Valenzuela City’s Gatchalian ‘very satisfied’ with COVID response of nat’l gov’t

FILE PHOTO: Workers of companies based in Valenzuela City receive instructions on the vaccination process while waiting for their turn to get their COVID-19 shots in this nighttime inoculation at Pasolo Elementary School on Wednesday,  June 16, 2021. INQUIRER/LYN RILLON

MANILA, Philippines — Valenzuela City Mayor Rex Gatchalian on Wednesday said he is “very satisfied” with the national government’s  COVID-19 response.

In an INQside Look interview, the local chief executive said the national government has been supportive of the city’s initiatives to combat COVID-19 and its effects.

“I’m part of the response right now, so I’m part of that so it would be unfair for me to answer that question. I’d like to think that we give it a passing grade but baka sabihin mo bias ako (you may say I’m biased) because I’m part of that response ‘di ba (right)? I’m in the executive right now,” Gatchalian said.

“But, if you wanted to ask about national government’s move, ako (me), I’m satisfied. I deal with them directly and they have been very supportive of the local initiative. They have given us enough leeway to exercise local autonomy in this case. So, I’m very satisfied,” he added.

As of Tuesday, Valenzuela logged 10 new COVID-19 cases, raising the tally of confirmed cases since last year to 35,770. Active cases stood at 64.

Nationally, the Philippines listed 890 fresh COVID-19 infections which drove the overall case count to 2,828,660, the Department of Health reported Wednesday.

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