Quezon city: The Quezon City government is aiming to become the country’s ‘social enterprise capital’ by 2028, as the city reaffirmed its commitment to inclusive growth.
According to Philippines News Agency, at the 2025 Philippine Social Enterprise Roadmap Conference held at the MICE Center on Wednesday, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte narrated how the city, six years ago, promoted inclusivity and committed to progress that embraces all its residents, including the disadvantaged, and turned to the powerful model of social enterprise and community-driven economy.
‘We will double, triple, quadruple our efforts because kailangan by 2028, maibigay ko na sa inyo itong napakagandang recognition na ito na tayo na ang capital ng social enterprise sa buong bansa (so that by 2028, I can present to you this wonderful recognition that we are now the capital of social enterprise in the entire country),’ she said.
‘From creating our proof of concept and integrating social enterprise principles within our systems, we now seek to draw a blueprint for other local governments and the entire nation to follow.’
Belmonte said she believes that business, when guided with purpose, can be a powerful force for good, and that each citizen has the capacity to become an economic mover.
She cited the city’s track record in supporting 98,000 small entrepreneurs, or what she called ‘QCpreneurs,’ through the city’s Small Business and Cooperatives Development and Promotions Office.
She said that these include stay-at-home mothers, solo parents, returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), persons with disabilities (PWDs), and members of marginalized communities.
Belmonte said 85 percent of these small enterprises remain active, with many now providing jobs and expanding their reach.
Among QC’s key initiatives is the establishment of the country’s first Circularity Hub in Payatas, where women are trained to transform discarded textiles into handcrafted products, combining sustainability with livelihood.
In her last State of the City Address, Belmonte wore a Filipiniana gown made from old bedsheets, woven by the women of Payatas.
She said QC is now home to the largest number of cooperatives in the Philippines, while the city continues to help organize groups of tricycle drivers, waste collectors, seamstresses, and urban farmers.
Meanwhile, she shared that a new cooperative for returning domestic workers is also in the pipeline to support their reintegration and reduce reliance on overseas employment.
Belmonte said that in 2023, the city government developed its own Social Enterprise Development Roadmap, in partnership with the Bayan Innovation Group and the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, leading to the ‘Tatak SE: Kabahagi Ka sa QC’ program.
The initiative provides livelihood training, financing, mentorship, and employment links for inclusive economic empowerment.
Now, Belmonte said, the city started embedding social enterprise education in schools, holding community trade fairs in public spaces, and turning all 142 barangays into ‘social innovation laboratories’ that design localized livelihood solutions.
Moreover, she said the city is also forming a QC Social Enterprise Council to sustain and institutionalize its programs.
‘Hope is the currency of social enterprise. It stems from our collective defiance of the status quo. It rises from our shared resolve to make inclusion the strategy that strengthens our economies, and it shines in the faith that we place upon the people and sectors that we empower and reach,’ Belmonte said.
‘By 2028, I want to hand over to our people the recognition that Quezon City is the social enterprise capital of the Philippines. We will work tirelessly to make that promise a reality.’
