Belmonte launches country’s first vendor business school

In collaboration with the Consultancy Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIR) Resilient Cities Project, the Quezon City local government unit formally launched its own Vendor Business School (VBS).

The first batch included 49 public vendors, 60 hawker vendors, and 60 temporary vendors who will undergo six months of training on entrepreneurship, food safety, market technology, adaptation to climate changes, and proper calorie content for their food products.

The CGIAR Resilient Cities Project, headed by Dr. Simon Heck, is an international research group whose objective is to strengthen the flow of food systems in big cities of the world for food security.

Quezon City and Nairobi City Kenya are the only countries in the world with vendor business schools.

Mayor Joy Belmonte said the VBS was also an offshoot of the city’s membership to the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact, a group of cities pushing for better food systems in the world and ending hunger.

Under the program, training, coaching, and mentoring of vendor business students will start this month and end in July. Upon graduation, they will be included in the PangkabuhayangQC Program under the SBCDPO where a small business grant will be given ranging from P10,000 to P20,000 as added capital.

Dr. Silvia Alonso, co-lead of CGIAR Resilient Cities Initiative, said in a video message that this is an innovative work of how to capacitate the urban cities not only in Quezon City but in the whole Philippines.

Alonso also expressed her gratitude to Mayor Belmonte and the Quezon City public vendors for their engagement in the endeavor.

Margarita Santos, Business Permits and Licensing Department (BPLD) head, said facilitators of the VBS were selected from MDAD, Small Business Cooperative Development and Promotions Office, and Quezon City Food Security Task Force secretariat as a pilot team.

They underwent rigid training from CGIAR led by Dr. Gordon Prain, Resilient Cities senior advisor, and Arma Bertuso, Resilient Cities Focal Person-Philippines.

Mayor Belmonte emphasized, “The VBS recognizes and uplifts the dignity and know-how of our market vendors specifically on improving our public markets and food safety in the city.

“We want them to improve their small businesses and become partners in our city’s long-term plan of achieving food security,” she added.

Vice Mayor Gian Sotto also graced the launch, along with City Administrator Mike Alimurung and Nonong Velasco, who both co-chaired the QC Food Security Task Force; Mona Yap, Head, Small Business Cooperatives Development and Promotions Office; Andrea Villaroman, Head, Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability Department; Tina Perez, Head, Joy of Urban Farming; and Quezon City Food Security members.

READ: Marcos tells DPWH: Finish infra projects on time, within budget