A Hundred Years of Greatness

Have you known of a person that is living for more than a hundred of years? Have you met some? How does he/she look like? Is he/she still healthy? Capable of doing something that a normal guy can do? Does he/she already had a lot of grand grand daughters and son?

Luckily, we know someone, a great guy who most of us might want to meet him in person but unfortunately, as we visit his residence, He was not available because he is currently in Pangasinan managing their small business, planting crops and selling vegetables.

Aha.. yes, yes, yes. This is not just an imagination. Here in Valenzuela City, there is one amazing man with the name of Pagarigan Patricio Prado, born on March 17, 1910, living at 611 Mariano St. Bisalao, Bagbaguin, who is still enjoying life for over 103 years. Take note.. he is already 103 years old! and yet loves to make himself busy each day.

Patricio Pagarigan

Before, he is working at the “Super-Umbrella Sitio Gitna Caloocan.

Had Grandchildren of more than a hundred in their vicinity. He is also a member on the office of the Senior citizen affairs in Valenzuela.

He does not have any illness yet. According to one of her child, it is because, he is not drinking alcohol and loves to eat natural foods.

Mr. Prado was not around because of some obligations in their province. But even though, we could not have his presence, his significance as one of the oldest Valenzuelanos living is what we value the most.

Ahadditional Information

• Rexlon "Rex" Gatchalian is the 26th Mayor of Valenzuela City.

• The well known tourist spot in Valenzuela City is National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima.

• The said city has a total of 7 hospitals, 2 public and 5 private, 47 health centers and 27 lying-in clinics.

• The newly built Legislative and People’s Center Building at the New City Government Complex (New Municipal Hall) is worth 90php million. New Police Headquarters is 36.6php million.

• If you are not a legitimate resident of Valenzuela City you are not allowed to work under its Government.

• Valenzuela City has Official Facebook Fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/valenzuela.gov

• The Official Website of Valenzuela City is http://www.valenzuela.gov.ph/

See you again next time for more additional facts and trivia. Want to share? Post it in the comment box! We love to hear it :)

Mang Delfin's Magic Putong Polo

“Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm”

                                                                             -Winston Churchill

In the year 1920, a competition was held in the town of Polo, Bulacan. It was then that the Nieva Family, who made the Putong Polo, was chosen to be given the Presidential Awardee of the most delicious delicacy.

Delfin Guttierez Jr

But the highlight of this piece is focused on Delfin Guttierez Jr. owner of the Mang Delfin’s Putong Polo, who amidst of not winning the competition still paved their way into making their putong polo and later, to success.

Mang Delfin’s Putong Polo, owned by Delfin Gutierrez Jr., 42, from Libo, now J. Santiago, Malanday Valenzuela City, had his business roots in 1944, Polo Bulacan from his Lolo Olimpio Gutierrez and Lola Felisisima De Guzman. The business was passed on to continue with the help of his sister and brother-in-law Virginia Gutierrez and Jesus Gerona,year 1968 to 1982.

The couple had no children, thus the business was given to Delfin Sr. which became their sole source of living. And from 2001, passed on to generations and generations, until the present owner Mang Delfin Jr. took over.

(Felisisima & Olimpio)     (Virginia Gutirrez & Jesus Gerona)

Putong polo became a big hit thus, thus having the opportunity to deliver in some of the branches and merge business with the “Pancit ng taga Malabon” owned by Rita Carlos, wife of former Valenzuela Mayor, Bobbit Carlos.

He now delivers today to Monumento, Victory Mall, Ermita, Harrison Plaza, Metro Point, Mall of Asia, Walter Mart, Araneta Center, Marikina, E. Rodriguez, Quezon Avenue and D. Jose in San Juan. Because of the partnerships success, Mang Delfin was able to provide and buy residence for his family, in Malanday.

So what makes this so-called Putong polo a big hit? How in wizard's magic of deliciousness was it able to boom out of the box?

According to the man himself, in making putong polo, there are things that should be prepared and keep close at hand. A corn mill to grill the rice, a swet to form the puto and lansungan made from kawayan to steam the puto. To further explore the makings of this delicacy, Mang Delfin provided this list of ingredients:

• Premium or laon rice (dinorado)
• Sugar (white or brown)
• Baking powder/salt and cheese
• And of course as all magicians with their magic tricks, there is a secret ingredient. (It is assumed to be in secret for it is their clan’s secret recipe thus, closure is indeed needed.

How to make putong polo:

• Soak the rice for 24 hours
• After soaking it, grind the rice using a cornmill while it still wet from the soaking
• Mix all the given ingredients according to the desired or given measurements
• Place the mixed ingredients it on a swet or hulmahan to form it into puto
• Place it into the steamer
• Let it cool
• Place it a box and boom! A magical taste of putong polo is now ready to serve!

Because of the combination of such efficient process, business tactics and passion for cooking the putong polo delicacy of Mang Delfin Jr.’s family, Congressman Win Gatchalian had personally chosen this product to be specially delivered to the government birthday celebrants, from Barangay Captains, Councilors, and other employees.

Mang Delfin's Putong Pulo - Finish Product

Mang Delfin’s putong polo success was not just about the buyers, or the puto itself, but it came from perseverance, hard work and faith in one’s own work. Truly a man is successful if he gets up in the morning and gets to bed at night, and in between he does what he wants to do.

Quick Sneak Peek of Valenzuela City.. Before

Dr. Pio Valenzuela

Valenzuela was named after Dr. Pio Valenzuela, a Doctor and a Filipino Revolutionary who was born in 1869.

In Spanish, Valezuela is a diminutive form of Valencia, Spain which means “Little Valencia “. Valenzuela originally called “Polo”. Polo derived from the Tagalog term pulo which means” island”, even though it is not an island.

City of Valenzuela is the 119th largest city in the Philippines which is located at the region of Metro Manila (National Capital Region) and bordered in the town of Obando and the City of Meycuayan, Bulacan.

Valenzuela City is composed of 33 Barangays, the smallest administrative unit in the city and which is divided into two districts.


District 1 composed of 24 barangays (Arkong Bato, Balangkas, Bignay, Bisig, Canumay East, Canumay West, Coloong, Dalandanan, Isla, Lawang Bato, Lingunan, Mabolo, Malanday, Malinta, Palasan, Pariancillo Villa, Pasolo, Poblacion, Polo, Punturin, Rincon, Tagalag, Viente Reales and Wawang Pulo).

District 2 composed of 9 Barangays (Gen. T. de Leon, Karuhatan, Bagbaguin, Mapulang Lupa, Marulas, Maysan, Parada, Paso de Blas, and Ugong ). Every Barangay is headed by the Barangay Captain and his councils duly elected by the residents.

On September 27, 2010, an ordinance was signed declaring November 7 as the New Valenzuela Foundation Day or what we called “Araw ng Valenzuela “.

This date holds great significance of the city and its people while it was established on July 2, 1960 and declared a Valenzuela’s cityhood on February 14, 1998.

On the years past, the Valenzuela government did their part to fulfill their duties as the servant of the city that leads a Valenzuela as one of the most progressive city.

Many destinations and attractions can catch the attention of the people where it has a historical event happened before it was established.