Quezon City rolls out learning initiative for vendors

MANILA, Philippines — The Quezon City government yesterday launched an adult learning initiative, which aims to improve the business and technical skills of local food vendors.

At least 140 market vendors were selected to be part of the first batch of beneficiaries of the Vendor Business School (VBS) program, a joint project of the local government and the Resilient Cities Initiative of the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR).

“The VBS recognizes the important role of market vendors in ensuring the effective operations of our public markets,” Mayor Joy Belmonte said in a statement.

She stressed the importance of providing support to micro- and nano-businesses, noting that they comprise the majority of businesses in the city.

According to the city government, the VBS program aims to support vendors by providing learning sessions on topics such as entrepreneurship, food safety, market technology and nutrition.

The program will also tackle issues that may have impact on vendors’ businesses, such as climate change and family arrangements, including gender relations.

The program, which will run for six months, is composed of 10 weekly group sessions and one-on-one coaching and mentoring sessions.

Belmonte said those who would complete the six-month program will receive cash incentives of up to P20,000 under the PangkabuhayangQC program.

The VBS was first implemented by CGIAR, a global partnership engaged in research and development about food security, in Nairobi, Kenya.

The VBS project is part of Belmonte’s GrowQC Food Security program and is a result of the city’s membership in the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact, an agreement signed by cities around the world to improve food systems and address hunger.