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To have a profound knowledge about the city's history, read here.

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In 2013, the NCR's workforce participation rate for the NSO-LFS was anticipated to be 63.5 percent of its working-age population, with 36.5 percent not in the labor force. When applied to the city, this equates to 1,348,546 people in the work force, with 775,149 people not in the labor force, who are largely housewives, students, retirees, and people with disabilities. It can be noted that wholesale and retail had the highest number of registered business database of the City.

Source: Click Here

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QC AS THE ENTERTAINMENT CAPITAL OF THE PH

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QC AS THE ENTERTAINMENT CAPITAL OF THE PH

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Because to its large concentration of television and radio stations, the city has been regarded as a Center of Media Operations, obtaining the title of "Entertainment Capital of the Philippines." There are nine prominent television networks in the city, including two of the country's media industry giants, GMA (Kapuso Network) and ABS-CBN (Kapamilya Network).

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Small to medium-sized businesses, which still dominates the city's economy, mostly distribute completed goods and provide basic services. To know more, read here!

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Total Population by Sex and Religion in Quezon City

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The majority of inhabitants in Quezon City are Roman Catholic which is composed of 86.25% of the population. Other religions are also practiced throughout the city, such as Protestant Christians, which is comprises of 5.63%, Iglesia ni Cristo with 4.62%, and Islam with 1.1% of the city’s population.

Source: Philippine Statistical Authority

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Household Population by Ethnicity and Sex in Quezon City

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Tagalog is the most commonly used language spoken by 46.78% of the population. The rest are Bisaya/Binisaya (13.47%), Bicolanos (9.03%), Ilocanos (8.13%) and others. Even though Filipino is the official language, many individuals in Quezon City speak English, notably those in the trade, government, education, and media professions.

Source: Philippine Statistical Authority

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 Total Population and Growth Rate in Quezon City from 1939-2015

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There was a substantial decrease of 1.92 percent between 1995 and 2000, but the growth rate rose to 2.92 percent between 2000 and 2007 and then slightly decreased to 2.42 percent between 2007 and 2010. The lowest growth rate, 1.17 percent, was recorded in the the most recent 2015 census.

To know more, read here!

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Get to know more about this place: click here!

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A national park located in the heart of the Metro.

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The remaining rainforest in Metro Manila is supposed to be held in a protected watershed. It serves as a main supply of water for neighboring households and is surrounded by a 2,000-hectare forest and nature paths.

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This features a variety of 3D paintings!

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The  80-hectare zoological and botanical park is home to a variety of tree and animal species such as snakes, deer, crocodiles, peacocks, and a monkey-eating eagle.

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UP VARGAS MUSEUM AND FILIPINIANA RESEARCH CENTER

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UP VARGAS MUSEUM AND FILIPINIANA RESEARCH CENTER

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Features works by well-known Filipino artists such as Juan Luna, Felix Resurrection Hidalgo, Lorenzo Guerrero, and Fernando Amorsolo, as well as sculptors like as Guillermo Tolentino and Graciano Nepomuceno. Its library has almost 3,000 books, 1,000 volumes of periodicals, and other important Philippine papers.

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One of the most beautiful Church in metro is also considered to be the largest in NCR as well as one of the biggest in Asia.

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SDG 2 as an Advocacy to End Hunger and Malnutrition Problems in the City

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Click here to read more about SDG 2: No Hunger

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A Graph Showing an Increase in the Households Who Reported Not Having Enough Food to Eat 

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Based on the September 2020 Social Weather Stations survey, an estimated 7.6 million Filipinos suffered from hunger, equating to about 313, 667 food insecure families in Quezon City. The city benefits from a stable food supply due to its location. Nonetheless, poverty and inequality continue to fuel pervasive hunger and malnutrition in the city.

Click Here to Read More about the Hunger Rises in PH

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A Reason Why Hunger should be a Priority

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A Reason Why Hunger should be a Priority

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Poverty has been one of the major issues of the city since then. It houses the largest share of urban poor in the country. With this, the population has tremendous obstacles in gaining access to nutritious, affordable, and sustainable meals. COVID-19 pandemic worsens this issue as lockdown limited further people's access to nutritious and sustainable foods.

Read ‘Walang-wala na’: Poor Filipinos fear death from hunger more than coronavirus to understand better the unfortunate experiences of our countrymen during the pandemic.

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Combating Hunger in the City Amidst the Pandemic

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Combating Hunger in the City Amidst the Pandemic

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A movement made by QC Reservists in collaboration with the local government to combat hunger in the city.

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The Covid-19 Pandemic has shown that hunger is real. There is an estimated 7.6 million Filipinos who experienced hunger according to the September 2020 Social Weather Stations survey and this equates to about 313, 667 households in Quezon City that are food insecure. In response, the QC Food Security Task Force (QC FSTF) was created by Mayor Josefina 'Joy' Belmonte and the task force through it's #GROWQC Kasama ka sa Pag−unlad sa Pagkain, Kabuhayan, at Kalusugan initiative doubled its efforts to promote urban agriculture.

The establishment of more urban farms is part of the city's Covid-19 response to fight hunger. "Kung hindi pa naaaccept ng tao, nasa giyera po tayo ngayon and it is one of the most difficult... kasi invisible ang kalaban natin," said Emmanuel Hugh F. Velasco, co−chairperson of QC Food Security Task Force.

Recognizing the vital role of the program to ensure the availability and accessibility of food, the Quezon City Reservists of the Philippine Army-AFP has pledged their full support to #GrowQC and the establishment of urban farms within Quezon City.

"A hungry man is an angry man. Yung gutom na tao ay galit na tao," shared LTC. Job Jacob Gonzales PA (RES).

With the support of the QC Military Reservists, the QC FSTF will be able to set up more community urban farms in the city, to offset the rising joblessness in the country due to the pandemic.

Sgt. Noel Alopijan, a military reservist, even expressed willngness to share his knowledge and skills in converting scrap metal into useful farming tools to help urban farmers. "Since meron tayong bagong project na susuportahan, which is yung #GrowQC food security initiative of Quezon City, naisip namin na magdonate ng equipment at tools, " he said. These tools will be of great help to community urban farms in the city.

The impact of urban farms in the city will not only be to provide food, but also to make community members become close and to encourage the Bayanihan Spirit. "Namumulat tayo sa kahalagahan ng pagkakaisa, the Bayanihan spirit during the pandemic." Said 1st Lt. Dawn Solayao, military reservist.

The military reservists reminded QC citizens that their function is not just to help resolve conflicts or assist in disaster and rescue operations, but also to provide useful community services like developing agriculture and achieving food security in the city.

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PALA HINDI BALA: QC RESERVISTS READY TO FIGHT AGAINST HUNGER | Quezon City Government

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The Covid-19 Pandemic has shown that hunger is real. There is an estimated 7.6 million Filipinos who experienced hunger according to the September 2020 Social Weather Stations survey and this equates to about 313, 667 households in Quezon City that are food insecure.

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An Initiative from the Community to at least Alleviate the Sufferings of the Marginalized Sectors

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An Initiative from the Community to at least Alleviate the Sufferings of the Marginalized Sectors

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Since the "ayuda" from the government is not enough, the community initiated a community pantry where a little generosity can make help feed numbered of families.

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A handwritten slogan can be spotted on cardboard posters at stalls across the Philippines: "Give according to your means, take according to your need." These are makeshift community pantries, ad hoc efforts that provide free items such as rice, vegetables, canned goods and even facemasks that benefit millions of Filipinos. And while there are food banks in countries across the world, the community pantry in the Philippines has come to represent so much more. It is not only an expression of compassion for the poor, but a political statement against the state - a symbol of national solidarity in a country struggling to survive the pandemic.

Fishermen give away their catch while farmers donate baskets of their produce.

The double economic burden of job losses and rising prices of commodities has afflicted the Philippines, which has yet to recover from one of the world's longest and strictest Covid-19 lockdowns. Goods from community pantries can therefore mean the difference between life and death for many Filipinos. Most contributions flow from the rich and the middle class. But people who are struggling financially are also donating what little cash or groceries they can share. Some even come from rural areas to give - fishermen give away their catch while farmers donate baskets of their produce.

Community pantries not only exhibit generosity, they also demonstrate respect and consideration for others. Most of those who line up for hours take just enough for themselves and their families, mindful that others behind them are also in need. There is no sign of the type of hoarding that was evident in supermarkets across the world at the onset of the pandemic. Instead, the system is built on what Filipino sociologist Randy David describes as "faceless giving and discreet receiving". The community pantry, David says, "offers no space for the self-promotion and obligatory acknowledgments that usually accompany the mass distribution of emergency assistance".

"Sharing is caring" (Marian Ticzon)

But this is more than a noble instrument to help others. The community pantry also sends a political message of public frustration about government ineptitude in providing for the nation. The Philippine government provided only up to PHP 8,000 (A$215) in 2020 and a maximum of PHP 4,000 ($107) this year for each of the country's 18 million low-income families, not enough to buy their daily essentials. Ana Patricia Non, the 26-year old lady who first started a pantry in her neighborhood that inspired replicas nationwide, explained the reason behind her initiative: "I'm tired of complaining. I'm tired of inaction," she said. "The fact that this has gone viral, it means this is a gut issue." As it inadvertently exposed institutional shortcomings, the boom in community pantries should therefore serve as a wake-up call for the government to do more for its people.

The community pantries in the Philippines can also be seen as a political statement repudiating government malice towards charity and volunteerism. A few days after Non's community pantry spread far and wide, the national police openly linked it to the communist movement and accused it of being a vehicle to recruit members. In keeping with President Rodrigo Duterte's resolve to quell the long-running communist insurgency in the country, those " red tagged" as communists by the police often end up dead. Fearing for her life and the lives of other volunteers, Non was forced to close her community pantry after police officers visited her and started asking questions. It took assurances from the city mayor and the head of the country's Department of the Interior and Local Government for her to reopen.

The temporary closure of Non's pantry prompted public outrage, which unexpectedly resulted in more food and cash donations, which she used to support other community pantries. Its growing support tacitly indicates the Filipino public's pushback against the Duterte administration's unwarranted intimidation.

Batasan Hills, Quezon City (Eyriche Cortez)

Because of limited government assistance, community pantries symbolise national unity born out of necessity - of weary folks finding solace in helping others. From just one community pantry in Metro Manila, by the end of April there were 358 community pantries scattered across the Philippines. Such initiatives are essentially a stopgap measure to help more people survive the socio-economic crisis plaguing the country. The community pantries essentially target these Filipino families who have gotten used to not knowing when their next meal will be. As Non puts it: "If the items in the community pantry ran out, that is a good problem. The goal is for the food to be consumed, not to be displayed."

But as with other charities, these community pantries may eventually suffer from fatigue and slowly fizzle out, as their sustainability and longevity are not guaranteed. Yet community pantries in the Philippines demonstrate a revolutionary expression of human compassion, political activism and national solidarity that will continue to bring out the best of Filipinos during the worst of times. Philippine Senator Francis Pangilinan regards such initiative as a form of people power against hunger: "It warms the heart. It fills the tummy. I believe that there's no greater power than a united, empathetic action altogether toward one goal."

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Philippines community pantries give help - and send a message

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A handwritten slogan can be spotted on cardboard posters at stalls across the Philippines: "Give according to your means, take according to your need." These are makeshift community pantries, ad hoc efforts that provide free items such as rice, vegetables, canned goods and even facemasks that benefit millions of Filipinos.

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TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT THAT CAN AID SOLVE HUNGER

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TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT THAT CAN AID SOLVE HUNGER

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The municipality of Quezon city offers urban agriculture to combat hunger in the city. This initiative will be beneficial for those people and communities living in the slums. With this, it would help them to become independent of their food source. It was mentioned on the official website of Quezon city that they would provide the materials needed in order for them to start their urban agriculture. However, the city's effort to start urban agriculture to combat hunger might have disadvantages if the guidelines for this would not be clear. In their statement regarding providing the tools for the people to start urban agriculture, they did not state any plans for the community to be self-reliant after donating tools. Moreover, they did not provide disaster risk plans in case there are natural disasters that will affect urban agriculture.

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This could achieve our vision in ensuring that no one across the world is suffering from hunger and that every person is provided with proper nutrition.

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"The world's hunger is becoming ridiculous. There are more fruits in the rich man's shampoo than on a poor man's plate."
The World Food Day 2018, which is held every year on October 16, connects people from around the world to declare their commitment to eradicate worldwide hunger from our lifetime. This year's theme is "Our actions are our future. A #ZeroHunger world by 2030 is possible".
Facts about world hunger: Here are 5 innovative ways organisations are addressing world hunger by 2030:
1. Gene-Edited Crops

Photo credit: Ousa Chea

How will we feed 9 billion people by 2050? Gene editing is essentially a much quicker form of breeding. New companies are being set up to help evolve the nutrition of food with the promise of delivering high quality, trusted ingredients that are traceably produced for complete transparency. The powerful new gene editing technology known as CRISPR allows researchers to correct genetic defects, treat and prevent the spread of diseases and improve crops. The latest advancements could result in healthier food alternatives for consumers with the same great taste that they love.

2. Precision Agriculture

Photo credit: Joao Marcelo Marques

Advancements in precision agriculture, a farming management concept that incorporates internet of things (IoT) technology into farming techniques, offers another way to help feed the planet. It uses high precision positioning systems (like GPS) that are the key to achieve accuracy when driving in the field, providing navigation and positioning capability anywhere on earth, anytime under any all conditions. Agriculture companies are currently implementing technology ecosystems that combine unmanned tractors, drones, and other precisions equipment so that future farmers will be able to make smarter production decisions and increase crop yields, making farms more efficient.

3. Peer-to-Peer Networks

Photo credit: TUAN ANH TRAN

There are 500 million small-scale farmers around the world, who together grow more than 70% of the world's food. A new wave of social enterprises has risen to allow small-scale farmers connect with one another to solve problems, share ideas, and spread innovation. Wefarm, the world's largest farmer-to-farmer digital network, allows farmers to ask questions in their own language on anything related to agriculture, from battling a crop disease to best practices for growing cash crops. It uses machine learning and the power of the crowd to source the very best content and knowledge from a network of over 660,000 farmers, even via SMS.

4. Urban Farming

Photo credit: Jonas Jacobsson

Food production must increase by 70 percent in spite of the limited availability of arable lands if we are to feed the 9.6 billion people projected to inhabit the planet by 2050. Vertical farming refers to the practice of growing crops indoors in vertically stacked layers or on vertically inclined surfaces inside structures. These indoor farming systems are designed to maximise crop yields while minimising environmental impacts. Moreover, by bringing farms closer to where people live, this farming method is expected to be both efficient and cost-effective by reducing transportation expenses. Elsewhere, year-round growing is possible with the Aquaponics process, which combines growing plants in water with fish cultivation and is also suitable for growing in urban spaces.

5. 3D Food Printing

Photo credit: creil91

3D food printing offers a range of potential benefits. It can be healthy and good for the environment because it can help to convert alternative ingredients such as proteins from algae, beet leaves, or insects into tasty products. As long as the ingredients can be puréed, it can be printed. Recent innovations have made possible machines that print, cook, and serve foods on a mass scale. The innovative technology also offers many possibilities to make the consumption of products like meat more sustainable and space travel more comfortable by introducing new ways of preparing a meal in space.

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Five innovative tech solutions to help end global hunger

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"The world's hunger is becoming ridiculous. There are more fruits in the rich man's shampoo than on a poor man's plate." The World Food Day 2018, which is held every year on October 16, connects people from around the world to declare their commitment to eradicate worldwide hunger from our lifetime.

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SDG 11 as A Way to Start Creating the City and Human Settlements Sustainable for Everyone

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SDG 11: SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND COMMUNITIES 

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SDG 11: SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND COMMUNITIES 

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Click here to read more.

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Informal Settlers in Different Areas of the City

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Housing Shortage and Informal Settlers in Q.C.

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Housing Shortage and Informal Settlers in Q.C.

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As the city holds the highest population the country, it faces a variety of problems and one of them is housing shortage. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that around 31% of the population is underprivileged, the sector most in need of support to enhance their quality of life. Informal settlers inhabiting empty, public, and private properties comprise a large portion of the city's population in lack of suitable shelter. Public lands include property held by various government agencies, designated open spaces, road right-of-ways, aqueducts, and hazardous areas such as dumpsites and transmission line, river, and stream easements.

According to UDHA, relocation is the sole intervention option for persons in risk zones and locations for government infrastructure projects.

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Number and Percent Distribution of Informal Settler Families in Quezon City 

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Why Housing Problems should be Addressed

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Why Housing Problems should be Addressed

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As Informal Settlers living in danger areas or near waterways or infrastructure increases from 2011 to 2015,  this should be immediately addressed by the local government since it would impose greater problems when a person is involved in an accident caused by infrastructures nearby the residency area. In addition, it can further pollute the waterways if they still continue to live alongside it as well as it can hinder developmental plans of the owner on his/her own land.

Source: Demographic Profile and Social Development

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A Government that Focuses on the Safety of the Informal Settlers

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A Government that Focuses on the Safety of the Informal Settlers

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MANILA -- The Quezon City local government is batting for a humane relocation plan for informal settler families (ISFs).

The Quezon City Council on Wednesday passed a resolution for the prevention of further forced eviction of the city's ISFs. To date, the city has 15,022 ISFs.

The Council approved City Resolution 7528-2018, authored by Councilor Marivic Co-Pilar, for the approval and adoption of the Formulated Relocation and Resettlement Action Plan (RRAP) for ISFs under the city's Local Inter-Agency Committee's Likas Program.

The resolution said "it aims to ensure safe, affordable, decent and humane relocation through the RRAP's People's Plan mechanisms and processes."

The RRAP refers to a relocation and resettlement that already underwent a process of consultation with the government and non-government stakeholders and the affected families and/or parties.

The formulation of RRAP aims to identify immediate, medium and even long-term targets, resources, integrate/synchronize institutional arrangement to ensure a well-coordinated and timely relocation, delivery of services, facilities and management of resettlement projects.

The resolution said "the process shall be in accordance with Commission on Human Rights Advisory on the Right to Adequate Housing and Humane Treatment of Informal Settlers as well as Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Memorandum Circular 2008-143, 2009-05, 2010-134 and 2011-182."

The DILG circular is in accordance with Republic Act 7279, or the "Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992", particularly Section 28 of the law.

The members of the Local Inter-Agency Committee of Quezon City issued a manifesto adhering to the terms of agreement reached during the RRAP formulation for the city's more than 15,000 ISFs, whose houses are within the three-meter easement of waterways, as well as law-defined danger areas. (PNA)

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QC bats for relocation of informal settlers in danger zones

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MANILA -- The Quezon City local government is batting for a humane relocation plan for informal settler families (ISFs).The Quezon City Council on Wednesday passed a resolution for the prevention of further forced eviction of the city’s ISFs. To date, the city has 15,022 ISFs.The Council...

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A Good Movement Towards Providing Sustainable Shelters For All

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A Good Movement Towards Providing Sustainable Shelters For All

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MANILA, Philippines - Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte on Friday said that her administration is aggressively finding ways to solve the city's pressing housing backlog.

In her first term, 17,674 poor families and informal settlers were given permanent housing under her Land Acquisition and Socialized Housing program. Belmonte's overall housing strategy of secured socialized housing and inclusive growth prioritizes in-city relocation.

"My goal is to keep Quezon City residents within the city. f you are from QC, then you should be living inside QC," she stressed.

The city government has already bought six parcels of land, with a total size of 22.5 hectares in Ramawil and Kanejin properties in Payatas, Tofemi properties inBagong Silangan, and Howmart Phase one in Baesa. Informal settlers were occupying these private lands for the past 40 years, dreaming to own the area, but now it has become a reality.

Different but affordable arrangements in various locations were being implemented. These include the Direct Purchase Program, benefitting 3,950 families; Community Mortgage Program for 206 families; Direct Sale for 292 families; House constructions for 960 families in Barangays Nagkaisang Nayon and Gulod; and Rental Housing Program for 317 families at a low monthly cost of P800.

For those displaced by disasters, fire, or demolition, 46 transition housing units were built in Barangay Bagong Silangan for their temporary shelter.

Meanwhile, negotiations with private landowners were ongoing for another 16.4hectares of land to benefit 4,320 informal settlers in Barangays Matandang Balara, Bagong Silangan, Payatas, and Pasong Tamo. Also, the National Housing Authority and 4 District Rep. Bong Suntay were working out details on providing permanent shelters to 6,783 families along NIA Road, Forestry, and Botanical Garden.

Belmonte further said construction has started for a 5-story residential building in Baranggay Baesa with 188 units, and that this would be followed by a 12-story residential building with 315 units in Barangay Balingasa, as well as another 5-story residential building with 207 units in Barangay Payatas. These high-rise residential developments, covering a smaller land area, would be more ideal for the city, she noted.

The local chief executive thanked the cooperation of beneficiary families, private lot owners, and the national government in fulfilling the longtime dream of homeownership of thousands of poor residents and informal settlers in Quezon City.

Belmonte assured that her administration's battle cry "Una ka sa serbisyo" for all Quezon City residents will continue to be inclusive.

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17,674 informal settlers in Quezon City get permanent housing

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MANILA, Philippines - Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte on Friday said that her administration is aggressively finding ways to solve the city's pressing housing backlog. In her first term, 17,674 poor families and informal settlers were given permanent housing under her Land Acquisition and Socialized Housing program.

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Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Mobile Traffic Navigator

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TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT THAT CAN AID INFORMAL SETTLERS

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TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT THAT CAN AID INFORMAL SETTLERS

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In relocating these informal settlers to their new relocation residences inside Quezon City, employees are likely to utilize accessibility maps or mobile traffic navigators that will assist them find the easiest route to their work. This would help them know which routes to avoid and what time is the most convenient for them to leave for work. However, they may not have a mobile phone that has access to these mobile apps that are designed to help them in navigating from their home to their workplace. This would be a major inconvenience for them since they are still new to their new homes. In addition, they might have a hard time getting used to the place to where they are relocated since they do not have prior knowledge of it. This may cause inconvenience, especially for students and employees who are commuting to their destination.

Click here to have an in-depth knowledge about the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Mobile Traffic Navigator