Rex Gatchalian

Rex Gatchalian (left) and his brother Win (right) with Fernando Poe Jr. (center) in 2004

Gatchalian first ran for representative of the 1st district of Valenzuela, in 2004 but lost to outgoing Mayor Bobbit Carlos.[5]

In 2007, Gatchalian ran for representative of the 1st District of Valenzuela once again and was successful this time. He was one of the youngest legislators during the 14th Congress.

As Vice-chairman for the Congressional Committee for Overseas Workers’ Affairs, he authored Republic Act No. 10022, also known as An Act Amending R.A. 8042, otherwise known as the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995. The law mandates new policies for the further protection and genuine representation of migrant workers. He is also one of the principal authors of Republic Act No. 9576, or the law that doubles the maximum deposit insurance coverage by the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC) from ₱250,000 to ₱500,000. It was also during his first term as Representative that he was elected as National Spokesperson for the political party Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC).

In 2010, Gatchalian was re-elected as representative of the 1st District of Valenzuela for the 15th Congress with the largest electoral margin in the district's history. At the age of 31, he became the youngest member of the Commission on Appointments in history, and the only Congressional Representation from the City of Valenzuela to be a member. He also served as the Senior Vice-chairman for the Congressional Committee on Games & Amusements.

Mayor Gatchalian speaking to his constituents

Gatchalian was elected Mayor of Valenzuela in 2013. He was re-elected in 2016 and in 2019.[6]

His public service platform, better known as the “Five Pillars of Good Governance,” focused on the essential needs of his constituents: Education, Health and Social Services, Housing, Job Generation, and Trade and Industry.

He oversaw the creation of 48 barangay health stations (BHS) city-wide and the 14 Sentro ng Sama-Samang Serbisyo or 3S Centers as well as the ALERT Center, the Valenzuela City's Peoples Park, and the Valenzuela School of Mathematics and Science.

Other programs developed under his term as a Mayor include:

• 3S Plus Electronic Terminal - the Philippines’ first electronic building permit application system[7]
• Bantay Estudyante – the first senior citizen-force multiplier group that protects the safety of children who walk their way to public schools[8]
• Bantay Ilog – the first local flood control arm that safeguards the city' rivers and creeks from pollutants[9]
• Barangay-Based Feeding Program (BBFP) – the local government's free supply of nutritious, ready-to-cook food for malnourished children aged six months to five years, provided that their parents regularly bring them to the barangay health station for weighing, check-up and vaccination[10]
• Kitchen-on-Wheels – the mobile kitchen used by the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) to immediately transport meals for typhoon victims or disaster-stricken communities[11]
• Women's Wellness Clinic, Mobile Medical and Dental Clinics, and Mobile Botika (pharmacy) – the city government's mobile health facilities for medical missions and rescue operations[12]
• VPOW or Valenzuela Police-on-Wheels - the first mobile police precinct in the country[13]
• www.ValenzuelaTrabaho.gov.ph - the first job-matching website operated by a local government unit (LGU)[14]
• Education 360 Degrees Investment Program- addresses education problems the city is facing. The program is a holistic approach to uplifting the quality of local basic education. The City Government of Valenzuela, through this program, distributed 24,000 tablets to public elementary and high school students making sure that no student is left behind in quality education.[15]
• Disiplina Village Bignay, Ugong, Lingunan, Arkong Bato- Disiplina Village is the biggest in-city medium-rise public rental housing project in the country. It has a 3S Center, barangay health station, Police Community Precinct, Fire Substation, Barangay Hall and Daycare Center (aside from other four day care centers scattered among the clusters of buildings). It is complete with basic education facilities with the inclusion of the Disiplina Village Bignay Elementary and High School. The Activity Center/Covered Court and the mini park can be found at its heart. The construction of the Disiplina Village Transport Terminal, public market, and chapel are underway.[16]
• 3S Plus Valenzuela City Online Services- This is the first integrated permit application system in the country. It provides a single platform for the application of the permits and request for documents. The highlight of the system, is "Paspas Permit". Paspas Permit is a 10-second business permit application system.[17]
• PPP Projects- Marulas Public Market, Valenzuela Town Center, Disiplina Village Bignay Transport Terminal at Public Market, expansion of Valenzuela City Hemodialysis Center at Valenzuela City Emergency Hospital.[18]
• 3S Centers- 3S Centers, stand for "Sentro ng Sama-samang Serbisyo" are "little city halls" designed to bring the government services closer to local residents. As of December 2020, the city now has 24 3S centers.[19]

After completing his projects for the 5 Pillars, Gatchalian's second wave of undertakings focused on transforming Valenzuela City into a more liveable one. His notion of a liveable city essentially implies the presence of a leveled up infrastructure network and integrated sound protocols on logistics and management that will enable the city to respond to disasters and other challenges - hence, the birth of the ALERT Center (Allied Local Emergency and Evacuation Response Teams).[20] The ALERT Center is the brain of the disaster preparedness and response of the city, and the roof of the Valenzuela City Disaster Preparedness Office (DPO), the new Central Fire Station, Red Cross Volunteer Center, the Valenzuela City Command and Coordinating Center (VCC3), and the VC Tent.

In 2014, Gatchalian started inaugurating the 3S Centers[21] or the Sentro ng Sama-samang Serbisyo. The ‘little city halls’ house the fundamental satellite offices of the local government, such as the barangay health stations, fire substations, Serbisyo Centers (satellite offices for the payment of business permits, real property, and other government taxes), and many more.

On February 14, 2015, the city's 17th Charter Day, Valenzuelanos’ much awaited Valenzuela City People's Park[22] was officially opened to the public.

Another facility in the city that boasts of a nature-centered open space and is free to the public is the Valenzuela City Family Park also in Karuhatan. There is a playground, interactive fountain, aviary, fitness machines, amphitheater, and a food park in the park. The park is also pet-friendly, bike-friendly, and accessible to persons with disability.[23]

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 hundred-years old luscious trees, fountain, 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.[24]

Dubbed as Valenzuela City's "best kept secret", the Tagalag Fishing Village lies beside a 1.3 km (0.81 mi) 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.[25]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Valenzuela City was the first local government to conduct localized targeted mass testing.[26] The city kicked off its own localized targeted mass testing for the coronavirus disease on April 11, 2020.

On September 12, 2020, the City Government of Valenzuela was able to acquire a COVID-19 testing laboratory license to operate for our Valenzuela Hope Molecular Laboratory, which complements the operation of the 24/7 Valenzuela City Mega Contact Tracing Center. The laboratory can process 800 samples a day, and also accepts other cities' samples to be processed at Valenzuela Hope Molecular Laboratory.[27]

In addressing the crowd and long lines in public markets, mobile palengkes were rolled out.

Valenzuela Tracing Application [28] began to roll out on September 12, 2020. It is an automated contact tracing system through the use of QR codes, which provides safe, timely contact identification. ValTrace is also interconnected with Pasig and Antipolo.[29]

Under the Alagang Valenzuelano program of Valenzuela City, they distributed food vouchers to families in the city.[30] as well as care bags for children with disabilities [31] and NutriPacks for kids enrolled at public daycare centers.[32]

On January 10, 2021, the city government has also signed a deal for advance purchase of 640,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca to vaccinate 320,000 individuals, 70% of the population of the city.[33]

Being term-limited for mayor, Gatchalian ran for representative of the 1st district of Valenzuela in 2022.[34] He eventually won in an uncontested race. He was then elected as the Chairman of the Committee on Local Government of the House of Representatives in the 19th Congress.[35]

On January 31, 2023, Gatchalian was appointed by President Bongbong Marcos as Secretary of Social Welfare and Development; he took oath on the same day.[36] With his appointment, he gave up his congressional seat.