The country’s first Vendors’ Business School, institutionalized by the Quezon City government through an ordinance, continues to empower local vendors, including peddlers and hawkers.

The city government said the ordinance acknowledges that vendors generate revenue through regulatory fees, create jobs, support farmers and manufacturers, and provide affordable access to essential goods.

“Alinsunod sa ating good governance culture, institutionalized ang suportang ito. Sa ilalim ng ating ordinansa, sinisiguro natin ang taunang funding para sa programa, ang libreng training para sa lahat ng qualified participants, at ang patuloy na pagpapabuti ng inisyatibo upang masigurong makabuluhan ang pagkatuto ng ating mga vendors (In accordance with our good governance culture, this support is institutionalized. Under our ordinance, we ensure annual funding for the program, free training for all qualified participants, and the continuous improvement of the initiative to ensure meaningful learning for our vendors),” QC Mayor Joy Belmonte said in a news release on Thursday.

“Ibig sabihin, ang programa ay hindi one-time training lamang (This means the program is not a one-time training only). This ordinance makes the program official and sustainable, so vendors can continue to learn, improve, and adapt as the city grows,” she added.

The ordinance noted that informal workers have long been perceived as eyesores or traffic obstructions, a stigma that has exposed them to exploitation and illegal collections and hindered their integration into the formal economy.

Through the initiative, piloted in 2024, 108 vendors already completed the six-month training, while 103 qualified for further assistance under the city’s PangkabuhayangQC Program.

Section 5 of the ordinance states that the school aims to “empower the learners by equipping them with the knowledge and skills that can develop and expand their businesses” and promote “innovative and sustainable business practices that enhance their economic resilience and contribute to the overall growth of the local economy.”

The city government said the program is implemented by its Market Development and Administration Department, with support from the Small Business and Cooperatives Development and Promotions Office and the QC Public Employment Office, in partnership with the CGIAR Resilient Cities Initiative, which helped design the curriculum based on actual market conditions. (PNA)