QC housing program, sexual health center win Galing Pook awards

Two programs of the Quezon City government won the prestigious Galing Pook awards—its socialized housing program and a pioneering male-focused sexual health-care facility.

The Galing Pook Foundation confers the awards on outstanding local government units (LGUs) that promote innovation and excellence in governance. Quezon City and the Quezon provincial government are the two LGUs that won the most awards—two each—for this year.

Quezon City’s socialized housing program, as envisioned by Mayor Herbert Bautista, is made up of “Bistekville” housing projects with multipurpose facilities such as health- and day-care centers. It is aimed at upgrading the living conditions of the poor and developing slum-free communities.

The city’s Klinika Bernardo was established to reach out to more individuals at risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections, especially those with exposure to male-to-male sexual behaviors. Bautista said his administration was seriously considering developing the clinic as the country’s premier place of treatment and referral for confirmed cases of STD/HIV/AIDS, in keeping with the city government’s commitment to provide persons living with HIV greater access to quality health services.

The Galing Pook awards were conferred in a ceremony led by Interior Secretary Mar Roxas and Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. last Oct. 21 at Edsa Shangri-La Manila. Bautista and Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte led the Quezon City officials in attendance.

Quezon City was also recognized by the Galing Pook Foundation for effective fiscal management in 2003, for the Molave Youth Home in 2005, for the rehabilitation of the Payatas disposal facility in 2008 and for parks development in 2009.