Quezon City’s Vendor Business School Wins Gold

The Quezon City Vendors Business School Ordinance has been recognized as one of the Official Gold Awardees in the inaugural Gawad Galing Lokal na Batas (GGLB), an award celebrating innovative and impactful local legislation.

This ordinance represents a breakthrough in supporting local vendors, empowering them with skills and knowledge to improve their businesses, enhance food safety, and strengthen livelihoods. Presented by the Philippine Councilors League (PCL), the award highlights local laws that demonstrate strong governance, innovation, and meaningful community impact.

“This victory serves as an inspiration for us to continue crafting ordinances that are comprehensive, exemplary, and truly beneficial not only for the progress of our city but also for the development of our QCitizens,” said Councilor Vic Bernardo, ordinance’s author.

The city government’s commitment to vendor empowerment was also reflected in strong leadership support. Special thanks were extended to Joy Belmonte, Mayor of Quezon City, Gian Sotto, Vice Mayor, and members of the City Council for backing the ordinance and its implementation.

With the Vendor Business School now institutionalized and nationally recognized, Quezon City sets an example of how evidence-based solutions, strong local leadership, and community participation can transform markets and improve lives.

When Science Meets Policy: The Story Behind the Ordinance

The recognition of the Vendors Business School Ordinance tells a broader story of how research and local governance can come together to create lasting change.

In October 2023, CGIAR partnered with the Quezon City Government to pilot the Vendor Business School (VBS), a research-driven initiative designed to strengthen the capacity of informal food vendors. The program addressed challenges including limited capital, lack of business training, food safety risks, and the impacts of climate change on daily market operations. 

What started as a small research pilot quickly demonstrated real-world benefits for vendors and local markets. Recognizing its potential, the city government institutionalized the initiative through Ordinance No. 3430-S-2025, officially launching the program in January 2026.

This tremendous success is also enabling further science and policy engagements. Building on the new VBS program of QC, the QC Government and CGIAR centers have recently launched a new science-policy initiative, with the support of the ANH Academy, to investigate how the VBS can be a platform to promote healthier diets. 

From the vendors’ perspective, the VBS has opened doors- creating opportunities, building skills, and unlocking potential that had long been untapped. More than a year after the pilot VBS, stories of transformation continue to emerge. One male vendor shares how the VBS reshaped his livelihood “Before, my business was just selling vegetables. Later on, I was able to start another business, a rice store. VBS helped me with record-keeping and saving money. Until I was able to build my business and send my children to school.”

A Global Perspective on Local Solutions

VBS was piloted in Nairobi, Kenya, focusing on milk vendors, and in Quezon City, Philippines, focusing on vegetable vendors. Implementation involved collaboration among CGIAR research centers, including the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), International Potato Center (CIP), and International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). This local initiative is part of the broader Resilient Cities Initiative of CGIAR now transitioned to CGIAR Food Frontiers and Security Program which demonstrates how evidence-based approaches to urban vending can be adapted across cities.

Today, the Vendor Business School provides training on safe food handling, climate resilience, sustainability, and micro-entrepreneurship, helping vendors strengthen their livelihoods while improving the safety and reliability of urban food systems.

Congratulations to the Quezon City Government and all partners who made this milestone possible. With this recognition, the city continues to inspire other local governments to create programs that empower small entrepreneurs and strengthen urban food systems.

Article by:  Arma Bertuso, Research Associate, Urban Food, Reviewed by Silvia Alonso, Principal Scientist- ILRI, Phoebe Ricarte- Associate Scientist -IRRI and Martha Awinoh- Senior Communication Specialist-CIP

Photo by: Quezon City Government