete against each other since most have the same product offerings as diversified groceries except for SM City Valenzuela which has upgraded with the opening of The SM Store. People from the city with more major shopping needs normally head south to cities such as Quezon City and Manila, since they have bigger malls and commercial centers with more diverse trade goods.
Water supply for the city is supplied by the Metropolitan Water Works and Sewerage System (MWSS)' west concessionaire Maynilad Water Services, Inc. (MWSI).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> As of 2006, the city has at least 68% water service coverage as determined by the Regulatory Office of the MWSS.<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Each customer receives at least 7 psi water pressure, which means supply can reach for up to two floors for residential use.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Maynilad is owned and currently operated by DMCI Holdings, Inc.–Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (DMCI-MPIC).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
On June 2, 2010, the Sitero Francisco Memorial National High School in barangay Ugong unveiled its first solar generators, the first time for a school in the Philippines. The six 1-kilowatt photovoltaic solar arrays installed to light nine classrooms are bought from Wanxiang America Corporation through the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) and are part of the solar energy initiative of the city. The arrays were shipped from Illinois, and installation was paid for by the city government. First district representative Rex Gatchalian and former second district councilor Shalani Soledad headed the switching ceremony, which made it the first-ever solar-powered school in the country.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The solar panels can generate 1 kW to 5 kW of electricity per hour depending on the intensity of sunlight. Unused solar energy is stored in eight deep-cycle batteries, which can be used after sunset. The panels also continue to absorb light from the night sky.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Waste management
According to the 2002 Metro Manila Solid Waste Management Report of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Valenzuela has the highest number of identified recycling companies in the region.<ref name="part 5 adb">Template:Cite web</ref> It was also said that recycling centers related to plastic materials are relatively higher than other recyclable objects like metals, paper, glass among others.<ref name="part 5 adb"/> Accordingly, the city government allocates an amount of about 785.70 Philippine pesos (approx. US$18 as of April 2011) for every transportation and collection costs of a ton of waste material. In 2003, the city generated about 307.70 tons of waste every day.<ref name="navarro">Template:Cite web</ref> In 2001, it was reported by ADB that the city has as high as 25% solid waste management cost recovery rate through service charges on households and other enterprises for operational activities associated with waste collection, treatment and disposal.<ref name="part 9 adb">Template:Cite web</ref> That same year, the city's proposal to implement a community-based solid waste management project in barangay Mapulang Lupa, was approved by the national government, which involves social mobilization, training of personnel, implementation of segregated collection and establishment of materials recovery facility and windows composting operation among others. The city government was granted a maximum of US$25,000 from the Asian Development Bank for the operation of the project.<ref name="part 8 adb">Template:Cite web</ref>
In 1988, the city opened its first waste disposal facility, the Lingunan Controlled Dumpsite. Every year, the facility collects and processes only about 60% of the entire city's waste through landfilling and recycling services. The dumpsite uses rice hull ash as daily cover and odor control material for the waste collected in the area.<ref name="mair">Template:Cite web</ref> Lingunan Controlled Dumpsite also conducted some limited waste segregation and resource recovery operations before burial of residual waste.<ref name="mair"/> In 2006, the controlled dumpsite was closed per MMDA order in 2003 and was subsequently converted into a sanitary landfill as directed by RA 9003.<ref name="navarro" />
In statistics, 60% of the waste collected in the city is collected, hauled, and dumped in controlled dumpsites, while 5% is retrieved and recycled, and 35% is thrown everywhere in the city. Half of all these wastes are non-biodegradable wastes, which include plastics, Styrofoams, and rubbers alike, while the remaining are biodegradable wastes, which are 70% food and kitchen wastes, 20% plant wastes and 10% animal wastes.<ref name="coa2002val">Template:Cite web</ref> In 2002, there are about 30 small and big junkshops that collect recyclable materials and 20 schools that require their students to bring recyclable stuff as school project.<ref name="coa2002val"/>
The city spearheaded Metro Manila's implementation of a comprehensive waste management program in 1999, when it became the first area in the region to allocate 2.8 hectares of land in barangay Marulas to serve as an ecology center and the location for the city's waste management program's operations center. Biodegradable wastes in this area are converted to fertilizers.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2004, the city government funded the repair of 29 garbage trucks and purchase of another 20 trucks that may increase the capacity of Waste Management Office to do full rounds of garbage every week.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Justice management
In a joint study conducted by the Supreme Court of the Philippines and the United Nations Development Programme in July 2003, assessing inmate and institutional management among selected municipal and city jails in the National Capital Region, it was found that Valenzuela City Jail has a congestion rate of 170%. According to the study, the excess number of inmates in Metro Manila jails resulted in the outbreaks of various ailments such as psychiatric disorders, pulmonary tuberculosis and skin diseases. The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology recommends the implementation of release programs under applicable laws.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) of Valenzuela is located along Valenzuela Hall of Justice in barangay Karuhatan.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It was formerly located at the old city hall in barangay Maysan which was transferred by mayor Sherwin Gatchalian in 2010 along with other trial courts, the police headquarters and prosecutor's office of the city.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> That same year, the BJMP launched the Alternative Learning System program, in partnership with the local government and Department of Education (DepEd), as part of the rehabilitation programs to city jail inmates. Successful passers of the program received certification of DepEd as proof of completion of secondary education.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Transportation
Expressways such as the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and NLEX Harbor Link project traverse through Valenzuela. Valenzuela is accessible to and from NLEX via the Paso de Blas Interchange, formerly known as Malinta Exit (due to the road's direct access to barangay Malinta), at Km. 28. It also has exits towards barangays Lingunan and Lawang Bato. Meanwhile, the Harbor Link project, where Segments 8.1 and 9 are components of Circumferential Road 5, provides access to Valenzuela through its interchanges at MacArthur Highway (Karuhatan), Harbor Link Interchange with NLEX, and Mindanao Avenue in barangay Ugong, as well as exits towards barangays Parada and Gen. T. de Leon.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Valenzuela is also connected to Bulacan through MacArthur Highway, which ends at Bonifacio Monument in Caloocan.
One of the well-known bridges in Valenzuela is the Tullahan Bridge in barangay Marulas that connects the city to barangay Potrero in Malabon.<ref name="DENR, SMC ink pact to save Tullahan River"/> Tullahan bridge is part of MacArthur Highway that was built during the Spanish era as a way of transporting vehicles over Tullahan River. In the span of years, it was renovated repeatedly, the most recent being in 2008, though defects on the bridge began to appear barely six months after it opened for public use.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The city is webbed by hundreds of roads, where 99.622% of them have a surface type of concrete while the remaining 0.378% were made of dirt.<ref name="road stat">Template:Cite web</ref> The Department of Public Works and Highways recognizes nine national bridges in Valenzuela, listed below.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Other bridges are just minor ones that connect small cliffs and former landfill areas, like Malinta Bridge in barangay Malinta. City roads have an average road density of 1.155 kilometers of road per 100 square kilometers of land area. Each road has an average road section of 155 sections and spans Template:Convert.<ref name="road stat"/>
The Valenzuela Gateway Complex Terminal in Paso de Blas is designated by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority as Manila's northern provincial bus terminal. Bus companies also founded terminals in Barangay Malanday, the northernmost locality of Valenzuela along the border with Bulacan, though there are terminals situated in barangays Dalandanan and Karuhatan as well. This includes Laguna Star Bus, PAMANA Transport Service, Inc., CEM Trans Services and Philippine Corinthian Liner, Inc., among others. These buses are lined with Metro Manila destinations only, usually in Alabang or Baclaran with routes along EDSA. Bus traffic is also dense at barangays Paso de Blas and Bagbaguin due to their proximity to the Paso de Blas Interchange and bus terminals in Novaliches, Quezon City. Other modes of transportation includes jeepneys (with routes usually from Malanday to Recto, Santa Cruz, Divisoria, Pier 15 South Harbor & T. M. Kalaw in Manila and Grace Park & Monumento in Caloocan and Malinta to Malolos City, Baliwag and Santa Maria along MacArthur Highway) for general mass transportation, tricycles (or trikes) for small-scale transportation and taxicabs for upper middle classes.
There are no airports and ports in Valenzuela.
External relations
Template:See also Valenzuela is twinned with the following towns and cities:
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Friendship links
Valenzuela has friendship links (with no formal constitution) with the following towns and cities. Agreements are usually forged towards industrial, cultural or academic exchanges and understanding.
- Template:Flagicon Yangzhou, Jiangsu China<ref name="Valenzuela seeks closer ties with S. Korean city"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Template:Flagicon [[KauaTemplate:Okinai, Hawaii]], United States<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Notable people
Template:See also Template:Div col
- Atty. Santiago San Andres de Guzman, Municipal Mayor from 1988 to 1992
- Virgilio "Billy" Abarrientos, member of the Crispa Redmanizers
- Eugenio Angeles (1868-1977), former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines from 1967 to 1968<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Bobbit Carlos (born 1957), former mayor (1995-2004) and representative (2004-2007)
- Danilo Concepcion, former youth sector representative to the Interim Batasang Pambansa (1978-1984), former Vice President for Legal Affairs of University of the Philippines, Dean of UP College of Law since 2011, and concurrently President of the University of the Philippines since 2017
- Glaiza de Castro (born 1988), actress and singer starred Heidi Fernandez-Montreal on Temptation Of Wife Philippines<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Gerard "Gerry" Esplana (born 1966), former athlete (1993-2003), former member of Presto Tivolis, Santa Lucia Realtors and Shell Turbo Chargers, and former city councilor (2004-2013)
- Franzen Fajardo (born 1982), actor, TV host, and former reality show contestant
- Florentino V. Floro Jr. (born 1953), former judge
- Rex Gatchalian (born 1979), former mayor (2013-2022), representative (2007-2013, 2022-2023) and Secretary of Social Welfare and Development since 2023
- Win Gatchalian (born 1974), former mayor (2004-2013), representative (2001-2004, 2013-2016) and Senator of the Philippines since 2016
- Roberto "Bobby" Jose, member of the 1989 Petron Blaze Boosters Grand Slam team and was the PBA All Star during his rookie year
- Charee Pineda (born 1990), actress and city councilor since 2013
- Ignacio Santiago Sr., former mayor (1956-1959 and 1964-1967) of Valenzuela, then governor of Bulacan from 1968 to 1986<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Pablo Santiago Sr. (died 1998), film director and producer
- Randy Santiago (born 1960), actor, television host, singer, songwriter, producer, director and entrepreneur
- Raymart Santiago (born 1973), action star and comedian
- Guillermo S. Santos (1915-1991), former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court from 1977 to 1980<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- José Serapio, former mayor (1912-1917) and former governor of Bulacan (1900-1901)<ref name="jose serapio governor">Template:Cite web</ref>
- Shalani Soledad (Shalani Soledad-Romulo) (born 1980), former city councilor (2004-2013) and TV personality
- Ford Valencia (born 1995), Pinoy Boyband Superstar winner, member of Boyband PH
- Pío Valenzuela (1869-1956), physician, patriot, writer and member of the Katipunan society, namesake of Valenzuela
See also
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- Geography of Manila
- Greater Manila Area
- Imperial Manila
- List of parks in Manila
- List of populated places in Metro Manila
- List of renamed cities and municipalities in the Philippines
- Mega Manila
- Public transport in Manila
- Transportation in Metro Manila
References
Books
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External links
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- [[[:Template:NSCB detail]] Philippine Standard Geographic Code]
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