Malabon City Administrator Dr. Alexander Rosete presented the city’s digital welfare program, the Malabon Ahon Blue Card (MABC), at the European Education and Leadership Summit held in Paris on Monday, May 19.
Malabon City Administrator Dr. Alexander Rosete presents the implementation of Malabon Ahon Blue Card program at Paris Summit (Photo from Malabon City PIO)
The event was hosted by The Thames International University, where he delivered a talk titled “From Policy to Progress: The Case of the Blue Card Supplemental Aid Program in Malabon City, Philippines.”
In his presentation, Rosete explained how Mayor Jeannie Sandoval’s vision was turned into a tech-based support system that made social services more accessible for residents.
The MABC was launched in Dec. 2022 and was created to make it easier and faster for people in Malabon to receive aid and access basic services.
“We started small—with a policy that aimed to organize and centralize our social assistance programs. But what began as a simple reform quickly evolved into a citywide digital transformation platform. Today, more than 91,000 families—that’s almost the entire population of Malabon—are registered in the Blue Card system,” Rosete said.
Through the program, families in need receive financial assistance of P5,000. In 2024, the city also launched the Eskwela Savings Program to help Grade 1 students begin saving for their future.
Another initiative introduced in 2025, called MABC Para sa Mga Kababaihan, supports solo mothers by helping them care for their children and access livelihood opportunities.
The city government also partnered with private companies and cooperatives to expand access to government services and economic opportunities.
“For many of our residents, the Blue Card is more than just a means to receive assistance. It is a symbol of belonging—a way to access services without having to plead, line up for hours, or explain their situation over and over again,” he added.
He emphasized that the fully digital system provides the city with real-time data on aid distribution, budget allocation, and service performance—enhancing accountability, transparency, and resilience against misinformation.
“More importantly, this data-driven approach allows us to build a sustainable system. A system that can outlast political cycles. A system that isn’t dependent on who holds office, but on the strength of its design and the commitment of the people who run it,’ Rosete said.
He added that the MABC initiative has proven that meaningful transformation in public service delivery is possible—and scalable.
“Because in the end, governance is not about policies on paper. It is about people feeling the impact of those policies in their everyday lives. And when we invest in people, when we design systems that work for them and not against them, we don’t just build programs—we build progress that lasts,” he said.
During the summit, Dr. Rosete was honored with the European Excellence Award for his dedication, achievements, and contributions to nation-building and public service.
Malabon City Administrator Dr. Alexander Rosete honored with the European Excellence Award for his dedication, achievements, and contributions to nation-building and public service (Photo from Malabon City PIO)
He also received an honorary Doctor of Philosophy in Public Administration and Leadership in recognition of his efforts to improve local governance and social development in the Philippines.
