Rex Gatchalian

Rexlon Ting Gatchalian (born January 21, 1979) is a Filipino politician serving as the 28th Secretary of Social Welfare and Development since 2023.

He previously served as the district representative and Mayor of Valenzuela, Philippines.

He is the brother of politicians Win Gatchalian and Wes Gatchalian.

Gatchalian was born on January 21, 1979.

He completed his primary and secondary education at Xavier School in San Juan, Metro Manila.

He started his career as a sales assistant or special projects coordinator for Air Philippines Inc. in 1998.

He then became a special assistant to the President/CEO of the Philippines Estates Corporation.

He served as an intern of Political Affairs Group in 2000 and as a paralegal for Williams and Connelly, LLP in Washington, D.C. in 2001.

He later graduated cum laude in 2001 from the George Washington University in Washington, D.C., United States, with a bachelor's degree in political science, with secondary fields of study in marketing and psychology.

In 2001, he was named vice president for sales & marketing of Waterfront Hotels and Casinos, the country's largest Filipino-owned first-class hotel operator.

One year later, he was named as its executive vice president for hotel operations.

Gatchalian first ran for representative of the 1st district of Valenzuela, in 2004 but lost to outgoing Mayor Bobbit Carlos.

In 2005, he was elected president of Waterfront Hotels and Casinos.

In 2007, Gatchalian ran for representative of the 1st District of Valenzuela once again and was successful this time.

In 2010, Gatchalian was re-elected as representative of the 1st District of Valenzuela for the 15th Congress with the largest electoral margin in the district's history.

At the age of 31, he became the youngest member of the Commission on Appointments in history, and the only Congressional Representation from the City of Valenzuela to be a member.

He also served as the Senior Vice-chairman for the Congressional Committee on Games & Amusements.

Gatchalian was elected Mayor of Valenzuela in 2013.

He was one of the youngest legislators during the 14th Congress.

As Vice-chairman for the Congressional Committee for Overseas Workers’ Affairs, he authored Republic Act No. 10022, also known as An Act Amending R.A. 8042, otherwise known as the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995.

The law mandates new policies for the further protection and genuine representation of migrant workers.

He is also one of the principal authors of Republic Act No. 9576, or the law that doubles the maximum deposit insurance coverage by the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC) from ₱250,000 to ₱500,000.

It was also during his first term as Representative that he was elected as National Spokesperson for the political party Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC).

In 2014, Gatchalian started inaugurating the 3S Centers or the Sentro ng Sama-samang Serbisyo.

The ‘little city halls’ house the fundamental satellite offices of the local government, such as the barangay health stations, fire substations, Serbisyo Centers (satellite offices for the payment of business permits, real property, and other government taxes), and many more.

On February 14, 2015, the city's 17th Charter Day, Valenzuelanos’ much awaited Valenzuela City People's Park was officially opened to the public.

Another facility in the city that boasts of a nature-centered open space and is free to the public is the Valenzuela City Family Park also in Karuhatan.

There is a playground, interactive fountain, aviary, fitness machines, amphitheater, and a food park in the park.

The park is also pet-friendly, bike-friendly, and accessible to persons with disability.

He was re-elected in 2016 and in 2019.

His public service platform, better known as the “Five Pillars of Good Governance,” focused on the essential needs of his constituents: Education, Health and Social Services, Housing, Job Generation, and Trade and Industry.

He oversaw the creation of 48 barangay health stations (BHS) city-wide and the 14 Sentro ng Sama-Samang Serbisyo or 3S Centers as well as the ALERT Center, the Valenzuela City's Peoples Park, and the Valenzuela School of Mathematics and Science.

Other programs developed under his term as a Mayor include:

After completing his projects for the 5 Pillars, Gatchalian's second wave of undertakings focused on transforming Valenzuela City into a more liveable one.

His notion of a liveable city essentially implies the presence of a leveled up infrastructure network and integrated sound protocols on logistics and management that will enable the city to respond to disasters and other challenges - hence, the birth of the ALERT Center (Allied Local Emergency and Evacuation Response Teams).

The ALERT Center is the brain of the disaster preparedness and response of the city, and the roof of the Valenzuela City Disaster Preparedness Office (DPO), the new Central Fire Station, Red Cross Volunteer Center, the Valenzuela City Command and Coordinating Center (VCC3), and the VC Tent.

One of the many initiatives of the city government to create greener spaces, Polo Mini Park was inaugurated on January 21, 2020, six months after the announcement of the rehabilitation of the historical old town square of Polo.

The park is adorned with hundred-years old luscious trees, fountain, memorial marker commemorating war veterans and statues of Pío Valenzuela and José Rizal.

The park signifies not only a place for relaxation but also marks the historical identity of the city.

Dubbed as Valenzuela City's "best kept secret", the Tagalag Fishing Village lies beside a 1.3 km boardwalk in Barangay Tagalag.