As part of its 15 th Charter Day Anniversary celebration, Valenzuela City honored 20 Top Business Taxpayers as a way of appreciation for the loyal and honest taxpayers that have been incessantly taking active part on the foundation and continued growth of the city. City Mayor Sherwin T. Gatchalian handed out the awards during the appreciation night anchored on this year’s theme, “Valenzuela the Highly Urbanized and Most Business-Friendly City, Remaining Steadfast for the Years to Come” which was held last Friday, February 15. The Mayor views the recognition as “a salutation to the successful socio-centric collaboration between the local government and its allies in the private sector to fuel the city towards progress.” The night was also viewed as a celebration of outstanding achievements in entrepreneurship. The awards showcase the best performing Valenzuelano businesses – the leaders in financial performance and growth in their respective line of trade, and in contributing to the building of the City. Mayor WIN shared the City’s recent achievements to the taxpayers, saying it would not have been possible for the city to get the award if not for the taxpayers usual supports. Valenzuela City bagged in 2012, the prestigious Most Business Friendly LGU under the category of Highly Urbanized City from the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) for its entrepreneur-nurturing stance in governance. The city’s anti-corruption platform “3S in Public Service Program (simple, speed, service excellence) also earned distinction from the Galing Pook Foundation as one of the innovative and excellent local governance programs for the year 2012. Awardees received a sculpture trophy by artist Roen B.Capule. The “ Pagyabong, ” which represents the sustained development of the City of Valenzuela and the continuous realization of the aspiration to uplift the lives of its constituents with the nurturing assistance from the valued honest taxpayers who are part of the foundation of the city. Awardees are grouped into four categories based on their capital outlay: the Micro Companies, with capitalization of up to PhP 3 Million; Small Companies, with capitalization of more than PhP 3 Million to PhP 15 Million; Medium Companies, with capitalization of more than PhP 15 Million to PhP 100 Million; and Large Companies with capitalization of more than PhP 100 Million.