‘Aksyon,’ ‘Malasakit,’ drive Malapitan’s brand of public service

By HANNAH NICOL

Mayor Dale Gonzalo “Along” Malapitan’s core principle of “Aksyon at Malasakit” has become the driving force behind Caloocan City’s improvements in healthcare, education, social welfare, and economic growth.
“Our brand of governance in the City of Caloocan has always been one that puts the needs of people in front of everything else. From the very start, we have been guided by our motto, “Aksyon at Malasakit,” to ensure that our projects are not only effective on paper but have a real and lasting impact on our constituents, who have put their complete trust on our leadership,” he said.
The city’s economic growth was one of the most notable outcomes of the administration’s efforts, job fairs have opened doors of opportunities for residents, and livelihood packages helped individuals who aspire to open a small business for their families.
“With the help of this trust and the contributions of our partners, from our colleagues in government and from our friends in the private sector, we have transformed the City of Caloocan into a vibrant and safe space, with strong economic growth under our administration which translated to much-improved systems for healthcare, education, and social welfare,” he said.
In celebration of Malapitan’s birthday last October, 45 residents were given livelihood packages such as sari-sari store, bigasan, siomai, and shake packages.

More than 66,000 residents attended livelihood training, while livelihood packages were distributed to 3,000 individuals, including solo parents, persons with disabilities, and families of child laborers.

The city government also received livelihood training program equipment from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) such as computer sets, welding and facial machines, gas ranges, and smart TV screens to enhance the program. 

Over 261,524 job opportunities were offered to local job seekers, with 97,500 youth employed through job fairs and special employment programs for the Batang Kankaloos. 

Healthcare was also improved in the city through new equipment such as CT scan machines, digital X-rays, and mammograms at Caloocan City Medical Center (CCMC) and the Caloocan City North Medical Center (CCNMC). 

The city government aims to make CCMC a Level 1 hospital to provide more services including surgeries and deliveries.

Vaccine rollouts were all year round against viruses in the city, the city government also conducted school-based vaccination programs to strengthen the resistance to infectious diseases, such as measles, rubella, tetanus, diphtheria, and human papillomavirus.

In July, the University of Caloocan City (UCC) started offering Engineering programs in Electronics Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, and Industrial Engineering. 

Meanwhile, fresh graduates and out-of-school youth have undergone career coaching, life skills, and technical training provided by the LGU and the Department of Labor and Employment. 

The training was conducted for 10 days and the beneficiaries received P400 daily.

In September 2024, a plebiscite was conducted to separate Barangay Bagong Silangan into sixindependent barangays. 

A total of 22,854 residents of Barangay 176 Bagong Silang voted to ratify Republic Act 11993, the law authorizing the division of the biggest barangay in the country.

The local government’s vision is one of inclusive, sustainable growth, where every resident has the opportunity to thrive. 

“It was once my dream to bring about the full potential of the city. I am proud to say that we did our best to make this a reality for the benefit of all Batang Kankaloo, and what is now left for us is to make sure that the positive effects of what we have started will continue to be felt by future generations,” the city mayor said.