Angeles City—Some 400 City Hall employees, who were considered as modern heroes during the pandemic, received their Health Emergency Allowances (HEA) from the Department of Health on the Day of Valor, April 9.
Angeles City Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin Jr. expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the employees and how he would not be able to face the pandemic without the help of the frontliners.
“I could not face the pandemic alone. If not for all your help, we would not be able to face the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Lazatin said.
“It’s only right that the HEA has been distributed to our frontliners this Araw ng Kagitingan, as they were leading the way against COVID-19 during the pandemic,” he added.
The Araw ng Kagitingan or the Day of Valor was proclaimed through Proclamation No. 368 pursuant to Executive Order No. 203, series of 1987.
Meanwhile, amid the extensive reforestation efforts at the Watershed in Angeles, preparations are now in full swing for land plot initiatives for the 50,000 seedlings to be planted beginning in May.
This after Mayor Lazatin called for a meeting on April 4 with City Environment and Natural Resources Officer-in-Charge Sendong Makabali, Environmental Management System OIC Francis Pangilinan, Reforestation Project Focal Person Carmelo Simbulan, and Schools Division Office-Angeles City, which was presided over by his trusted Chief Adviser and Tactician IC Calaguas with Executive Assistant IV Reina Manuel.
It was concluded in the meeting that teachers and non-teaching personnel from SDO-AC along with Angeles City Hall employees will participate in the series of tree planting activities for the 50,000 seedlings.
“We will exhaust all our efforts to do the best we can in promoting a greener, cooler, and sustainable environment here in our city,” Lazatin said.
Calaguas added that Lazatin also wants to plant seedlings throughout the vacant lots in the city’s public schools, as well in open spaces owned by the city government.
Calaguas said that all seedlings to be used in the massive reforestation will be provided by the City Agriculture Office.
She is also encouraging Angeleños to avail of the free seedlings being regularly given by the city government, a program of Mayor Lazatin launched during the pandemic.
Manuel meanwhile said the series of tree planting activities will be scheduled and monitored by the CENRO on the progress towards the 50,000 target.
The city government has already planted 79,715 mixed trees at Sitio Sawmill, Sitio Target, Sapang Kalawang, and APL Street Grotto.