Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid

Assessment

APRIL
2023
Informal Food Markets in Quezon City
and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid
Assessment

APRIL
2023
Informal Food Markets in Quezon City and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment

© International Potato Center and Resilient Cities Initiative 2023

ISBN: 978-92-9060-664-2
DOI: 10.4160/9789290606642

Resilient Cities Through Sustainable Urban and Peri-urban Agrifood Systems (known as Resilient Cities) is a new
research for development Initiative of the One CGIAR which aims to support a vibrant, largely informal urban and
peri-urban agrifood sector, to help improve sustainability, equity and opportunity growth , and to mitigate risks to
human and environmental health. During its first phase, the Initiative is primarily working in cities of Bangladesh,
Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Peru and the Philippines. Resilient Cities is being implemented by five CGIAR Centers – CIP
(lead), IFPRI, IITA, IRRI, IWMI – as well as R&D partners World Vegetable Center and RUAF.

The reports and publications generated through the Initiative contribute important development information to
the public arena. Readers are encouraged to quote or reproduce material from them in their own publications. As
copyright holder CIP/Resilient Cities requests acknowledgement and a copy of the publication where the citation
or material appears.

Please send a copy to the Communications Department at the address below.

International Potato Center

P.O. Box 1558, Lima 12, Peru
cip@cgiar.org • www.cipotato.org

Correct citation:
Roa, Julieta, 2023. Informal Food Markets in Quezon City and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment. Resilient
Cities Initiative Research Report. Lima: Peru. International Potato Center.

Author: Julieta Roa

Editor: Teresita Rola
Design and Layout: Ariel Paelmo

April 2023

Resilient Cities and CIP thank all donors and organizations that globally support their work through contributions
to the CGIAR: www.cgiar.org/funders.

This publication is copyrighted by the International Potato Center (CIP) and Resilient Cities Initia-
tive. It is licensed for use under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Contents

Acknowledgment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v
Acronyms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi
Abstract . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Methodology, context, and scope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Related literature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
The informal food market sector and food security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Resilience and urbanization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Results and discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
The pilot cities: a briefer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
The market system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Primary markets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Secondary markets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Talipapa or satellite markets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
The vegetable industry: a backgrounder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Demand for vegetables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Vegetable supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
The NCR agri-food system and the informal sector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
The informal food vendors in the pilot sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Informal vegetable vendors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
The street food vendors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Capacity development and learning needs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Governance of informal food markets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Pasay City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Quezon City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
The informal food sector: insights for ways forward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Key emerging issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Common local government responses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Proposed alternative strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Annexes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Annex 1. Field work activity schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Annex 2. Key informant interview guide for informal food vendors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Annex 3. Common street food sold in study sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Tables
Table 1. Metro Manila population, area, density, and year incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Table 2. Summary characteristics of pilot cities (Quezon City and Pasay City) . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Table 3. Top 10 ranking of highly urbanized cities (HUCs), 2021 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Table 4. Annual per capita consumption of food commodities in the Philippines . . . . . . . . 22
Table 5. Vegetable production in different zones in the Philippines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Table 6. Vegetables traded in wholesale and retail markets (English, common and . . . . . . . 22
scientific names) and main supply areas
Table 7. Urban and peri-urban farms and gardens, markets and uses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Table 8. Profile of the informal vegetable vendors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Table 9. Business information about informal vendors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment iii
 Table 10. Summative food supply and market chains involving informal vegetable . . . . . . . 30
vending
Table 11. Challenges and opportunities in the vegetable supply chain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Table 12. Supply sources of vegetables (%) sold by vendors in Pasay and Quezon City . . . . 31
markets
Table 13. Average prices (PhP/kg) and margins (%) of common vegetables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
contributing to bigger share of sales and income
Table 14. Types of street food sold in Pasay and Quezon City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Table 15. Profile of street food vendors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Table 16. Street food vendors: business location, challenges and outlook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Table17. Summative supply and market chains of the informal street food vending . . . . . . 38

Figures
Figure 1. Philippine map showing the location of NCR. Inset: Map of NCR showing . . . . . . . 10
the location of Quezon City and Pasay City
Figure 2. Location map of Metro Manila cities, including Quezon and Pasay cities, . . . . . . . . 14
and the main bagsakan markets
Figure 3. Vegetable supply chains in Metro Manila . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

iv and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment
Acknowledgment

The study on the informal food markets has been positively received by relevant
agencies and city governments approached for the rapid assessment of the informal
food vendors in the focused sites – Pasay and Quezon City. We sincerely appreciate
the strong support particularly of the offices of the mayors of Pasay and Quezon City
through the facilitation and interviews with the Chief of Staff Mr. Peter Eric D. Pardo and
team, Pasay City; Mr. Emmanuel Hugh Velasco II and team of Sustainable Development
Affairs Unit, Quezon City; the active participation of Mr. Roger Tamondong, supervisor
of the Edukasyong Pantahanan at Pangkabuhayan (EPP) of the Department of Education;
Mr. Glenn Panganiban, chair of National Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture Program
(NUPAP)—Bureau of Plant Industry and director of High Value Commercial Crops, and
Mr. Ramon Niedra of the Agriculture Marketing Assistance Support of the Department of
Agriculture with their respective staff. Also, great appreciation for the zeal and hospitality
of the focal officials of the community and school gardens—Mr. Wally Canque of Holy
Spirit Community Garden; Mr. Silverio Estorco, principal of San Diego Elementary School;
Mr. Jun Ogot, principal of Commonwealth High School; and Mr. Geoffrey Echanis of old
Balara Elementary School.

Special thanks to the former director of the Agriculture Training Institute, Department
of Agriculture, Dr. Rosana Mula and staff in the facilitation and provision of venue for
the focus group discussion with key officials of the NUPAP, and support staff for the key
informant interviews: Mr. Jomar Tabor, Ms. Janina Villafuerte, Mr. Justin Paolo Interno and
Ms. Lyka Mercader. Most importantly to scores of vendors and officials in Padre Rada-
Divisoria, Pasay and Quezon City markets who shared valuable time and information
during the market visits.

On the whole, this should not have been possible without the assistance of Ms. Arma
Bertuso, Resilient Cities Focal Person (Philippines), for the overall facilitation and active
participation in interviewing; the guidance of Dr. Gordon Prain, Resilient Cities Senior
Advisor, for providing detailed comments and suggestions for revising an earlier version
of the report; and the joint leadership to the Initiative provided by Dr. Simon Heck and
Dr. Silvia Alonso.

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment v
 Acronyms

ABS-GCC Aqua-based Business School with Gender and Climate Change

ADB Asian Development Bank
AFMA Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act
AMAS Agriculture Marketing Assistance Service
ATI Agriculture Training Institute
BARRM Bangsamoro Administrative Region Mindanao
BAR Bureau of Agricultural Research
BFAR Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources
BGC Bonifacio Global City
BGY/bgy Barangay
BPI Bureau of Plant Industry
CALABARZON Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon
CAR Cordillera Administrative Region
CGIAR Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research
CIP Centro Internacional de la Papa
COVID corona virus immune deficiency
DA Department of Agriculture
DepEd Department of Education
DILG Department of Interior and Local Government
DPWH Department of Public Works and Highways
DOH Department of Health
DOLE Department of Labor and Employment
DOST Department of Science and Technology
DSWD Department of Social Welfare and Development
DTI Department of Trade and Industry
EDSA Epifanio de los Santos Avenue
FAO Food and Agriculture Organization
FAOSTAT Food and Agriculture Organization Statistics
FAFH food away from home
FBS-GCC Farmer Business School with Gender and Climate Change Perspective
FCA farmers’ cooperative and association
GFHSGlobal Forum on Human Settlement
HUC highly urbanized city
IFAD International Fund for Agriculture and Development
ILO International Labor Organization
LGU local governmentuUnit
MBCRPP Manila Bay Clean-up Rehabilitation and Preservation Program
MIMAROPA Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan
MM Metro Manila
NCR National Capital Region
Pen Peninsula (as in Zamboanga Peninsula)
PESO Public Employment Service Office
PhP Philippine peso
QC Quezon City
RDE research, development and extension
TESDA Technical Education and Skills Development Authority
UAP Urban Agriculture Program
UN United Nations
UNDP United Nations Development Program
UPLB University of the Philippines Los Banos
UPUA urban peri-urban agriculture
VBS Vendor Business School
WB World Bank
WP2 Work Package 2

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

vi and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment
Informal Food Markets in Quezon City and
Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment

Abstract the food chain. They are found to be key

links between multiple food production
Cognizant of the centrality of food systems locations and consumers in primary,
in a rapidly urbanizing world amidst secondary, and satellite markets, especially
environmental and health risks, the benefiting the urban poor. Recognizing
Resilient Cities Initiative will strengthen these, city governments started policy
capacities for research and innovation in initiatives to improve the functioning of
the management of urban food systems in informal vendors in market spaces, coming
Africa, Asia, and Latin America. up with options that address issues on
relocation, regularization, and marketing.
As part of this initiative, the CIP- At this point, though, it is still largely
implemented Philippine project aims a work in progress. Evidence suggests
to improve urban food systems by a greater likelihood of informal food
strengthening enterprise capacities of vendors contributing to resilient cities
informal vendors, thereby helping to by strengthening their enterprise skills
improve food supply and diets of the and giving them access to information,
urban populace and securing economic innovation, and support services to
opportunities, especially for the urban improve selling practices, sanitation and
poor. This initial study reports findings hygiene, and make nutrient-sensitive food
from an assessment of the participation chain improvements. Based on these, it
of informal food vendors in the agrifood is proposed that designs for developing
systems of two Metro Manila pilot cities the capacity of this sector involve the
in order to contribute to the design of adaptation of the CIP-developed Farmer
capacity development interventions in the Business School into the Vendor Business
next phase. School, integrating the capacity and
learning needs of informal vendors in
Findings show that informal food vendors partnership with city governments and
play a significant role in food provisioning, stakeholders.
livelihood and income generation across

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment 1
 Introduction the purview of public services and

T
assistance. Yet, it increasingly plays a
he One CGIAR Initiative on significant role in the urban economy in
“Resilient Cities through terms of livelihood, employment, food
Sustainable Urban and Peri- provision, and potential contribution to
Urban Agrifood Systems” aims the resiliency and sustainability of cities.
to strengthen evidence and The urban food economy is affected by
capacities for improving management a range of activities from farm to table.
of urban food systems in Africa, Asia, Taking the urban informal food sector as a
and Latin America through access to take-off point toward establishing resilient
technology, skills, and information to cities requires that it be viewed from an
improve diets and livelihoods of a fast- agrifood system perspective. It needs
growing global urban populace while to be understood within the context of
reducing environmental footprints. urbanization and the related issues of
Securing a productive, healthy population unemployment, poverty, food insecurity,
in resiliently green urban spaces has congested settlements and whether
become a global priority. The science- cities are able to prepare and recover
based resilient cities initiative has for future shocks (e.g., economic, social,
identified five key entry immediate action institutional, environmental). The informal
points: more efficient and safer urban/ market sector, because of its enormous
peri-urban food production, improved economic importance in cities of the
urban food markets and supply chains, Global South, needs to be included in
innovative circular bio-economy, improved public sector planning, policymaking, and
urban food environments for healthier program design (ILO 2018, UN 2021, Tefft
urban diets, and support of research and et al. 2017): that is, informal markets are
innovative capacity development systems. ubiquitous but exist beyond the purview
of public sector policy and action.
In the Philippines, the research focus of
the Initiative in the first year is on efficient Like in most countries in Asia, the rate of
and safe food production and inclusive urbanization in the Philippines is expected
profitable informal markets, both with to increase over the next 20 years (UN-
Metro Manila as the focus area. The current Habitat 2022). Metro Manila is classified
report addresses the issue of improving as 100% urban, even though there are
the efficiency of the marketing side of agricultural areas in the fringes. The rest
the urban agrifood system. The informal of the country’s population is expected
food market, which is a large part of the to be 60% urban within the decade (PSA
urban informal economy, is the priority 2020). But the economic growth and
sector being addressed with the end goal dynamism of Metro Manila have not been
of improving urban food systems through effectively translated into health and well-
capacity development that will strengthen being. The existing food system in Metro
enterprise skills and ensure access to Manila may be described as dysfunctional.
technologies, information, and business People suffer from a “triple burden” of
support services, thus, improving the food malnutrition. About 33% of children
supply and diets of the urban populace under 5 are stunted, 30% of adults over
while reducing environmental footprints 20 are overweight or obese, and 20%
in the urban food system. of children below 5 are suffering from
Vitamin A deficiency or “hidden hunger”.
Moreover, about 67% of households do
The iconic view of vibrant city streets
not meet their calorie requirement (FNRI
and markets presents scores of ambulant
2017, 2018). The farmers and fisher folk
vendors of food, wares, and crafts,
who feed Metro Manila are suffering, are
along with agricultural produce such
getting old (average age, 58), and are not
as fruits and vegetables—the informal
being replaced as the young generation
market sector, unregistered and outside

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

2 and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment
does not want to engage in farming. (Pasay, Quezon City 2022, DA-ATI 1998; FAO
The reasons are complex. Land and 2020; UN 2021).
water resources are in short supply with
competing uses for housing, farming, To establish a resilient city, this Initiative is
and commercial, and industrial purposes. a small contribution to the whole gamut
Multiple-use component effluents of the of interwoven actions that are required in
food system (e.g., fertilizers, pesticides, the short, intermediate, and long term. The
antibiotics, growth promoters, plastic informal food sector as the entry point,
packaging) are causing pollution in rivers; however, is significant since it is often
in Laguna de Bay and Manila Bay, the absent in planning and policymaking and
waters have become unsafe for people is subject to conflicting views among local
and aquatic life. Soil quality in the farms and national authorities. Yet, this sector
continues to deteriorate. Climate change is numerically large and continuously
remains a threat. The current food contributes to income and livelihood to
system, which is dependent on imports a vast population of urban women and
and long supply chains, contributes youth. Furthermore, it provides convenient,
significantly to greenhouse gas emissions affordable, and tasty food to poorly paid
and is deemed inadequately prepared to construction workers, public and private
adapt to shocks (PSA 2022). workers, and no-kitchen households in
slums and congested residential areas. It is
As in other megacities, food is critically also a vital food supply during emergencies
high on the development agenda but and disasters (Alderslade et al. 2006, FAO
is being challenged by urbanization 2007, Tshofuti 2016, World Bank 2017,
trends, growing markets, poverty, food Smith et al. 2019).
and nutrient insecurity, rising food prices,
growing dependence on food imports, This pilot initiative is a determined effort
and challenges posed by climate change. to use soft technology on innovative
Such a complexity requires new ways of capacity development of informal food
thinking from various actors who have, vendors by honing their business skills
in the past, been less engaged in food- and enhancing their consciousness
and agriculture-related decisions; these as to their significant contribution in
actors include urban planners and local terms of improved nutrition, social and
and regional authorities. For resilient environmental health and protection,
urban food systems, diverse sources economic growth (through employment,
of food supply are needed: from the income, marketing ancillaries), and food
traditional long rural-urban supply chains security, especially for the less endowed
across regions to newly emerging urban majority of urban workers and residents.
and peri-urban short supply chains. This is also an exercise of partnership: in
Markets, as part of the urban agrifood implementing a collaborative participatory
system, offer rich opportunities for process of working out interventions in
resource recovery (waste management) the agrifood system. The learnings are
and plowback to urban food production understood as process and inputs for
(soil bio-enhancers, bio-pesticides) or further improvements to be used for
energy sourcing (waste to energy) or adaptation and scaling out later, eventually
climate change adaptation (idle areas contributing to a resilient Metro Manila.
converted to tree parks or community
gardens). Urban food systems have
increasingly become an important Objectives
driver for a number of urban policies
such as food security, livelihood The study generally aims to understand
generation, social welfare, health and the participation of the informal market
nutrition, education, environment, waste vendors of vegetables and street foods in
management, and disaster risk reduction the market system in Metro Manila in order

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment 3
 to define their role and contribution to the consumption, which will be affected by
urban food system. climate change with increasing frequency
and intensity of weather events (FAO
Specifically, with the identified target 2020, Tacoli et al. 2013, Godschalk 2003).
sector, the study seeks to (1) define the With the project’s focus on informal food
different related subsystems and their markets where a chain of relationships
characteristics, the types of actors and from suppliers to consumers is important,
stakeholders and their relationships, a system perspective would be relevant.
governance issues, challenges and Related concepts of food security and
opportunities; (2) identify areas for urbanization put an understanding of the
improvement or learning needs that priority focus in context.
can be addressed through the capacity
development process of a vendor business Food security is understood as the
school; and (3) provide options to improve outcome of effective food systems: the
guidance and conduct of the vendor consequence of the interplay among
business school. activities, processes, and governance
from farm to plate. During the post-
1996 World Food Summit, food security
Methodology, context, has shifted to a broader understanding
and scope of four key dimensions: availability,
access, utilization, and stability. The
The project is designed within the emphasis is not only on food supply
agrifood system approach, deemed and production but also on affordability
appropriate considering that this involves (purchasing power) and access (market
a range of dimensions from production, links and infrastructure, logistics), nutrient
storage, value addition, distribution, and adequacy and food safety (including
culture and habit preferences), and ability
to bounce back from socioeconomic and
Table 1. Metro Manila population, area, density, and year
environmental shocks (FAO 2013). The
incorporated.
Philippines, in its Agriculture and Fisheries
Density Modernization Act (AFMA) (Republic
City/ Area (no. of Year
Population Act 8435) of 1997, has adopted this FAO
municipality (sq km) people/sq incorporated
km definition. The ensuing programs and
Caloocan 1,661,584 57.90 31,000 1962 promulgations, however, did not reflect a
Las Pinas 606,293 31.40 19,000 1997
clear a understanding of the full concept,
Makati 629,616 27.40 23,000 1995
and thus, the priority swings: food self-
Malabon 380,522 16.50 24,000 2001
Mandaluyong 425,758 13.50 38,000 1994
sufficiency on staples, especially rice,
Manila* 1,846,513 38.80 43,000 1571 dominatess the programming agenda and
Marikina 456,159 35.10 20,000 1996 budget allocation.
Muntinlupa 543,445 48.60 13,000 1995
Navotas 247,543 12.60 22,000 2007 Metro Manila is a composite of 16 highly
Paranaque 689,992 36.90 15,000 1998 urbanized cities and one municipality
Pasay 440,656 13.90 24,000 1947
(Table 1). The project is limited to two
Pasig 803,059 32.40 26,000 1995
pilot sites: the biggest city and smallest
Pateros 65,227 2.20 37,000 1909
(Not a city) city in population and area, Quezon City
Quezon City 2,960,048 168.60 18,000 1939 and Pasay City, respectively. Selection
San Juan 126,347 7.50 22,000 2007 and characterization are detailed in later
Taguig 886,722 46.20 20,000 2004 sections.
Valenzuela 714,978 46.50 16,000 1998
Total 13,484,462 636.00 21,000
The target sectors are the informal food
Sources: Philippine Statistics Authority. Census of Population and Housing. August
2021; Metro Manila. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metro_Manila vendors of vegetables and street food
Note: Established as metropolitan area on November 7, 1975[; as a region, National (representing animal-based products)
Capital Region (NCR) on June 2, 1978. in the focus Metro Manila pilot sites.

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

4 and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment
Vegetables and animal-based street food as well as with staff of potential partners
constitute a significant part of the informal such as the Bureau of Plant Industry
food market. Vegetables and street food and Agricultural Training Institute of the
vending is a strategic focus because of the Department of Agriculture (ATI-DA) and key
number of poor people (especially women officials of selected urban community and
and youth) who are involved (PSA 2019, school gardens. A report was submitted for
2022; Bersales and Llarina 2019). This is this stage.
supported by observations on the streets
of Metro Manila. The second stage consisted of additional
market visits and a survey of sample
A rapid food system assessment approach respondents identified during the first
was adopted for the study. Rapid stage, which was carried out through
assessment deals with limited or a more (1) key informant interviews of informal
focused segment of the food system. vendors (vegetables and street food) and
Extended assessment covers more (2) focus group discussions with local
food system issues and deals with the government officials and urban school
specificities of diverse actors and their vegetable gardeners (Annex 2). Further
functions in the food system in detail to review of related literature, secondary
identify systemwide interventions (Tefft data, reports, documents, and materials
et al. 2017, Skinner and Harvey 2018, from local governments, either accessed
Peter and Batt 2022). The current study from the internet or provided by specific
uses modular rapid assessment because agencies, was also done.
this focuses on the informal food market
sector of the urban economy. The food Thirty informal food vendors (n=20 for
market chain analytical framework is vegetables; n=10 street food) in Quezon
used on the descriptive characterization City and Pasay City were interviewed
of activities, functions, and relationships to characterize and assess the existing
of informal vendors (vegetables and supply market chains—conditions of
street food), together with governance operations, practices, commodities and
in relation to policies, regulations, and food sold, benefits from the business,
initiatives on urban food security and the manner of governance, and challenges
environment. and opportunities. As links in the agrifood
system, these vendors bring food initially
The study was carried out in two stages produced in far-flung and nearby farms,
(Annex 1). The first step was the selection some of them processed, to the tables
of pilot sites from two of the 16 cities of the urban poor and, hugely, directly
of Metro Manila using three criteria: to their work places. Importantly, they
(1) bigger markets serving a bigger serve customers who may not be able to
population with the likelihood of serving conveniently source food from markets
a bigger share of low- to middle-income and prepare these at home. An increasing
class households, (2) greater links to/ number of consumers join the millions
experience in urban agriculture initiatives of those who have food away from home
with the DA and/or private sector, and (FAFH) for various reasons, mainly economic
(3) more progressive local government and for convenience. In the process, their
leadership and/or “greater likelihood learning needs were assessed to identify
of effective facilitation for the piloting specific areas for capacity development
of the capacity-building approach— to enhance operations, enabling
the vendor business school”. A 4-day greatercontribution to food and nutrition
rapid market appraisal was done in the security and to the city’s resilience.
markets of the selected cities of Pasay and Earlier, initial information in the context of
Quezon City. This consisted of initial key governance would be further explored in
informant interviews of market vendors relation to the informal food sector at the
and consultations with market officials, chosen sites.

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment 5
 Inasmuch as selection of key informants The term “informal sector” has been widely
was purposive due to time constraints, applied to describe loosely organized
the findings cannot be considered as and unregistered activities in the
representative of all markets (12 markets in rapidly growing cities of the developing
Pasay City; 34 markets in Quezon City, 41 world. They are often overlooked and
talipapa). However, confidence in results not considered in policy and program
can be enhanced because of the inclusion formulation. Documented evidence
of the main markets in the survey. in a growing literature has reversed
perceptions of the informal sector as
“drivers of wealth, enterprise, and stability
Related Literature in communities.” The informal market
vendors are integrated into the urban
The informal food market food systems, playing a significant role in
sector and food security food distribution by providing poor urban
households with better opportunities to
Half a century after British anthropologist secure food and generating livelihood
Keith Hart’s research on the “economy for the otherwise unemployed women,
of the street” in Accra, Ghana (1973), men, and youth (Scott 2007). The Food
interest in the informal sector (understood Insecurity Experience Scale of the FAO
as unregistered economic activity) has estimates that food insecurity in urban
increased. There is growing literature areas, especially in low- income countries,
on theoretical and empirical issues is higher at 50% than in rural areas, 43%. In
regarding definitions, distinctions, and urban slums, this is estimated to be higher
measurements giving rise to a “shadow at 90%. There is also increasing literature
or hidden economy,” elaborating on on the informal food sector in developed
the survival and living strategies of the economies as well (FAO 2021, 2007;
urban poor in African Latin American, and UNHSP 2017; World Bank 2017).
Asian cities. This underground informal
economy was “an overwhelming and Street food comprises a huge part of the
enduring reality.” For decades, the informal informal food sector. It refers to a “wide
sector has been misunderstood as “lost range of ready-to-eat food and beverages
taxes, unfair competition, public service that are prepared and/or sold by itinerant
burden, street trash, and public health or stationary vendors on streets and other
concerns,” not an important part of the public places” as defined during the FAO
local economy. They are the forgotten lot regional workshop on street foods in
in urban planning, policies, and programs Jogjakarta, Indonesia in 1986 (Winarno
(Smith et al. 2019, Skinner et al. 2018, and Allain 1991). Street food has become
FAO 2007, Alderslade et al. 2006). The a global phenomenon in both developing
understanding of the urban informal and developed countries (Imatheu 2017,
economy has advanced significantly UNHSP 2017). Globally, as well as in the
since then with the International Philippines, FAFH is increasingly the trend
Labour Organization (ILO), the Food and in food consumption, especially in cities
Agriculture Organization (FAO), and other with food preparation seriously limited
organizations supporting further research by time and transport constraints to
and discussions from the primitive work or school. A systematic review of
descriptive and dualistic definitions of the evidence about the contribution of street
early 1970s to the mounting evidence of food to diets estimated that it contributes
persistent growth of the urban informal between 13% and 50% of food for adults
sector and its critical role in rapid in LMICs and from 13% to 40% among
urbanization performed by its diverse children (Steyn et al. 2014). About 40% of
subsectors (e.g., low-paid unregistered 19-59-year-old Filipinos are out-of-home
labor, ambulant food vendors, street eaters (FNRI 2013), of which a majority
artists, dry good peddlers, garbage are young adult workers in the 19-29 age
pickers). group (FNRI 2017).

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

6 and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment
A large share of FAFH is processed food, sell under unsanitary conditions, issues
and a large part is street food, particularly of food quality (including nutrient
for low-income consumers. Consumption content), hygiene, and safety in terms of
of packaged and processed products is inputs and water quality in processing
growing, up to five times faster in low- have increasingly been raised (Gupta et
income than in high-income countries, al. 2016). Many food-borne diseases in
and is higher in larger cities. As a proxy low-income countries have been traced
for consumption, per capita retail sales of to food sold in informal markets with
processed snack food in low- and middle- perishable food, improper use of additives
income countries across the world grew (e.g., coloring agents, preservatives), food
at an annual rate of 7.7% and 9.9% (1998- adulteration, contamination, and lack
2012) from 5.5%, respectively, for frozen of sanitation in informal food marketing
products and soft drinks (World Bank (Skinner et al. 2018, Azanza et al. 2000).
2017). But when properly managed, street food
can enhance the quality of urban public
With food being an important part of space as they play important roles in food
culture, street food usually reflects local provision and livelihood in cities, usually
food tradition, existing in endless variety. benefiting women (Tefft et al. 2017,
Vendors’ stalls, easily accessible from the UNHSP 2017, FAO 2007).
street, are usually located outdoors or
under a roof with low-cost seating facility. Resilience and
Though individually or family-owned urbanization
and small, street food operation creates
employment by their sheer number in The informal food market is a significant
many street corners or clusters. Women subsector of the urban agrifood system
and youth play significant roles in the and the urban economy in general.
street food enterprise, from buying Following the CGIAR-CIP initiative
ingredients to preparing, cooking, and perspective, interventions for improving
selling the food. Capital is relatively low, the informal food markets need to be
the business is easy to operate, work contextualized within the process toward
hours are flexible, and mobility is less resilient cities. The vast and growing
constrained. All over the world, including body of literature on urban resilience
the Philippines, customers are no longer recognizes the interconnectivity of
simply the urban poor; coming from sectors in an urban system and must be
various socioeconomic levels, they benefit integrated, not dealt with sectorally per
from low-cost tasty food that is readily se. With increasing global urbanization
available and accessible (Osei Menah et projected at 70% by 2050, cities will be
al. 2014). The increasing presence and threatened by a myriad of issues: housing,
importance of street food across urban food security, water access, energy,
spaces is argued by Argenti (2000), employment, economic uncertainty,
attributing the trend to pressures of and social conflict, among others (Smith
urbanization. Households have very et al. 2019, Tacoli et al. 2013). Thus, the
limited time to prepare food, which tends perspective of the agrifood system is
to change food-buying and -consuming central in the initiative related to informal
behavior. Also, with urban food budgets food markets. While having a focus, a
higher at least 30% than those in rural system’s view is maintained. A central issue
areas, this increases the demand for of urban resilience is food resilience.
convenient processed meals even among
the non-poor. The discourse on resilience is evolving,
as well as the cadre of expertise across
With vendors often lacking knowledge disciplines: from the natural to the social
of food safety, hygiene, or sanitation sciences, urban planning and public
and sometimes being obliged to work/ administration, and ecological and

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment 7
 engineering thrusts, among others. From security and basic nutrition has been
the traditional view of resilience in the increasingly recognized. The most basic
1960s, which is the “ability to bounce need is food, therefore an important
back and recover from shocks,” to the case in point is food resilience. Cities,
more flexible and expanded view that unlike rural areas that are in or near food
recognizes the power of man’s ability production points, are more vulnerable
to transform the environment, and the to food insecurity (UNDP 2021). Studies
system’s ability, by human agency, to in Global South countries found that the
“adjust in the face of changing conditions,” daily energy intake from street food in
resilience of cities as a target has been adults ranged from 13 to 50%; in several
understood as complex. Interdisciplinary, cities, around half of daily protein intake
system-oriented, and multistakeholder (Steyn et al. 2014).
engagement is understood to be critical
in advocating resilience-based planning The United Nations’ Philippine study
and urban development programs (FAO on the impact of Covid 19 on food
2013, 2007; UN-HABITAT 2022). Moving chains presented risks on the vegetable
from a comprehensive understanding and other food chains, both from the
of shocks and stresses, UNDP defines demand and supply sides, because of
resilience as a “transformative process risks in logistics, mobility restrictions,
of strengthening the capacity of men, disruptions in production, and lack of
women, communities, institutions, and information. There have been anecdotal
countries to anticipate, prevent, recover evidences of the increase in street vending
from, and transform in the aftermath of of various food sources during the
shocks, stresses, and change.” pandemic to improve food access near
urban households, along with the rise of
Recognizing the interconnectedness mobile stores promoted by government.
of systems within cities and beyond The UNDP study posits that food value
boundaries and looking at the need for chains be shortened and localized to
holistic perspective and multistakeholder increase market flexibility as gleaned
engagement, the push for governance from the impact of the pandemic on food
and policy frameworks that can enhance systems in the Philippines, which also
urban resilience is inevitable. Approaches highlighted the role of the informal food
to achieve resilience have branched markets in food provisioning and focused
out; the activities of various actors and on the importance of food distribution
stakeholders needed strong leadership being closer to consumers for quick and
and institutional governance. Intertwined safe access, especially during restricted
with a growing interest in urban planning mobility. Open markets facilitate a smooth
and good governance, resilience then took distribution of food, reduce food loss, and
the thrust into urban governance thinking increase access to fresh and diverse food.
and development agenda, thus, coining The creation of short food value chains
the term ‘urban resilience’ (FAO 2013, 2007; is gaining importance in urban planning
UN-HABITAT 2022). for food security, the main advocacy of
urban and peri-urban agriculture. Urban
As urbanization is projected to be 60-70% agriculture found serious implementation
by 2050, poverty and food insecurity are during the pandemic, especially in Metro
fast becoming urban issues, with other Manila cities. Land use intensification
parts of the world already at this level. of idle and vacant lands surrounding
There is evidence that increased street urban centers can provide food to the
food selling grew with increasing urban urban population; their nearness to food
population for convenience in food access distribution channels lowers logistics,
and for economic reasons (UNDP 2021, storage, and potentially, prices (Tacoli et
Skinner et al. 2018). The role played by al. 2013). Appropriate governance and
informal food vendors in urban food investments (e.g., in facility, hygiene and

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

8 and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment
sanitation, health practices, monitoring/ Statistics Authority and with the latest
regulation) for the informal sector like annual income of at least PhP 50
street vendors and local eateries that cater million(USD 1 million at 1991 constant
to nearby households and population prices) as certified by the city treasurer.
must be strongly stressed (UNDP 2021). Fifty percent of the HUCs are in Metro
Manila (16/33) (Local Government Code
of 1991, Republic Act No. 7160). Both
Results and discussion Quezon City and Pasay City are part of the
major central business district of Metro
The pilot cities: a briefer Manila, which also includes Manila, Makati,
Alabang, Bonifacio Global City (BGC), and
In the May 2020 Census of Population the Ortigas Center.
and Housing, the National Capital Region
(NCR) population reached 13,484,462, Quezon City is the biggest city in
which accounts for about 12.4% of population and area, but it is less dense
the country’s population. Quezon City (18,000/sq km) than Pasay City (24,000/sq
constitutes the biggest population, km), the former growing at a much slower
close to 3 million people, whereas Pasay rate, at only 0.17%, compared with the
City is close to 441,000 people (Table 1). latter’s 1.19%. With the pressure of a huge
Population growth rate in the NCR showed and growing population, the Quezon
a declining rate, 0.97% annually from City local government is at an advantage
2015 to 2020; 1.78% from 2000 to 2010; because of its size and the presence of
and 1.58%, from 2010 to 2015 (PSA 2021). huge idle or vacant lands, which have
been seriously explored in its urban
Quezon City and Pasay City were agriculture programs. These lands are also
selected as pilot sites based on the being used in the city’s human settlement
three criteria of bigger informal food integrated program. Founded in October
markets serving low to middle-income 1939 (Commonwealth Act No. 502),
population, urban agriculture initiatives, Quezon City became a planned model
and progressive local leadership. Further, city intended to become the national
this representative mix of big and small capital to replace the old, overcrowded,
urban pilot sites are manageable enough, and traffic-congested Manila. It has
given the time constraints. Though Pasay grown into a thriving metropolis with
City is relatively smaller than Manila City, national government offices constructed;
for example, the former has the kind commercial, educational, financial, and
of economic dynamism and intensive residential areas built up; and public and
thinking on markets and urban agriculture private market infrastructure established.
that should provide significant experience
and lessons. (Refer to Table 3 for the Quezon City is landlocked and located in
ranking of highly urbanized cities in terms the northeastern part of Metro Manila;
of economic dynamism, government Pasay City is coastal and shares with
efficiency, infrastructure, and resiliency.) the cities of Manila and Paranaque the
geographic benefits of Manila Bay for
Quezon City and Pasay City are the oldest tourism and business in the southwestern
20th century cities in Metro Manila, next part (Figure 1; Table 2).
to Manila City, which was established
in the 16th century when the Spaniards Quezon City became the capital of the
colonized the country. All 16 cities in country in October 1949 until 1976.
Metro Manila are highly urbanized, except Thereafter, the capital was reverted to
Pateros, which is still a municipality. Manila City because of its deep historical
A highly urbanized city ( HUC) is one significance. Quezon City has the largest
with a minimum population of 200,000 water reservoir, the La Mesa Dam, with
inhabitants as certified by the Philippine peri-urban commercial vegetable gardens

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment 9
 Caloocan (North)

Valenzuela

Quezon City
Navotas Malabon
Caloocan
(South)

Metro Manila,
Philippines
Manila San Juan

Mandaluyong
Pasig

Makati
Pasay Pateros
City

Taguig

Parañaque

Las Piñas

Muntinlupa

Note: Metro Manila is officially the National Capital Region (NCR) composed of 16 highly
urbanized cities and one municipality.

Figure 1. of leafy greens developed around the Human Settlement Model of Community
Philippine map area. Small- and medium-scale businesses Award (for Bistekville 2, given during the
showing the dominate the economy, mostly in 2018 Annual Session of Global Forum on
location of NCR.
Inset: Map of
wholesale and retail of finished products Human Settlement (GFHS), October 30,
NCR showing and in the provision of basic services. 2018, United Nations Conference Center
the location of This city leads in pursuing innovative in Bangkok, Thailand; for integrated
Quezon City and development programs that earned it a approach to socialized housing among
Pasay City. number of awards in the recent decade. informal settlers, with disaster risk
including the Gender and Development mitigation and improvement of quality
(GAD) Local Learning Hubs (LLH, 2019) for of life); Best Local Disaster Risk Reduction
its social hygiene and sundown clinics, and and Management Council (DRRMC),
the Quezon City Protection Center; Global Philippines 2018; Most Competitive City,

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

10 and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment
Philippines 2018, by the Department of Table 2. Summary characteristics of pilot cities (Quezon City
Trade and Industry, at the 6th Regional and Pasay City).
Annual Competitiveness Summit; 2021 Selected summary
Quezon City Pasay City
data
Galing Pook Awardee, GrowQC: Kasama
City type Highly urbanized Highly urbanized
Ka Sa Pagkain, Kabuhayan at Kalusugan
NCR, coastal (Manila Bay,
for its success in sustainable food security Geographic location NCR, landlocked
SCS)
program promoting urban gardening Land area 171.71 km2 (66.30 sq mi) 13.97 km2 (5.39 sq mi)
to grow safer and nutritious food and Population (2020) 2,960,048 440,656
provide alternative source of livelihood. 0.17% (declining rate from
1.19% (declining from
Growth rate (2020) 5.36 in 1939, highest
12.15%, 1960, the highest)
rate)
In 2020, Quezon City was featured as a 1,543/km2
Density 17,239/km2 (44,646/sq mi)
case study on integrated food systems (81,754/sq mi)
Barangay count 142 201
supported by the Norway-based EAT
Est. elevation (m above
Forum (a global nonprofit start-up sea level)
54.8 m(179.6 ft) 11.1 m (36.4 ft)
dedicated to transforming global food Source: PhilAtlas; Quezoy City and Pasay City
systems) and UNICEF. It was cited for
best practices in building food and
nutrition resilience. Quezon City was also which defines the informal economy
highly recognized for its green recovery as “all economic activities by workers
plan, focusing on urban agriculture and economic units that are in law or
and livelihood by the Global Covenant in practice not covered or insufficiently
of Mayors for Climate and Energy in covered by formal arrangements and
partnership with the New York Times. does not cover illicit activities” (Section
In 2021, the Department of Trade and 3a). It also defines informal economy
Industry ranked Quezon City as first workers as “home-based workers (own
overall amongHUCs based on the account/self-employed), vendors,
composite criteria of economic dynamism, transportation sectors, non-corporate
government efficiency, infrastructure, and construction workers and others such
resiliency (Table 3). as street workers, waste workers and
volunteer service workers in private
Recognizing the significance of the and public” (Section 4). The ordinance
informal economy, Quezon City passed aimed to uphold the rights and protect
in 2016 the Informal Economy Ordinance and promote the welfare of the informal
(QC Ordinance No. SP-2512, S-2016), workers; provided a framework of

Table 3. Top 10 ranking* of highly urbanized cities (HUCs), 2021

Local Rank
Overall Overall
government Economic Government
rank score Province Region Infrastructure Resiliency
unit dynamism efficiency
1st 59.3090 Quezon (MM) Metro Manila NCR 2 2 2 3
2nd 58.8263 Manila Metro Manila NCR 7 1 1 5
3rd 52.8006 Pasay Metro Manila NCR 1 4 4 8
XI
4th 52.7380 Davao Davao Del Sur 3 3 3 6
(Davao)
5th 48.0032 Muntinlupa Metro Manila NCR 19 7 5 1
5th 46.7149 Makati Metro Manila NCR 4 9 6 7
Cagayan De X
7th 45.7649 Misamis Oriental 11 12 7 2
Oro (N. Mindanao)
8th 42.0990 Valenzuela Metro Manila NCR 22 5 9 4
9th 41.4838 Pasig Metro Manila NCR 6 15 11 9
VII
10th 40.5160 Cebu Cebu 8 11 8 31
(C. Visayas)
*Rankings are based on the sum of their scores on four pillars: economic dynamism, government efficiency, infrastructure, and resiliency. Cities and municipalities
competitive index is an annual ranking of Philippine cities and municipalities developed by the National Competitiveness Council through the Regional Competitiveness
Committees with the assistance of the USAID. Department of Trade and Industry.

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment 11
 programs for the informal economy The increasing economic activities over
workers; and created the Informal a small area contributed to problems
Economy Development Council. The of overcrowding, unemployment, and
Market Development and Administration poverty, but this is concentrated in less
Department recorded 54 temporary than 4% of barangays where poverty
vending sites in six districts of the city with incidence is greater than 30%. In half of
2,026 vendors. The Public Employment Pasay City barangays, poverty incidence
Service Office, in coordination with the is estimated at 10% or less. This shows a
Department of Labor and Employment significantly improved status, given the
(DOLE), is the agency in charge of the reported 41% poverty incidence in 2005,
documentation and monitoring of 779 and the recent open unemployment rate
marginalized/disadvantaged beneficiaries of 15.5%. This could imply that official
in the provision of emergency, short- unemployment data partly reflect those
term wage employment assistance engaged in productive economic activities
through the Tulong Panghanapbuhay of the informal sector such as informal
sa Ating Disadvantaged workers (TUPAD markets of vegetables, fruits, processed
for livelihood assistance). With limited products, snack items, and street food.
employment opportunities, many workers
engage in small-scale businesses (full time There is no hard data available in Pasay
or part time; seasonal) and are mostly City as to the size of the informal sector.
unregistered and therefore, unregulated, However, it reports that at least 57% of
unmonitored, and not able to access businesses are classified under general
needed services and assistance. They also merchandise and retail, with retailing
do not pay taxes. the major part of thesector. Informal
vendors abound in privately owned public
Pasay City is strategically located in the markets, in talipapa (or satellite markets)
southwestern part of Metro Manila (Fig. 1), in most barangays (Pasay City website),
the main gateway to other cities, the rest and in strategic locations near schools,
of the country, and the world through hospitals, churches, supermarkets, and
its airports, expressways, and light rail construction sites.
transit system. Dubbed Travel City, Pasay
has a huge part established for cultural The Pasay City government has been
destinations, entertainment business, running social welfare and development
five-star hotels and restaurants, mega programs in partnership with different
malls, and convention centers, located government agencies like the Department
along coastal Roxas Boulevard that has of Agriculture for the implementation of
boasted of the renowned Manila sunset KADIWA stores (mobile stores of basic
for long, a most exciting integrated commodities), especially during the
tourist destination by the bay. The city’s pandemic. The Department of Trade and
history dates back to pre-Hispanic times Industry offers daily price monitoring in
where governance, human settlements, all markets and the Technical Education
business, and industry are very much and Skills Development Authority
connected to the city of Manila; it shares (TESDA) provides skill-building initiatives
in the development of the Manila Bay where certification for employment is
reclamation area (about 1.9 sq mi). provided. A three-storey building has
Although Pasay is Metro Manila’s fourth been established for training and related
smallest city, it is more densely populated events. In 2004-2005, the city, through
than Quezon City. In 2021, it ranked first TESDA, conducted a study on the informal
in the economic dynamism category economy that led to the organization
using the city competitive index and third of vendors, including informal vendors,
overall in city rankings by the Department into two groups: one federation and one
of Trade and Industry, following Quezon association through the City Cooperative
City and Manila (Table 3). Office. The federation is an aggrupation

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

12 and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment
of small business cooperatives of vendors market improvement is a work in progress
and non-vendors like those in the (Quezon and Pasay city profiles 2002,
transport services. Associations include personal interviews with market officials).
vendors still in the process of building up.
TESDA is in charge of capacity building The market system
with support from the City Cooperative
Office. These business groups present Markets may be classified as primary,
opportunities for skill enhancement and secondary, and satellite or talipapa. They
providing access to support services; can be publicly or privately owned and/
further studies are needed to find details or managed. For the purpose of this
of their operation and function. The city study, the markets that were surveyed are
continues to do market benchmarking described (Annex 3).
(like the ones done in Imus, Cavite; San
Nicolas, Pasig; and Bangkok, Thailand) to
Primary markets
improve market physical infrastructure
and operations. Market officials said that The major markets are known as bagsakan
the city is searching for appropriate sites (‘drop off point’) wholesale markets and
to locate the ambulant vendors. Small have the following characteristics:
businesses can also access financial
support through its “Dagdag Puhunan” • Consist of large complex spaces
(additional capital) program. Interviewed with a huge number of wholesale
city officials maintain that, support and retail operators and
services for micro- and small businesses, establishments
including those in the informal market • Include warehouses or bodegas
sector, are being strengthened after the for storage
pandemic. • Operate actively at night, mainly
between 8:00 pm and midnight,
Interestingly, the informal vegetable and when stocks of goods are
street food vendors in both Quezon City delivered by trucks in big volumes
and Pasay City can substantially meet the • Goods in bulk are delivered,
kitchen and food needs of these dynamic cleaned, and packed for delivery
cities with a huge working population to wholesalers/retailers and
who subsist on ready-to-eat/prepared institutional buyers (restaurants,
or street food. These are construction hotels) to secondary and
workers, students, and employees in other markets in Metro
malls/shops, other institutions, and offices. Manila, provinces, cities, and
Vendors report how the construction municipalities up to about 3:00
boom during the pandemic as well as the pm
need for having food sources closer to
households contributed to the growth of Retailing along the sidewalks and/or
the informal vegetable and food sector. road islands stretching along the main
City officials describe how the cities try to highway goes on at the same time as
maintain a compassionate attitude toward wholesale activities. The hustle and
those involved in the informal market bustle of market people cleaning, sorting,
sector, trying to ease pressure to enable packing, and selling their products and
them to pursue regular business activities hauling them away in trikes (motorized
and exploring ways to provide services tricycles) that whiz through a myriad of
to them. They recognize that while taxes people is impressive. YouTube videos can
are not paid in their current status, they be accessed documenting the action. Two
are important political constituents who major bagsakan markets are the Divisoria
earn livelihood that returns income to the Terminal Market in Manila and the
city through their purchasing power and Balintawak Cloverleaf Market in Caloocan
consumption multiplier effect. Largely, City (Figure 2).

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment 13
 The Divisoria Terminal Market, the Manila, and other provinces, cities, and
largest and considered the main market municipalities.
in Metro Manila, is located in Tondo, a
major commercial district. Its proximity Divisoria has four major specialty markets:
to North Harbor (for Visayas and Asuncion market, with wholesale
Mindanao products) and easy access trading of fruits and root crops; Padre
Figure 2. to Luzon provinces made it the biggest Rada market, divided between one
Location map trading hub in the region. Consolidator- building selling tomato and sweet potato
of Metro Manila traders from the provinces bring their wholesale and another building engaged
cities, including commodities (e.g., vegetables, fruits) in selling tropical vegetables such as
Quezon and
directly to wholesalers in Divisoria. All eggplant, squash, string beans, green
Pasay cities,
and the main trading of commodities provides the papaya, leafy vegetables, calamansi,
bagsakan required volume for delivery to secondary onion, and ginger; El Cano Public Market,
markets. medium and large retail markets in Metro mainly on fish and meat; and the Divisoria
public market utilizing a 9,000-sq-m old
building for retail sale of vegetables,
wholesale and retail sales of fruits, and
Metro Manila, wholesale trading of plastic toys and
Philippines
native products.
Caloocan (North)

Based on the author’s personal

experience, the physical and
administrative organization of Divisoria
Valenzuela
market has shown considerable
improvement since the 1980s-1990s.
Quezon City
Navotas Malabon
Stalls are relatively clean and orderly and
arranged in such a way that buyers and
Balintawak Clover Caloocan
(South) vehicles can pass through the streets
leaf market
during the bagsakan peak hours. The
wholesaler-retailers sell their wares mostly
8 public markets
29 private markets just near their warehouses; the retailers
Manila San Juan sell along the road island stretch. Many
Divisoria terminal Mandaluyong
retailers are actually sub-units of the main
market Pasig wholesalers, selling on a percentage basis
vegetables from the highland (onions,
Makati
Pasay
garlic, tomato) and other high-value
Pateros
1 public market City produce. Those who are independent
12 private markets
are informal vendors who sell a mixture
Taguig
of vegetables, many of which are greens
coming from peri-urban farms. They
Parañaque
operate a little longer than the main
wholesalers, up to about 5:00 am, after
which they continue selling in secondary
markets and/or talipapa. The road island
Las Piñas selling should be done by that time, ready
for another day of business.

Divisoria market buildings are privately

owned and trader businessmen pay
Muntinlupa
a monthly rent for their stalls and
warehouses. They also register and get a
business permit from the city of Manila.
The city oversees the orderly operations

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

14 and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment
of the market 24 hours, 7 days a week. The biggest distribution point is the
The barangay maintains a 24/7 office in Commonwealth market in District 2,
the market also, which is manned by a which also has a bagsakan night market.
barangay tanod (peacekeeping official of Other wholesale markets in Metro Manila
the village). This person collects PhP 20 include Valenzuela, Blumentritt, Paco,
(US$0.4) in the morning and evening Mutya ng Pasig, and New Muntinlupa,
from informal vendors, the cost of ‘tickets’ which purchase a substantial volume of
for morning and evening trading. The commodities from the Divisoria market.
money is remitted to the city treasurer.
This charge is well known as the “etneb- Secondary markets
etneb” (the reverse spelling of bente-bente,
meaning twenty-twenty in English). This Secondary markets are those mainly
catch-phrase for the daily trading ticket operating in the different districts
was coined by a popular former mayor, (political or business) of the cities, which
who came up with words and phrases that could either be public, meaning owned
touched the hearts and minds of ordinary and managed by the local government;
people while pushing through new policies under a public-private partnership
and regulations. The local leadership has (PPP), where the market is managed by
been quite successful in improving the private business but the land and/or
Divisoria market in terms of cleanliness, infrastructure is owned by government;
orderliness, and efficient administration. or private, where the market is managed
privately on privately owned land. These
The market has a system of garbage and markets usually open from 2:00 to 5:00
waste collection, which in itself is an am, but the bigger ones like the Libertad
income source to pickers and handlers who and Commonwealth markets usually
collect trash/garbage from the sellers (i.e., start earlier. Secondary markets can have
paid by the sack depending on size) and bagsakan points and schedules, especially
deliver these to the main garbage truck. with vegetables. This is the case with
This waste management system needs markets like Wowee and Commonwealth,
further assessment to effect improvements, which have strategic trading links. They
guide policymaking, and become a useful usually open from 6:00 pm to12 midnight
tool to sustain agrifood market systems. for this purpose.

The Balintawak Cloverleaf market is located The secondary markets surveyed in Pasay
on the border of Quezon City and Caloocan City include Libertad, the city public
City and is mainly accessed by nearby market, and Cartimar and Wowee, which
secondary and satellite markets, especially are both private. They are all less than
those of the Quezon city markets. It is a a kilometer away from each other and
complex of 11 different markets of wet and are very near transport routes at the
dry goods along Epifanio de los Santos heart of the city. The Pasay City public
Avenue (EDSA). Agricultural products from sector also has a role in the 12 private
areas north and south of Metro Manila are markets scattered around the city. It
delivered in volumes, driving prices low. oversees registration/licensing, health and
The schedules and night market activities sanitation, garbage collection, and price
practiced in Balintawak are the same as monitoring (Figure 2).
those in Divisoria.
Secondary markets are open and usually
The Balintawak Cloverleaf market and have a dominant position in sales of
Mega-Q Mart are major trading areas staple goods, fresh fruits and vegetables,
along EDSA. Goods are distributed to and fresh and frozen meat and fish. Both
secondary wholesale/retail outlets in vendors and officials explain this appeal:
eight public markets, 29 private markets, urban consumers are able to access
and 31 talipapa in Quezon City (Figure 2). the freshest produce without needing

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment 15
 Divisoria is the biggest wholesale
and retail market in Manila, which
is the major source of vegetables
traded by vendors selling in
private and public markets
in Metro Manila and nearby
provinces.
a b (a) Sweet potato wholesaler seller
usually the bodega or warehouse
in Divisoria “bagsakan” market.

Primary Market (b) Wholesaler and retailer of

vegetables and spices in Divisoria.

The Commonwealth market in Quezon City is the

biggest private market in Metro Manila: (a) vegetable
section located in the southeastern block near the waste
collection facility. About six stalls around this area in
photo specialize in leafy greens from peri-urban farms
in La Mesa Dam, from Pangasinan, and from wholesale
bagsakan in Balintawak terminal market. Vegetables are b
delivered at night.
(b) Highland

Secondary Markets vegetables are

sourced from
Divisoria or
brought by traders
from wholesale
markets in the
northern provinces
(Pangasinan,
Benguet).

a b

Mega Q Mart is a secondary private market along (b) a number of

The Pasay EDSA in Quezon City. (a) a big section with a variety vegetable stalls
public market at of fruits and rootcrops (sweetpotato, yam, others). show produce
Libertad deals This big private market has an airconditioned from Benguet,
more with dry grocery store with on-line selling and delivery Cordillera.
goods and the services. Crates for agriculture produce and other
wet market; (a) postharvest utilities are also available.
regular fruit stalls
on the side of the
a market near the
vegetable section.

(b) the wet

section has lined
stalls for fish
and meat.

b Stall in the vegetable section of Wowee Market along Taft

Cartimar market in Pasay City. Avenue, Libertad, Pasay City, is
Vegetables are organized in plastic more active during the night:
trays, usually classified into leafy from 6pm to 2am. It is a small
greens and fruity types. Vendors time “bagsakan” (wholesale
in secured permanent stalls are deals) of vegetables from
Informal Food Markets in Quezon City
16 licensed and usually have selling
and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment
CALABARZON provinces like
facilities like digital weighing scale, Laguna and Cavite.
refrigerator, and storage space.
 Bgy 91 talipapa in Libertad,
Pasay City (Primero de
Mayo private market)
just next to the Pasay City
public market. Informal
vendors’ vegetable stands
locate along the road and
the peripheries of private
makeshift stalls.

Satellite Market

A vegetable Vendors
vendor in manning well-
Primero de Mayo structured
private market in stands that
Libertad, Pasay lined along
with makeshift the vegetable
stalls along the section of the
road selling Pasay City public
commonly used market.
vegetables like
leafy greens,
chayote, carrot,
bitter gourd, taro
and string beans.

Informal Vegetable Vendors

A vendor selling
a variety of fresh
vegetable (leafy
greens, highland and
lowland vegetables)
in wholesale and retail
at Commonwealth
private market in
Quezon City

Vendor in Primero de
Mayo private market
in Libertad, Pasay
City along the inner
road makeshift stall;
slicing and cutting
vegetables ready
mix for popular local
Vendor in a private dishes life pinakbet
market in Libertad, (i.e. eggplant,
Pasay City, selling squash) and for
a variety of limited chopsuey (carrots,
selection of species cabbage). These are
and vegetables in a usually vegetables
cart along the main left over for non-
road of the market. premium or irregular
sizes but Food
Informal still fresh
Markets in Quezon City
and Pasayfor thePhilippines:
City, day. A Rapid Assessment 17
 refrigeration. These markets are near that come mostly from Cavite, Laguna,
homes or offices, offer lower prices, and Batangas, Nueva Ecija, and Mindoro. This
have greater variety than modern retail was established in 1997 as an outgrowth
stores. They also provide customers of the White House Market in Barangay
the opportunity to taste and inspect 93 that now has become a major market
unpackaged fresh produce, enhancing for fruits, bananas, and plantain. Most
consumer trust. These advantages often informal vegetable vendors in the Libertad
outweigh issues of congestion, poor public market and in the nearby talipapa
hygiene, lack of product presentation, or Primero de Mayo get the green vegetables
stressful shopping experience. from Wowee between 12:00 and 3:00 am.
At times when traders bring vegetables
The Libertad public market occupies about straight from the Cordillera to Wowee,
13,378 sq m (ca 1.34 ha) with 1500 stall vendors buy from there at cheaper prices.
holders. It has a market administration
office that works 8 hours, and a market Cartimar is a private market with only
operations office with 24/7 working about 500 sq m of wet market area
time. A market inspector mans the selling vegetables, fruits, fish and aquatic
administration office on weekdays with products, meat, and eggs from local
staff. The operations office has two shifts, and imported sources; the latter coming
morning and evening. The market has from Taiwan, China, Japan, South Korea,
a water supply for general cleaning and and other Asian countries. It serves the
stall use, toilets for male and female, middle to upper income classes as the
and a waste management system in goods sold here are of better quality,
place. All these facilities need further many of imported content, with clear
improvement. Waste and garbage are quality grading and packaging. Prices
collected by the city truck collector and are relatively higher but reasonable
unloaded to a sorting area at a corner of compared with those of similar goods in
the market where the waste is separated high-end supermarkets. Vegetable and
into organic and inorganic. Organic waste fruit stalls are similarly proportioned,
is treated to reduce odor in preparation about 30-40 sq m, with refrigeration as
for processing in a bio-reactor facility two necessary, digital weighing scales, and
blocks away from the market. Processing orderly merchandising in flat, boxed, or
includes mixing with sawdust and charcoal fitting containers, with enough lighting.
dust, shredding, and settling to produce There are collapsible hard screens around
a soil amendment that is available, the store for evening protection. The
free of charge, for the city’s barangay wet market is maintained whole day by
urban gardening initiatives, which grow staff cleaning the floors regularly on the
vegetables and ornamentals (Graham hour. Display areas are tiled and water is
2022). adequate for cleaning the tops. Fish and
meat displays are orderly and classified by
Overall market operations are run by meat cut or product type. Overall, sellers
about 80 staff, including office and and staff are courteous and customer-
maintenance staff, guards, utility workers, oriented. Toilet facilities are within
and laborers. The public market building everyone’s reach. It operates from 2:00
has barracks with kitchen facilities on the am (when vegetables and other goods
2nd floor that serve as accommodations for traded wholesale are made ready for
market staff. volume delivery) and closes at about 1:00
pm. Cartimar is, in fact, a popular market
The Wowee market is a relatively small for both wet and dry goods. No informal
private market (ca 600 sq m) just about vendors are found around this facility.
500 m away from Libertad public market.
Here, a night bagsakan market operates The secondary markets surveyed
from 6:00 to 12:00 pm only for vegetables in Quezon City include the

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

18 and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment
Commonwealth and Kamuning markets. (Su et al. 2015). Because of extensive
The Commonwealth market is the biggest trading of vegetables among various
in Quezon City, 7 ha in total area; a complex markets, large-scale contamination is
of several buildings with assigned goods possible, an alarming scenario considering
for each: dry goods, meat, fish and various the risk of disease incidence. While a
seafood, house and plastic wares, dried fish recent survey indicates better vegetable
and eggs, vegetables, and culinary items. handling, merchandising, and packaging
It is under PPP, privately operated (i.e., in markets, a large room for improvement
administration and operations) through exists (Su et al. 2012). The informal market
a franchise from government for the use vendors are in a more precarious situation
of government property. Stall owners pay as access to water may not be adequate
rent to the private company franchisee. The in their places of business. The potential
market operates night and day, with the for interventions lies in all market levels,
bagsakan of vegetables occurring from 9:00 including the informal market vendors, in
to 12:00 pm. Retailers source their products particular, improving vendors’ knowledge
both from Divisoria and Balintawak, and understanding of the basics in food
depending on the kind of vegetable and hygiene, sanitation, and related health
the season, with the latter causing price issues; improving practices and skills
fluctuations. Most green vegetables are to implement them; and providing
delivered during the night bagsakan; these support services to sustain such efforts.
come mainly from La Mesa Dam, Bulacan, A transformation of vendor knowledge,
Pangasinan, and Rizal. attitude, and behavior is imperative.

Kamuning is a public market that is Talipapa or satellite markets

traditionally popular for textile/fabrics
and related goods/finished products, but The informal vendors thrive abundantly
it also has a thriving vegetable and fruit in the talipapa or satellite markets, which
section. The city government, through its are strategically located in the barangay.
Market Development and Administration To sell in the talipapa, one only needs a
Department, recently had groundbreaking barangay permit; neither registration nor
activity for the construction of a three- licensing is required in most cases. The
storey Kamuning public market. This aims to barangay conducts irregular monitoring of
provide better space for both vendors and these markets. In Quezon City, however,
market goers. with a city ordinance on the informal
economy in place, registration and
Along sidewalks and at strategic licensing of hawkers and informal vendors
peripheries of both Commonwealth and are being pursued. Implementation is still
Kamuning markets, informal market a work in progress.
vendors operate. Direct observations of
market practices of vendors and waste The biggest talipapa surveyed is Primero
management and infrastructure, including de Mayo of barangays 91 and 92 in Pasay
sanitation, highlight the issue of hygiene City, two blocks of privately owned market
in many markets, public and private. The next to the Libertad city public market.
dismal reputation of markets for poor Scores of informal vegetable and fruit
sanitation was, to some extent, confirmed vendors and a handful of eateries locate in
through studies of contamination of the area, and these have been operating
vegetables as well as of money (paper and for 2 to 10 years or more. Stalls are usually
coins) circulating in markets. Bacterial and makeshift, impermanent structures of
parasitic contamination was detected in bamboo or cheap wood. Some kind of
45% of vegetable samples from selected daily rent is paid to the private owner,
Metro Manila markets (Su et al. 2012). In a which ranges from PhP 100 to PhP 600
later study, 70% of paper money samples per day, depending on the size of the
were found to have bacterial contamination space allotted. This is not a license or

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment 19
 registration as there is no assurance that The vegetable industry contributes more
the space will be available beyond the than 30% to total agricultural production
day of rent payment. Vendors also pay and is a major component of GDP (UNDP
for electricity connection (between PhP 2006). Production consists of highland
100 and PhP 200 a day) and, in addition, and lowland cropping in the wet and dry
market inspector’s ticket fees of PhP 20 in seasons. Farm enterprises follow diverse
the morning and PhP 20 in the afternoon chains. Some are engaged in intensive
(later remitted to the city treasurer). cultivation and/or contract farming for
Mobile carts of fruits, vegetables, and export, processing, or for high-end retail
root crops/bananas also pay PhP 20 up and food markets. Other enterprises
to 9:00 am, after which mobile vendors involve peri-urban farms or integrated
move to other areas in the barangay for agro-ecotourism farms. More recently,
house- to-house selling. Otherwise they during the pandemic, vegetable-based
are ejected. Some carts stay in a fixed area, urban gardens in schools and in idle or
usually extensions of a wholesaler with vacant land in communities have been
stall (e.g., eggs, pineapple, Davao bananas, harnessed to ensure food security and
apples). improve livelihood. These gain importance
as more programs are now geared toward
The talipapas are the iconic market food security and urban/community
spaces of informal food vendors. Talipapa resilience, hedging against disasters and
corners of vegetables (mixes for pinakbet, increased food vulnerability brought
chopsuey, greens, spices), fruits (usually about by climate change and being
bananas, local fruits in season), and proactively prepared to be food-secure
street food (chicken parts/pork/sausage amidst greater urbanization.
barbecue, kwek kwek, pares, native snacks)
have been set up, in increasing number, The Cordillera Administrative Region
near construction sites, small shopping (CAR), Northern Mindanao (Bukidnon,
malls, school belts, hospitals, public offices, Misamis Oriental), and Region VII
parks, or in clusters of low-middle-income (Cebu) are major producers of highland
residences. This outgrowth became more vegetables. Major production areas for
evident during the pandemic when selling lowland vegetables include regions I
and other related activities were allowed (Ilocos, Pangasinan), III (Nueva Ecija and
to bring food closer to consumers. Tarlac), and IV (CALABARZON) (NEDA
2007b). Region IV consists of the provinces
The vegetable industry: of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and
a backgrounder Quezon, which are becoming major
sources of green leafy vegetables and
Though diminishing in percentage other lowland vegetables.
contribution to gross value added in the
economy, agriculture remains a major From 1980 to 2007, the area planted to
driving force in the country. Employing vegetables grew steadily from 450,000
70% of the population, this is where to 630,000 ha. However, by 2021, it went
a large number of farming households down to 535,100 ha. During the same
earn their livelihood and get their food. period, production also steadily grew,
Employment in agriculture and forestry from 3.5 to 5.8 million tons, at an annual
decreased to 22.5% in 2022 from 24.5% growth rate of 2% , reflecting both
in 2020 (PSA 2022). Gross value added in increases in yield and area of production.
agriculture declined from 9.4% in 2015 to Again, in 2021, a decline has been
8.7% in 2016, with share in gross domestic observed, only 4.5 million tons produced
product (GDP) going down from 10.2% in that year (FAOSTAT 2007, PSA 2022).
to 9.6%% in the same time period (PSA The pandemic and natural calamities
2017b). in greater part caused the decline in
recent years. But the tide is changing.

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

20 and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment
With improved technologies and seeds consume rice at 110 kg per capita per
and effective strategies to reduce losses, year. Among regions, CAR (Cordillera
as well as enhanced access to resources Administrative Region) had the highest
and markets, there is greater likelihood consumption, especially with their
to increase vegetable productivity in the heirloom rice; the Zamboanga Peninsula
country. Vegetable cropping is a priority and Central Visayas consumed more of
program for enhancing food security and corn, at 160 kg per capita. NCR would be
farm income under Republic Act No. 7900 just about the average, but it is low on the
(1995); this focus has been maintained in supplemental staples, camote and cassava
recent administrations. Self-sufficiency (Table 4). Bread has become very popular
in staples for human consumption and for breakfast and snacks. Food is mostly
animal feed has been an overarching non-spicy.
priority of government policy framework.
Despite the seeming lack of incentives Vegetables are prepared as soup, viand
from government, the advantages of ingredients, salad, or as a main dish with
planting vegetables cannot be ignored. meat (e.g., pinakbet, kare-kare, chopsuey,
Vegetables such as eggplant, okra, gourd, mixed or pure vegetable guisado). In non-
and others are versatile and can be grown vegetable-producing areas, these are not
short-term. Vegetables can be cultivated a strong part of the daily diet; rice, fish,
as intercrops and multi-crops, they are and meat are considered more important.
suitable for temporary and small-area land Vegetable consumption in the Philippines
use, and several croppings can be done is generally low (Table 4). In contrast to the
per year. WHO-recommended minimum average
vegetable consumption, which is between
Vegetables have been promoted 200 and 250 g/person per day, the average
as income-enhancing intercrops in figure in the Philippines is 171.41 g/person
coconut and cacao areas as part of land per day (FAOSTAT 2022). Table 4 shows the
intensification and conservation programs very low consumption of vegetables in the
on slopes and in peri-urban areas. The NCR, which may reflect serious nutrient
greater push for urban agriculture in deficiency among many urban residents.
recent decades also resulted in vegetable FAO data reveal that such consumption is
gardening being done in unconventional half of Thailand’s and a third of Vietnam’s
places using techniques like aeroponics; (Dy 2019). In November 2017, retail prices
hydroponics; and vertical gardening of of cabbage and eggplant in NCR were
salad greens (lettuce, water hyacinth, about twice those in Bangkok. The issue
sweetpotato tips, moringa, malavar is whether cost affects consumption.
spinach), fruit vegetables (eggplant, During times of calamities, vegetable
bittergourd, bottle gourd, lady finger/ prices in the NCR go up. Such prices tend
okra, cucumber), herbs (rosemary, basil, to grow fastest among the food groups.
oregano, lemongrass), and spices (pepper, The supply-market dynamics related
tomato, leeks) in vacant or idle lands in to volume, logistics, losses, and traders’
subdivisions, schools, and barangays/ cost-related hedging push prices up. Risks
communities. During the pandemic, urban and uncertainties are usually high with
gardening has been intensified to ensure long supply chains due to perishability
food self-sufficiency. and logistical concerns, especially during
disasters and emergencies.
Demand for vegetables
Eighty-eight percent of households
The Filipino food culture is rice-based bought the rice they consumed. Regional
(or maize-based in Mindanao, Cebu) estimates showed this figure to be
with fish or meat as viands, cooked with about 99% in NCR (Metro Manila) and
Malay, Chinese, Spanish, and American the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region
influences. Filipinos on the average in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). Buying

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment 21
Table 4. Annual per capita consumption of food commodities in the Philippines.

Commodity/ Commodity/
Selected Selected
average per capita Per capita (kg) average Per capita (kg)
regions regions
(kg/year) per capita (kgyear)

Staples and supplemental staple

CAR 131.9 Zamboanga P. 159.9
Central Luzon 111.0 Central Visayas/
Rice: 109.87 Corn: 14.7
Zamboanga P. 36.4 N. Mindanao 37.4
Rest of country <1.0
Zamboanga P. 17.3 Zamboanga P. 13.4
Camote: 4.5 Cassava: 2.9
NCR & Ilocos 2.4 NCR, CLuzon & Ilocos <1.0
Vegetables
CAR, Cagayan Valley, 3.1–3.4 Zamboanga P. 7.2
Ilocos Cagayan Valley 6.7
Ampalaya: 2.8 Eggplant: 4.3
Central Visayas 1.4 Davao R. 6.3
NCR/ BARRM 3.5
MIMAROPA & CAR 0.3–5.8 Ilocos R. 2.2
Chayote: 1.6 Gourd: 1.0
N. Mindanao 0.4
Zamboanga P. 5.5 Zamboanga P. 2.4
Squash: 2.9 NCR 1.6 Okra: 1.2 NCR 0.9
BARRM 0.4
CAR 0.9 CAR 3.1
Carrots: 0.5 Cabbage: 1.1
Zamboanga P. 0.11 BARRM 0.4
CAR 3.5 Zamboanga P. 4.1
Pechay: 1.2 Cagayan Valley 2.4 Stringbeans: 0.04 Cagayan Valley 4.0
Zamboanga P. 0,5 NCR 1.04
CAR 1.9 Cagayan Valley 1.8
Habitchuelas: 0.2 Eastern Visayas 0.03 Mongo: 0.02 Ilocos R. 1.4
Eastern Visayas 0.5
Ilocos R. 3.4 Cagayan Valley 33.4
Tomato: 3.0 Zamboanga P. 1.2 Onion: 2.3 Central Luzon 3.2
Zamboanga P. 1.5
Central Luzon 1.9
Bicol, Cagayan Valley 1.7
Garlic: 1.3
Rest of the regions
<1.0
Source: PSA 2017.
CAR = Cordillera Administrative Region, NCR = National Capital Region, MIMAROPA = Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan, BARRM = Bangsamoro Autonomous
Region of Muslim Mindanao.

of vegetables for consumption was the years. Vegetable salad bars have become
usual practice, according to 71–98% important offerings in many restaurants.
of households nationwide; 15–21% of Provision of adequate food also means
households consumed their own-produced adequate nutrition, especially for the
bottle gourd (upo), stringbeans, eggplant, rapidly increasing urban population,
and okra. Zamboanga Peninsula had which is projected at 64% (UNFPA 2008),
the biggest percentages of households thereby putting pressure on a mainly rural
consuming own-produced vegetables: source of food.
60% for upo, 67% for stringbeans, 70%
for eggplant, and 78% for okra. Across Vegetable supply
regions, NCR had the highest proportion of
households that bought all the agricultural The main drive of vegetable production
food they consumed, while Zamboanga is to supply the markets of Metro Manila
Peninsula reported a big proportion of (NCR) and other cities, provinces, and
households eating their own produce. NCR municipalities linked with trading
consumers are wholly dependent on bought channels. Since 1978, vegetable per
food (PSA 2017a). capita availability has declined by
23%, to just over a quarter of the WHO
Consumer consciousness about health recommendation for consumption of
and nutrition matters has grown in recent fruits and vegetables. Most of the decline

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

22 and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment
occurred during a 10-year period (1978- The country’s vegetable supply chain
1987) (FNRI 2017). From 2015 to 2019, exhibits an overlapping of long and
production of lady’s finger/okra grew short chains with a large mix of highland
annually at 0.9%; that of bottle gourd (i.e., 100-3000 m above sea level [masl];
decreased by1.9%; broccoli and lettuce temperate, semi-temperate) vegetables
increased yearly at 3.1%; and asparagus and lowland (i.e., up to 300-500 masl;
decreased by 16.5%. In 2019, native tropical) vegetables being produced in
pechay production was 47.3 thousand different parts of the country in different
metric tons, a decline of 1.4% (PSA 2022). agroecological zones. As shown in Table
Vegetable production is largely affected 5, highland or temperate/semi-temperate
by weather disturbances: by drought, areas constitute the long chains as their
frost (as seen in CAR/Benguet highlands), produce are distributed through primary
or typhoons and, at times, by availability markets of big or metropolitan cities,
of seed. The major vegetable-producing which then move the vegetables to
areas—CAR, Ilocos, Central Luzon, and secondary and satellite markets (talipapa)
CALABARZON—are vulnerable to these in cities, municipalities, and barangays.
risks. The pricing dynamics is driven Short supply chains characterize those
by fluctuations in supply and the cost- that come from nearer production areas
push from low productivity, resulting in or peri-urban producers and mainly carry
relatively higher prices of vegetables, on upland or lowland vegetables.
the average.

Table 5. Vegetable production in different zones in the Philippines.

Highland, temperate production Growing seasons
CAR is the main production area of highland vegetables; also the
mountainous areas and highlands of Southern Tagalog, Cebu, Negros Year-round: cabbage, Chinese
and Mindanao. Multiple cropping (e.g. cabbage post- potato, carrot, cabbage, cucumber, shallot,
and peas) is practiced in Benguet and Mountain provinces. Emerging climbing French beans
Specialized production
crops include lettuce and asparagus. Linking vegetable production
to land intensification and conservation practices for degraded Seasonal crops like potato, carrots with
environments and rainfed farming can improve production and peak and lean months
enhance sustainability
Home garden and village vegetable production is promoted to improve
subsistence diets and diversify local economies, including former rebel
strongholds as part of development–for–peace initiatives. Production Cooler months French beans, tomato,
Village production
is also being promoted through schools. Tramline access is provided chayote, carrots
to help communities generated income, not simply to achieve self-
sufficiency.
Lowland, tropical production Growing seasons
Year-round Bitter gourd, celery,
Central Luzon is a major production area for lowland crops like eggplant, eggplant, shallot, peas, Pak Choi,
bitter gourd and tomato, yambean, and onions. Ilocos is the main squash, yard-long beans, bell
Vegetables after rice; in
production area, followed by Southern Tagalog or CALABARZON, which pepper
rotation or intercropped
recently increased production, being a main supplier to Metro Manila
with other upland crops
and other cities/provinces (PSA 2021). Importantly, Pangasinan, Cavite, Cooler months garlic, onion (low
(seasonal)
Laguna, Batangas and Bulacan are suppliers of leafy greens in Metro rainfall), winged beans (Sept/Oct)
Manila Year-round: cucumber
Cool season: tomato
Peri-urban production is promoted in partnership with local governments,
international and national research agencies or universities, donors and
NGOs. Focus is to develop economically and environmentally sound
food systems that make use of waste or temporarily vacant land; aim
is to enhance income, nutrition and lifestyle options for the urban
Peri-urban production; Year round production depending
poor. Innovative gardening (hydroponic, aeroponics, use of grafted
community and school on availability of seeds or planting
tomatoes can be promoted as growers learn skills and gain confidence.
gardening materials
Community urban gardens were promoted by the Department of
Agriculture in the 1970’s but were not consistently implemented.
Intensive implementation during the pandemic; became an urban food
sufficiency policy. Vertical gardening, hydroponics, and waste recycling
for pots and media promoted (Quezon City; Pasay City, 2019)
Sources: AVRDC-World Vegetable Center 2008; updated based on project market survey data, Aug 2022, of the CIP Resilient Cities Work Package 2.

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment 23
 CAR is traditionally the major supplier middle- to high-income consumers.
of temperate vegetables such as potato, However, the relatively fresh food, the
carrots, cabbage, chayote, broccoli, convenience, and the lower prices attract
and cauliflower. The Ilocos region and consumers to open markets and small
Central Luzon are traditional sources of independent retailers (public markets,
lowland vegetables, especially tomato, talipapa). The informal food markets are
onion, tropical root and tuber crops integrated with the traditional markets
(sweetpotato, yam bean), eggplant, and at various levels: that is, in the primary,
gourd. The peri-urban areas south of Metro secondary, and satellite markets. Informal
Manila (CALABARZON) has increasingly food vendors cater to the urban poor,
become an important source of lowland as well as to the emerging non-poor
vegetables, especially the green leafy ones consumers with certain acceptable tasty
(Table 5). However, there are reported street food (e.g., complete meals like pares,
threats to vegetable production, especially mami, arroz caldo, fried chicken). Food
in Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal owing to the buying is conditioned by income, location,
conversion of crop-growing areas into transport, and time. Food insecurity in
residential/commercial areas. low-income countries is higher in urban
than in rural areas, rising to more than
The NCR agrifood system 70% in urban slums (FAO 2013). Thus, a
and the informal sector critical food safety net is offered by these
informal food markets.
Diversity characterizes the NCR agri-
food systems. It consists of evolving and Metro Manila is highly dependent on
overlapping traditional, modern, and different supply chains for popular dishes.
informal subsystems. NCR gets its food CAR supplies over 90% of highland
supply from various sources using long vegetables for the widely consumed
domestic supply chains (CAR, Ilocos, chopsuey (e.g., cabbage, carrots, and
Central Luzon, Mindanao), short supply potato). The lowland regions (Ilocos,
chains (CALABARZON, Bulacan, peri- Central Luzon, CALABARZON) supply the
urban gardens), as well as imports. The main ingredients for pinakbet vegetable
flow of vegetables from the different stews (e.g., eggplant, ampalaya, pechay,
supply areas runs through the primary sitao, tomato, onions, and green leafy
“bagsakan” wholesale markets in Divisoria vegetables). Lowland vegetable sources
and Balintawak or through the secondary are more diversified, including areas in
“bagsakan” markets ( Commonwealth, both north and south of Metro Manila.
Quezon City; Wowee, Pasay City) and then Observed inefficiencies in the supply
through satellite or talipapa markets in the chain (i.e., ratios between retail and farm
barangays. Retailing in all market levels prices being 2.2–3.3) could in part be due
is done mainly by informal vegetable to supply chain constraints: low yield,
vendors. postharvest losses, and retailing expenses
of small farmers (Dy 2019).
Current urban agricultural systems have
not yet reached mainstream markets; but The marketing of vegetables goes
they have a presence in high-end niche through a complex chain of intermediary
markets selling organic products or in actors from farm to final consumers (i.e.,
pilot institutional markets like the KADIWA households, institutional buyers). Figure 3
coordinated by the Department of shows the flow of goods from producers
Agriculture in partnership with some local to consolidator-traders who bring the
government units (LGUs). produce to the wholesalers in Manila.

Supermarkets, specialty food shops, and Long supply chains (green arrows) usually
e-commerce spur shopping innovation refer to vegetables from the Cordillera
of modern supply chains that cater to highlands ( Table 6):

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

24 and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment
 (a) Producers > consolidator-traders Table 6. Vegetables traded in wholesale and retail markets
> wholesalers (Metro Manila) > (English, common and scientific names) and main supply areas.
wholesalers and retailers in Common name English name Scientific name
secondary markets (city markets) Commonly supplied from the highlands: from the Cordillera, especially
> retailers (smaller markets, Benguet Province
Karot Carrot Daucus carota
talipapas: informal vendors) >
Repolyo Cabbage Brassica oleracea var. capitata
households
Litsugas Lettuce Lactuca sativa
(b) Producers > consolidator-
Brokuli Broccoli Brassica oleracea var. italica
traders > wholesalers (primary Kuliplor Cauliflower Brassica oleracea var. botrytis
and secondary markets) > Patatas Potato Solanum tuberosum
institutional buyers (hotels and Sayote Chayote Sechium edule
restaurants, resorts, enterprises Tsitsaro Chicharo/lima bean Phaseolus limensis
like processors) and informal Lowland vegetables: commonly supplied from lowland peri-urban farms
and gardens; CALABARZON – Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon
vendors> households provinces; and Bulacan
(c) Producers > vegetable packing Malunggay Horseradish Moringa oleifera
houses > supermarkets, food Kangkong Water spinach Ipomoea aquatica
chains, hotels, restaurants > Alugbati Malabar spinach Basella alba
households Kinchay Celery Apium graveolens
Atsal Bell pepper Capsicum annuum
Ampalaya Bitter melon Momordica charantia
The short supply chains (red arrows)
Sili Chili Capsicum frutescens
refer to lowland vegetables coming from
Tanglad Lemon grass Cymbopogon citrarus
nearby provinces or peri-urban areas of Brassica rapa subsp.
Pechay Chinese cabbage
Metro Manila (Table 6): pekinensis
Kamatis Tomato Solanum lycopersicum L.
Talong Eggplant Solanum melongena L.
(a) Producers > consolidator-traders
Sitaw Stringbeans Phaseolus vulgaris
> wholesalers in Divisoria-Padre
Upo Bottle gourd Lagenaria siceraria
Rada, Balintawak markets > Pak choy Bok choy Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis
retailers in secondary markets Okra Lady finger Abelmoschus esculentus
including talipapa informal Puso ng saging Banana blossoms Musa acuminata colla
vendors > households and Mustasa Mustard greens Mustard juncea
institutional buyers Labanos Radish Raphanus sativus
(b) Producers > consolidator-traders Sigarilyas Winged bean Psophocarpus tetragonolobus
> retailers including talipapa Kundol White gourd Benincasa hispida
Patola, sikwa Sponge gourd Luffa aegyptiaca
informal vendors
Patani Lima bean Phaseolus lunatus
Mani Peanut Arachis hypogaea
The length of vegetable supply chains can Bataw Hyacinth bean Lablab purpureus
be determined by the number of actors Kalabasa Squash Cucurbita maxima
in the chain as well as by geographical Sibuyas “dahon” Onion leaves/leeks Allium porrum
distance (Blay-Palmer et al. 2018). So, on Lowland vegetables from North and Central Luzon
Sibuyas “Bombay” Onion bulb Allium cepa
one hand, irrespective of geographical
Bawang Garlic Allium sativum
distance but of short trade tier, a supply
Monggo Mung beans Vigna radiata
chain could be regarded short by
Kamote Sweet potato Ipomoea batatas
supermarkets and institutional buyers Gabi Taro Colocasia esculenta
with direct links to producers. Similarly, Gabing San
Yautia Xanthosoma sagittifolium
vegetables from the Cordilleras being Fernando
delivered to a packing house operator Singkamas Turnip Brassica rapa subsp. rapa
in Laguna is a short supply chain. Survey Kamoteng kahoy Cassava Manihot esculenta
Ube Yam Dioscorea alata
results suggest that the informal vegetable
Luya Ginger Zingiber oofficinale
vendors in Pasay and Quezon City source
Note: The grey-shaded cells are those that come from peri-urban farms in Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan,
their goods directly from wholesalers and Batangas. Green leafy vegetables are also sourced from Pangasinan traders and brought to the
in Divisoria or Balintawak or from night wholesale markets in Balintawak, Caloocan and Commonwealth market, Quezon City.

consolidators operating in smaller night

markets like Wowee and Commonwealth

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment 25
Table 7. Urban and peri-urban farms and gardens, markets Balintawak and Commonwealth matters
and uses. to reduce logistics cost.
Consumption/
Specialty production area Marketing
end use
To informal vendors, other factors are also
Walk-in buyers,
• Integrated farms/ organic approaches orders, Households, hotels important, like the suki system, usually
usually direct selling & restaurants, with embedded services like credit and/
Walk-in buyers, orders, specialty
• Agro-eco-tourism farms food shops, or financing and filial relationships with
direct selling
Walk-in buyers, orders,
processors some vegetable sources (i.e., relatives,
• Urban community gardens
direct selling friends). Vendors can also get price
Mainly for food and Students/pupils discounts from their suki supplier.
nutrient sufficiency feeding
• School gardens
school program program,
teachers, parents The specialty production areas may be
regarded as peri-urban farms or gardens
that produce vegetables like cabbage,
in order to shorten the chain, logically lettuce, mushrooms, eggplant, and okra.
to reduce cost as well as to ensure the Innovative farming landscapes are geared
freshness of the produce. The vegetables toward agro-ecotourism, integrated
delivered in smaller bagsakan night organic vegetable production with
markets usually (see Table 5) come from livestock, and school and community
nearby CALABARZON provinces (especially gardens (Table 7). The schematic flow of
Cavite, Laguna, and Batangas) and peri- the supply chains is shown in Figure 3.
urban farms and gardens in Bulacan and
La Mesa Dam, Quezon City. With mobile
The observed vegetable supply chains in
phones, informal vendors can decide
Metro Manila are indicated in Figure 3:
where to buy pechay or cabbage and
green vegetables: whether from Divisoria
1. The long supply chains (green
and Balintawak (primary bagsakan) or
arrows) link rural producers to
from secondary bagsakan markets like
wholesalers and retailers (in the
Wowee and Commonwealth. For the latter,
primary and secondary markets)
however, the proximity of vendors to

Figure 3.
Vegetable supply
chains in Metro Producers Trader/wholesalers Trader/wholesalers Consumers
Manila retailers/ processors

Wholesalers urban
Consolidator night market
/trader “bagsakan”
Divisoria-Padre
Rada; Balintawak;
other night
olidator/trad markets
Vegetable Wholesale
er
producers packing Households
facilities Institutional
buyers
Wholesale/retail Processors
secondary markets

Supermarkets/
food chains/
hotels &
Long supply chain restaurants
Short supply chain
Vegetable
processors

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

26 and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment
 in the urban area through inside the Pasay city public market, only
consolidator-traders, then onto six regular stall owners are officially
the final consumers (institutional, registered/licensed as vegetable sellers.
households). Informal vendors Along sidewalks and in makeshift stalls
participate significantly in all in privately owned talipapa in barangays
types of markets. 91 and 92, more than a score of ambulant
2. The institutional supply chains vendors has been operating daily for at
(yellow blocks) involved in direct least 2 years; some are doing so for 10
distribution via the supermarkets, years or more, continuing their parents’
hotels, big restaurants, food or relatives’ vegetable business. They
processors and manufacturers are not registered with the city, but they
through wholesale packing give PhP 20 payment daily to the market
operators or direct wholesalers. inspector (remitted to the city treasurer),
3. The short supply chains (red stall rent to the private land owner at
arrows) link producers in urban PhP 100-600 per day, depending on stall
and peri-urban areas to the size, and some amount for utilities like
secondary markets, then to final electricity. Permission to locate and sell in
consumers. This occurs mostly the talipapa is sought from the barangay
through informal vendors in captain.
secondary and satellite markets.
4. The specialty multi-functional Informal vegetable vendors are commonly
components of short supply found in the fringes and sidewalks near
chains (Table 7) relate to urban private and public markets in Pasay and
agriculture initiatives. This is Quezon City, construction sites, and
usually directed to food self- barangay talipapa.
sufficiency in cities, which greatly
advanced in Metro Manila during
Vendor profile and business
the pandemic. In addition,
characteristics
agro-ecotourism, educational
objectives, and nutrient security The vendors interviewed are mainly
issues for school children have long-time residents in Metro Manila;
been integrated in the recent some originally come from the island
decade. provinces in the Visayas (Leyte) and
from places south of NCR (Masbate)
The vegetable supply chains continue who came to Manila seeking better
to evolve, considering the impact of livelihood opportunities (Table 8). While
the pandemic: high cost of logistics, it may be said that these vendors operate
increasing consciousness for convenience, on a day-to-day basis (as they are not
food safety and health. As per survey officially registered), almost half have
interviews, the fast emergence of been in the business for 20 years or more.
e-marketing and social media-based food Vendors in Quezon City have been longer
chains during the pandemic has caused established: 7 out of 10 have been doing
informal vendors to worry about how business for more than 20 years, with
these trends could encroach on their two interviewees for more than 40 years.
vegetable sales. In Pasay, 7 of 10 have been working as
vendors for 20 years or less (Table 8). Some
The informal food vendors have intergenerational succession in the
in the pilot sites location and operation of business; they
initially work as helpers of their parents
Informal vegetable vendors or uncles/aunts and they then continue
the business afterward. Given the
The informal vegetable vendors are a large limited sample, this trend needs further
part of the retailers’ sector. For example, exploration as literature suggests that

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment 27
Table 8. Profile of the informal vegetable vendors. blocks and ambulant vegetable vendors
occupy an easily accessible stretch of
Characteristic Quezon City, n=10 Pasay City, n=10
Masbate, Leyte,
stalls, about 90% pay a daily rent to the
Marikina, Quezon owner of the place. Stalls are makeshift
Place/ethnic origin Pasay
City (Commonwealth, with rent at PhP 100/sq m (Table 9).
Kamuning)
50-60 =1 40-45 = 1
Years in business
40-49 =1 30-40 = 1 All the vendors interviewed have a
20-30 =5 10-20 = 4
15-19 =3 3-9 = 4 positive opinion about their business
Type of business Individual/household Individual/household as a means of livelihood. Though still
F=6 F=8 recovering from slow business, even loss,
Gender of main seller
M=4 M=2 during the pandemic, they were able to
Vegetable selling main survive even without support for business
source = 7 Vegetable vending
Vegetables, 10-30% of mainly = 8 during these difficult times. Considering
Sources of income income = 3 Plus: Income of other that Pasay is a heavily populated area,
Plus vlogging income family Members
of siblings and other = 2 vendors were able to attract new
sources = 2 customers from nearby residences during
the lockdowns. However, vendors whose
stalls are in secluded locations, like
street vending offers ready access to new those in Kamuning and Commonwealth
or temporary migrants (Kawarazuka et al. markets, had low sales, forcing some
2018). vendors in Kamuning to quit the
business. Meanwhile, the pandemic also
Informal vegetable vending is an brought in new informal vendors along
individual- or household-based business, the highways or sidewalks, which are
contributing about 70% of household more accessible to customers. They look
income. Most said that it is the only forward to government support in the
business they know, continuing to sell near future by way of funding and training
for years despite the lows especially assistance. They would like some capital
during the early pandemic, recalling their inputs as assistance to tide them over.
experience with lows and highs in supply The high cost of vegetables, together
and prices in the past. They have become with perishability problems and customer
adept in dealing with varying locations by attitude pose challenges (Table 9). The
maintaining good relations or giving some pandemic made big markets like Mega-Q
concessions. At least 60% of the vendors Mart and some vendors to sell online,
are female, usually relying on male which brought some competition to the
teenagers to help carry load. Vegetable informal sellers. These developments need
selling is the main source of household to be further assessed vis-à-vis plans by
income for 70-80% of the vendors. Others the city governments of relocation and
are supplemented by incomes of children regularization of the informal vendors.
and spouses from services (Table 8).
Food supply chains
Selling in the fringes of formal markets
and in talipapa, these vendors engage In conjunction with Figure 3, Table 10
with walk-in consumers from nearby further describes the production to
residential areas, owners of local canteens consumption chain of the agrifood
and eateries (carinderias) whose purchase system where the informal vegetable
patterns are almost daily rather than in vendors in the pilot sites are enmeshed.
bulk. The small restaurants and eateries The directional green and red arrows in
usually have long time relationships (suki) Figure 3 correspond to the long and short
with the vendors, enjoying such benefits vegetable supply chains specified in the
as reserved supply or priority in quality green and red cells in Table 10 as linked
selection. In Pasay where the talipapa to the different types of markets in the
Primero de Mayo consists of two big street pilot sites. The informal vendors are largely

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

28 and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment
visible in these chains and not in the Table 9. Business information about informal vendors.
institutional supply chain. Quezon City Pasay City
Households, walk-in
A diverse variety of vegetables (Table 6) Vendors in talipapa Small restaurants,
Households, walk-in canteens,
grown according to suitable agroecologies Customers/buyers
Restaurants, canteens, carinderia/ eateries
come from CAR (highland vegetables), carinderias/eateries (ready orders; suki
ready pick up)
other northern regions (Ilocos and Central
Rent/ambulant
Luzon), lowland/upland vegetables), and Rent; transferred from relative- 4
=9
Location payments Rent daily = 3
around Metro Manila (CALABARZON, Contract annual = 3
Bought right to
location = 1
lowland vegetables). These are delivered
Slow sales; secluded area
to primary wholesale markets, which Capital Attitude of buyers;
find their way to secondary, and then to Location, if secluded demanding, want
satellite markets. As previously noted, Problems or High cost of veggies especially low price
challenges during bad weather months Perishability of
informal vegetable vendors are firmly Competition from on-line sellers vegetables; losses
integrated in the secondary markets and Perishability of vegetables; Creditors not paying
losses
strongly integrated in satellite markets
Good livelihood,
(Table 10). In the night market, they but affected by
Good livelihood; only option for
are also active in the primary bagsakan having long lasting business
pandemic; hope for
Business attitude market rebound
along road sections; they then transfer Still continuing business
Will still engage in
Will try on-line selling
to the secondary or satellite markets business in the next
3 years
during daytime. As informal sellers, they
Positive attitude
follow longer food supply chains than big Willingness to be
Time and store help to be
Positive attitude
trained Time to be considered
distributors and thus form an essential considered
link from the farm to the table. Urban Positive attitude especially
residents, restaurants, canteens, and toward working with
government to ensure supply
small eateries near vendors’ locations can Willingness to work Positive attitude
of products, with low prices;
with others
buy relatively cheaper fresh vegetables willing to join government
efforts in facilitating
compared with those offered in the malls. marketing
Some of the informal vendors with stalls Government stores source some
have mobile carts that peddle around the vegetables at low price
LGU support given to Others, no support from LGU
streets beyond permissible selling hours businesses. One became a beneficiary None
in the open market, usually after 9:00 of Angat Buhay and
government support
am. Their customers are those around
No help/hire = 4 No help/hire =2
densely populated, low- to middle-income Help in business
Family member help = 6 Family members = 8
residences. Business slow
Good business, increased
down during the
Business during the business for retail in talipapa;
pandemic; hopes
Produce from peri-urban farms finds its pandemic house deliveries 3
for regain of market,
Low sales 1 but may rebound
way to the vendors in Commonwealth sales
market, Quezon City, with 10% of their
supply reportedly coming from farmers
around La Mesa Dam and Bulacan (Table geared toward self-sufficiency, holds
10). Farmers directly deliver their produce promise as a commercial venture, with
in the night market. Vendors in Pasay also more inputs from further assessment of
experienced selling urban produce during agrifood systems.
the pandemic through the KADIWA (DA-
LGU food distribution initiative) stores, As to risk and efficiency issues in the
where they can get vegetables at low supply-market chain, both producer-
prices. They welcome improvements along suppliers and vendors are faced with high
this chain as this means fresher and better costs and prices caused by a variety of
quality produce, less logistics cost, and factors, though at different levels: high
easily manageable information on supply cost of inputs and resource use (labor),
volume and prices. The urban agriculture logistics, especially with supply being
initiative, which, at the moment, is mostly largely affected by weather/climate

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment 29
 Table 10. Summative food supply and market chains involving informal vegetable vending.
Production Trading (W) Trading (W/R) Retailing Consumption
Secondary
Primary Satellite retail
Production region wholesale/retail Consumers
wholesale trading trading
trading
CAR
Informal food vendors
Divisoria Terminal Walk-in buyers,
Ilocos Market a. Commonwealth Talipapa near
secondary markets, Institutional
Central Luzon b. Kamuning bgys. buyers
(restaurants,
CALABARZON c. Libertad Primero de Mayo; hospitals,
talipapa across schools),
Peri-urban: Bulacan, d. Wowee bgys.
Balintawak canteens,
Cloverleaf Market eateries
e. Mega Q Mart Talipapa across
QC urban gardens
f. Cartimar barangays

disturbances, in addition to low yields in end of the third or fourth tier of the
some areas. Vegetables are easily affected distribution chain already bear the bigger
as they are perishable and tend to have brunt of increased prices. Not surprisingly,
increased wastage during extreme buyers complain of high prices and cut
weather events both at the production down on purchases−the common woes of
and distribution nodes of the chain. vendors (Table 11).
Traders usually hedge to avoid such losses
and costs and fix selling at relatively The stakeholders (e.g., LGUs, DA, DTI,
higher prices, while buying from farmers private sector, TESDA, DOH, NGOs) across
at relatively low farm gate prices. The the vegetable supply chain include a
informal vendors who are at the receiving mix of public and private agencies that

Table 11. Challenges and opportunities in the vegetable supply chain.

Trading/ Wholesale-
Production Trading/Wholesale Retailing Consumption
Retail
Challenges

Poor physical
Supply disruptions from
Poor condition of physical infrastructure, especially High prices of vegetables
weather/ climate
infrastructure, buildings, in vegetable sections caused low profit
disturbances that
roads/drainage systems of Commonwealth and margins;
resulted in high prices
Wowee markets Perishability, high wastage
esp in bad weather
High perishability & Lack of utilities, eg. water (rains, hot season)
Secluded location of some Hygiene and sanitation
wastage esp with for vegetable washing, Consumers who go to the
markets leading to low needs improvement,
weather disturbance or market cleaning, waste secondary and satellite
vendor sales lack of water facility;
oversupply management markets are used to the
Protocols for food safety
market practices; not
In Libertad, informal practices needed;
Lack of hygiene and too aware of their need
Conversion of land into vendors are not Vendors clamor for market
sanitary facilities and for safe foods.
non-agricultural uses protected during heavy information service;
protocols
rains complain of demanding
Lack of market information customer
Vendors complain of high
system Lacks capital
prices; high wastage
Logistics, increased costs Cleanliness & orderliness due to perishability
Opportunities
Capacity of informal vendors can be enhanced through
LGUs and private market operators can be encouraged Consumer consciousness
awareness activties and implementation of good
to partner for initiative in market development on safe and nutritious
vendor practices (GVP) through the CGIAR-CIP WP2
planning to address needed improvement from food can be improved
project – the Vendor Business School.
physical infrastructure to waste management; through LGU-partners
Business support services for the identified needs can be
facilitated by the CGIAR-CIP WP2 project. work
clarified, arranged, and facilitated for access.
Stakeholders
LGUs, traders’ LGUs, private market LGUs, private market LGUs, private market
DOH, NGOs, consumers’
organizations, DA, operators, DTI, DA/ operators, DA/ KADIWA, operators, DOH, TESDA,
groups
baarangays KADIWA DTI, TESDA barangays

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

30 and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment
perform various roles and functions that Table 12. Supply sources of vegetables (%) sold by vendors in
can be tapped to address the identified Pasay and Quezon city markets.
challenges and opportunities from Supply source
Libertad/Primero de Commonwealth Kamuning
Mayo markets, Pasay market, QC market, QC
production to consumption (Table 11).
Trader-wholesaler 100 14 32
Hoping for support from city governments
Trader-retailer 71 64
and private market authorities, vendors
Grower-trader 15 4
expressed a desire for better selling Total 100 100 100
environments, improved sanitation with
adequate water provision for cleaning and
washing, proper garbage/waste system, and ampalaya leaves, among others
and adequate personal hygiene facilities. (Table 12).
Despite the challenges, vendors remain
positive and are willing to participate in With different markets being catered to,
collective ways of improving their trade the patterns of vegetable demand and
but with consideration of the time and preferences differ, affecting sales and
labor involved (Table 9). income. In Pasay market, which is closer
to a number of food businesses linked to
Vegetable vendors: supply tourism, common ingredients of popular
sources, pricing, demand and dishes such as onion, tomato, garlic, and
contribution to income potato are in increasing demand and
contribute highly to sales and income.
The Pasay informal vegetable vendors In Commonwealth where the greens
differ from the Quezon City vendors dominate supply, the biggest contributor
particularly in terms of location. The Pasay to sales and income are pechay, eggplant,
informal vendors are located very close ampalaya, kangkong, saluyot, camote
to the small formal vegetable section tops, onion, tomato and garlic. Onion,
because the talipapa (Primero Mayo in tomato and garlic, as well as potato,
barangays 91 and 92) is situated in the chayote, carrots, and eggplant sell well in
block next to the city public market. Kamuning.
They are very visible, with full access
from the main highway and side streets.
Contribution to income:
To compete well, informal vendors get
cost and margins
their vegetables from the same sources
that formal vendors use. All of the sample The vendors in Pasay market reported a
respondents buy vegetables from the net income ranging from PhP 500 to PhP
wholesale bagsakan in Divisoria and 5500 per day (US$7.5 – 81). In Quezon
from the Wowee night market, just a few City, the Commonwealth market vendors
hundred meters away, depending on type reported between PhP 1200 and PhP2000
and price (Table 12). day (US$18 – 29.5); in Kamuning
market, the range was PhP 500-1000/
The Quezon City markets are in more day (US$7.5 – 15). This reflects the mix
secluded locations, but they are also of vegetables that are sold daily, which
nearer urban peri-urban vegetable reportedly contribute to a greater share
growers who are an additional source of of sales and income; that is, the pattern of
produce. Vendors here mostly source their purchases in the surveyed markets. Pasay
products from wholesalers and trader- city vendors sell more of the tomatoes,
retailers in the nearer Balintawak bagsakan onions, and garlic as well as for-
market (64-71%). The grower-traders in restaurant-use vegetables such as potato,
Quezon City are often linked to vendors carrots, and pechay. These are common
in Commonwealth by family relation, purchases of food establishments and
forming a network of vendors mostly of households around the surveyed markets
greens such as native pechay, spinach, in the Libertad area, a densely populated
saluyot, kangkong, malunggay, alugbati, district where low- to middle-income

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment 31
 families reside. Commonwealth vendors the surveyed markets. Commonwealth
profit more from vegetables mostly used vendors have the lowest buying and
in households and food establishments selling prices for tomato, potato, cabbage,
like pechay, eggplants, tomatoes, onions, and carrots, which are supplied directly
garlic, and the greens saluyot, kangkong, by trader-wholesalers from the north (e.g.,
and kinchay. Kamuning vendors follow the Pangasinan, Nueva Vizcaya) during the
same pattern as do those in Pasay city, but night market and for okra and ampalaya
sellers suffer from their location, as well as supplied by peri-urban growers from
from competition with other markets (i.e., La Mesa Dam and Bulacan. Kamuning
secondary and talipapa) that are accessible vendors offer the lowest prices for garlic,
to surrounding residential districts. ginger, pechay (Baguio and native), and
chayote, which are sourced from trader-
Table 13 reveals interesting findings on wholesalers in the Balintawak bagsakan
pricing as affected largely by supply market. These show a relatively more
sources. Buying and selling prices are the efficient vegetable selling in Quezon City
average of the reported prices during the markets where the vendors’ selling prices
peak season of the vegetable (meaning are still lower compared with those of
a relatively lower price on the average). Pasay vendors even with price margins
However, with the limited sample size, of about 50% versus 25–30% in Pasay
this observation needs more in-depth City. Pasay vendors offer relatively higher
study because of implications related to prices even with lower margins for garlic,
supply-price dynamics and seasonality as ginger, and pechay; but the best price is
to vegetable type and sources. for onions with reasonably good margin
at 50%. They have a competitive edge
Yellow-shaded cells are comparably on onions, thereby contributing highly
the lowest prices of commodity across to their income. This high price at source

Table 13. Average prices (PhP/kg) and margins (%) of common vegetables contributing to bigger share of sales
and income.
Pasay City Commonwealth, QC Kamuning, QC
Selected vegetable Buying Selling Buying Selling Buying Selling
Margin Margin Margin
price price price price price price
Onions 40 60 50 55 100 82 90 110 22
Tomato 40 60 50 20 30 50 35 45 28
Garlic 95 110 16 – – – 80 90 12
Ginger 55 70 28 45 60 33 35 55 57
Potato 60 80 33 35 45 28 50 60 20
Cabbage 55 75 36 20 30 50 – – –
Pechay (Baguio) 80 100 25 30 45 50 20 30 50
Pechay (native) – – 60 80 33 40 60 50
Pechay, Chinese – – 70 110 – – –
Chayote 55 70 27 – – 20 30 50
Eggplant 80 100 25 20 60 40 60 50
Okra 35 65 86 10 20 60 70 33
Ampalaya 80 100 25 15 30 50 70 40
Baguio beans – – 45 60 – – –
Carrots 75 90 20 65 80 90 100 11
Lettuce – – – 35 70
Squash – – – 30 50 50 70 40
Alugbati – – – 25 40 – – –
Kangkong/ bdl 70 100 43 65 80 – – –
Saluyot 40 60 50 30 50 – – –
Malunggay – – – 60 70 – –
Kinchay/big bdl – – – 500 600 – –
Ampalaya leaves/bdl – – – 120 200 – –

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

32 and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment
could still be covered by demand, with this links and to effectively contribute to the
vendor group located close to a densely city’s resilience. The positive attitude of
populated area. Commonwealth vendors most vendors and their willingness to
sell the greens at relatively low prices, participate in development efforts, the
which are reportedly supplied directly by progressive and compassionate attitude
peri-urban growers. of city authorities toward the informal
sector, and the existence of various urban
Challenges and opportunities initiatives for food security and sustainable
development with some institutional
The challenges in the supply-market chain innovations are strong foundations on
of vegetable vendors revolve mainly on which to build a strong and resilient city.
production instability (especially with
the long chains from the north) brought The street food vendors
about by extreme weather events and
increasing input costs and logistics, Savor the streets filled with smoke and
which consequently result in fluctuations aroma from charcoal grills and fryers;
in supply and prices. While the long mini-stalls with folding eating counters
chain market links are established, with casseroles of pares or goto; melting
informal vegetable vendors strive to pots of consumers waiting for affordable,
gain access to smaller secondary night convenient, and delicious street food.
markets like Commonwealth in Quezon The iconic Filipino street food in creative
City and Wowee in Pasay City, where names of simply delicious flavors do
trader-consolidators from the north liven public and private spaces across
and CALABARZON deliver vegetables the streets of Metro Manila and all over
wholesale, which means cheaper prices the country. A number of street food
and lower logistics. However, facilities are animal-based (e.g., chicken and pork
in these start-up bagsakan markets are meat, chicken parts, eggs); some are
largely inadequate: very limited spaces, native delicacies (e.g., banana/camote cue,
negligible storage, minimal utilities. They ginataan), and others are ready-to-cook
could not handle an expanded trade industrial processed foods (e.g., squid and
volume. fish balls, tempura). Street food is also a
way of understanding the native food
On the whole, most markets suffer from culture and tourists enjoy partaking such
similar problems, in various degrees— treats. They have become popular in night
of poor hygiene and sanitation, lack of markets till the wee hours of the morning.
water, inadequate garbage disposal, Street food has become a distinctive food
improper waste management, and no category on its own as evidenced by their
real-time market information. Vendors popularity in urban areas and the rest of
consider these as their own problems the whole country (Neary 2018, Imatheu
too, in addition to high costs and prices, 2017, Recio and Gomez 2013, Milgram
perishability of goods, problematic 2011).
customers, competition from new entrants
and on-line selling, and the need for Pork and chicken are the major meat
capital. products consumed by about 62–63%
of households. Chicken egg is greatly
Still, informal vegetable vendors are preferred by 82%, but only 2% consume
numerous and serve as critical links in the fresh/pasteurized milk (PSA 2017). This
food system. Their contribution to the consumption pattern and the large
economy is significant, especially among visibility of street food in urban spaces
the lesser endowed urban populace. lead us to focus on such food from fresh
There are opportunities for intervention animal-based processed products (e.g.,
to improve their capacities and operations pork and chicken barbecue, kwek-kwek/
to enable them to be more efficient tokneneng from quail or chicken eggs).

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment 33
 Street food can provide nutritious, low- and vegetable-based products. Animal
cost, tasty food, according to some products are both processed by the
consumers. But street food vendors have seller as well as sourced from third-party
not been well-supported, and most lack home processors and sold as meals or
facilities and proper education (e.g., food snacks. There are also native delicacies
storage, adequate water and sanitation, for snacks and fried products from
waste collection) to enable them to ready-to-cook industrial processing.
operate in safe and clean surroundings (Photo documentation of common
and to give hygienic services. They provide street food is presented in Annex 3.)
food not only to low-wage workers Table 14 summarizes the different street
and urban poor households, but also, food sold by respondent vendors in
increasingly, to professionals, students, the three market areas in Pasay and in
and consumers at higher socioeconomic Commonwealth and Kamuning markets in
status. Quezon City.

Street food in Quezon Animal-based street food. The animal-

and Pasay cities based street food mainly consist of
different kinds of meat (pork, chicken,
There is a huge culture of grilling in beef ), animal parts (liver, feet, innards,
Philippine street food and there are very head), and eggs. The most popular meat
few things Filipinos do not enjoy grilled preparation is barbecue, where the meat
over charcoal. Usually, pork, chicken, and and animal parts are usually prepared
chicken parts (feet, head, intestines, neck) in different cuts, marinated in soy sauce
are marinated, skewered, grilled over with vinegar and spices for a few hours
charcoal, and basted with a barbecue at home, and skewered; they are then
sauce, then served with seasoned vinegar. brought to the selling location for grilling
Also, fried food is just as popular served over charcoal upon purchase. Cooked
with sweet sour or spicy sauce or seasoned barbecue is served with sauce or vinegar
vinegar. dip. Increasingly popular is serving a
filling, tasty meat dish (e.g., beef pares)
Street food in Pasay and Quezon City as combo meal (with rice or noodles) at
comprise a diverse selection of animal- affordable price.

Table 14. Types of street food sold in Pasay and Quezon City.
The egg-based street food have gained
nationwide popularity like the boiled
Pasay City Commonwealth, QC Kamuning, QC
fertilized egg (balut or penoy), and the
Barbecue: pork, chicken
Kwek-kwek, tokneneng Kwek-kwek fried boiled chicken (tokneneng) and quail
and chicken parts, offal
(kwek-kwek) eggs coated with flour-egg
Fried chicken with rice Pares with variants; siomai
Beef pares with rice, mix. Energy boosters like lugaw/arroz
mami
Hot dogs, longganisa,
caldo (rice porridge with chicken, siomai,
Pares with rice, mami Burger chicharon) or goto and mami noodles are
other cold cuts
Home-processed meat Balut and penoy Fish/squid ball, kikiam main meals by themselves. Homemade
Banana cue, turon, Cuchinta, palitaw, processed traditional meat products such
lumpiang togue, cassava, puto, egg pie,
carioca nilupak as longganisa, tocino, and embutido are
‘Dirty ice cream’, shake, fried and goes well with rice as meal.
Cuchinta, palitaw, puto
palamig
Shake, palamig
Peanuts (boiled and fried, Industrial processed food. These are
shelled), chicharon
processed meat formulated by food
*English translation/description of local street foods: kwek-kwek, tokneneng – fried quail/chicken manufacturers that are frozen or vacuum-
egg coated with flour-egg mix; siomai – steamed wrapped ground meat (pork/shrimp) formed
into small balls; pares – braised beef stew; mami – noodle soup; longganisa (seasoned sausage); packed and purchased from supermarkets
balut and penoy – boiled fertilized duck’s egg (14 & 18 days’ old); kikiam – industrial product fish or grocery retail stores. These include
flavored; turon –fried wrapped caramelized banana; lumpiang togue – fried wrapped mungbean
sprouts with ground pork; banana cue – deep-fried banana pieces; carioca, cuchinta, palitaw, the fish and squid balls, siomai, kikiam,
puto nilupak – different rice or rootcrop-based native delicacies, often with coconut; palamig –
flavored cooler drinks; chicharon – crispy fried fatty pork cuts.
and tempura; hotdog and cold cuts, and

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

34 and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment
burgers. These are commonly fried or Table 15. Profile of street food vendors.
grilled and eaten as snacks or part of a Characteristic Quezon City, n=6 Pasay City, n=4
meal. Leyte, Abra (East Visayas,
Leyte, Camarines Norte
CAR)
Place/ethnic origin (East Visayas, Bicol)
Caloocan, Quezon city
Native delicacies. For years, native (NCR)
Pasay, Caloocan (NCR)
delicacies have always been important Years in business 5-30 years 10-20 years
snack food for all ages. Commonly Type of business Individual, household Individual, household
Female 43% Female = 50%
mentioned by respondents are the Gender of main seller
Male 57% Male = 50%
popular banana and camote cue and turon Main source of income,
(fried wrapped banana); flour or rootcrop- Sources of income
other street food Street food business is
vending stand main source
based formulations like cuchinta, palitaw, Driver, helps in capital
and carioca; and home-made ice cream,
shake, or palamig (juice coolers).
Table 16. Street food vendors: business location, challenges and
outlook.
Profile and characteristics
Quezon City Pasay City
of street food vendors Walk-in buyers, market
Walk-in buyers,
goers, individuals &
household (meal)
The street food vendors interviewed for Customers/buyers
households nearby
Suki workers and market
Suki workers/employees
this assessment are currently residents of (loyal customers within
employees (loyal
customers)
Pasay and Quezon City, with just under the market)
half having migrated during the 1980- Receive barangay
File application with
permission for street
1990 period from the Cordillera region Arrangements for
manager (market
corner, talipapa
adm.)
(Abra), Bicol (Camarines Norte), and East location
Secured with “padrino”
Administration
permission for market
Visayas (Leyte). They have a history of or boss
corner, public market
family members being engaged in food Sometimes, low sales
Increased cost of inputs
or street food businesses. Originally, they Customers’ unable to pay
Sometimes, low sales
belonged to tenant farming families, Challenges Increased cost of inputs
credit
Lack of capital
but the low productivity of unsecured Lack of capital
Rainy, inclement weather
farms pushed them to migrate to Metro Business is promising,
Business is good;
Manila. Some are lucky enough to have Business outlook
want to continue;
customers are satisfied
customers are satisfied
the business and location handed down with taste and price
with taste and price
from a street food vendor employer or Positive Positive
from direct relatives. On the average, the Willingness to be trained Day/time to be Day/time to be
considered considered
street food vendors have been in business Positive; prefers capital
for 15-20 years, a significant length of assistance more for
Willingness to work with facility improvement
time that implies that the business is others and expansion;
Positive
good enough to financially support and activities that improve
income
sustain them. A balance of women and Support from LGU Some got support
men are engaged in street food selling. on business during from LGU during the None
Most of the snacks and native delicacies pandemic pandemic
Hired help
are handled by women, whereas meat- Help in business Mostly helped by family
Hired help
Family members
based street food are mostly handled members
When permitted,
by men, especially pares, balut/penoy, business strong;
and kwek-kwek. Eight out of 10 vendors Business during the Lockdown, could not do households find
reported that street food vending is their pandemic business difficulty getting food
ingredients from far
main source of income; the rest have other markets
income sources like driving, contribution
from family members, and other micro-
business enterprises (Table 15). Two have market goers, loyal or suki workers
multiple street food stands. (construction workers, drivers, students,
market staff ) and employees of shops and
Customers consist of walk-in buyers (for offices nearby (Table 16). The continued
both individual and household food), construction activities during the

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment 35
 pandemic, especially in Pasay and Quezon especially for favors that redound to
City (e.g., condotels, skyways) created security of location.
markets for street food. Barbecue stands
and pares (beef stew with rice or noodles) Restrictions during the pandemic, as well
stalls were activated. The all-time favorite, as the public consciousness about viral
barbecue, and its variants increased in spread through food took a toll on the
number and patronage . Pares has become street food vendors. Opening a business,
increasingly popular, even attracting even with the permit to operate, was still
better-off ‘drive-in’ customers. Some prefer slow. Only this year, with vaccinations in
the higher priced variant with cow’s brain full swing, did business start to pick up.
and eye, which reportedly has thicker However, some reported good business,
and uniquely flavorful taste. The price is especially those who cater to construction
80% higher than pares with plain rice (at workers, are in open markets, and located
PhP 50/serving, US$0.91), 20% higher in corners of dense residential areas. Some
than pares with mami (at PhP 75/serving, even increased sales as many households
US$1.40). chose to buy already prepared food to
limit their market trips. Government cash
There is sustained demand for all types assistance during the pandemic was
of street food, especially kwek-kwek mainly for food sustenance, but some
(quail’s eggs), grilled or fried cold hotdogs, were able to allocate part of this for
cuts and ready-to-fry industrial foods capital. In Quezon City, two vendors were
like fish/squid balls and tempura, native able to access livelihood capital support.
delicacies, home-prepared ice cream, Vendors needed capital assistance to
and cold beverages. Consumers prefer improve their facilities (e.g., stalls, bench,
ingredients to be fresh and they like stove, utensils, packaging) and maintain
natural ingredients such as ube (yam) ice a working fund. With spirits up, they
cream from fresh tuber, not using powder maintained a positive attitude, deciding
or food color. Vendors are actually very to continue with street food vending and
positive with lockdown restrictions being expressing willingness to participate in
lifted during the pandemic, and business is training or development initiatives, but
up again. with careful consideration of time so as
not to disrupt business.
Vendors who are located within the main
market premises get permits from the Supply chain
market inspector, do not pay rent, but
are not given permanent stalls. They are With limited capital, input supplies for
allowed to sell only at certain times: 8:00 the different kinds of street food are
am to 1:00 pm usually for meal servings mainly sourced from retail stores, small
(e.g., fried chicken) or 4:00-8:00 pm (e.g., grocers in the open market, and bakeries
barbecues, fried eatables), or during (e.g., burger pattie, flour, yeast) in small
daytime for snack food and beverages. quantities. Some long-established
Those who locate in the talipapa, street vendors could have direct access to
corners, or sidewalks get permission delivery vans (e.g., fresh chicken) of
from the barangay, subject to the integrators like SMFI/Magnolia and could
barangay’s directives, like clean-fixing get better prices. Also, buying cooking
their paraphernalia and doing proper oil in containers (e.g., gallon, can) lessens
garbage disposal. There may be unofficial the cost, even though it requires more
concessions to secure a location; no capital. Barbecue vendors of pork,
payments but some tokens of gratitude chicken, and parts buy from the nearby
like sharing some of the food sold (e.g., open markets daily to ensure freshness.
a few sticks of barbecue). Utang na loob Vendors are aware that freshness of inputs
(“debt of gratitude”) is a strong Filipino is important for food quality, but their
value, which finds its way in business, containers and utilities still have a lot

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

36 and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment
of room for improvement. None of the part in a capacity development program.
vendors interviewed for this assessment Vendors also talk of assistance in product
sourced from their own production of promotion, which can be integrated into
meat or other ingredients, which could modules on building business skills that
have lessened expenses or could have include financial literacy, merchandising,
improved product quality. Given the and market expansion along with other
limited sample size, this issue needs business strategies.
further study.
The ongoing and planned urban
The street food vendors’ decisionmaking development programs of existing
seems straightforward: applying institutional stakeholders can be
experience and learned skills to deal leveraged to address the needs of the
with a manageable volume of sales (with vendors. They are into health and nutrition
one or two sellers/workers for a certain programs (LGU-DSWD-DOH), business
small capital investment). This business and skills training (DTI, TESDA), livelihood
“micro-world” is their sphere of operation: support (LGU, DOLE/PESO, cooperatives),
near the place of work or residence of urban gardening (LGUs/barangays,
consumers who purchase small quantities. private foundations), and policy
Most vendors are concerned primarily advocacy for sustainable development
with the level of demand and the profit (LGUs and partner GOs, civil society)
they can make, rather than improving the (Table 17). The array of needed business
nutrient content of food, recycling, safe development support can be negotiated
use of additives (e.g., food coloring), or and facilitated with these agencies that
applying safety and quality procedures for are also in the process of finding ways to
processing. For example, vendors reported better collaborate and implement their
re-using frying oil up to three times respective mandates.
(based on smell and clearness of used oil),
although they do use a brand of cooking Contribution to income;
oil that is preferred by customers. Re-use costs and margins
of oil can adversely affect taste (Muinde
and Kuria 2005). The interviews and Vendors’ incomes depend on the kind and
observations suggest that current street volume of goods sold, which depend on
food can be further improved in terms capitalization and markets. Meat-based
of product quality andcost effectiveness. barbecues (pork, chicken and parts), fried
These, together with greater knowledge products (hotdogs, longganisa, tocino,
and sound practices, contribute to a more chicken, eatables), and meal preparations
resilient food system. (simple combo like pares) earn the most.
On average, the range of net income
Unlike the vegetable vendors who of meat-based food products per day
are entrenched in both long or short is PhP 1000-4000 (US$18.20-72.70);
supply-market chains due to the diverse fried eatables (fish/squid balls, kikiam),
production systems of the commodities, PhP 1000-1500 (US$9.10-27.30); and
the street food vendors usually deal with native delicacies and drinks, PhP 500-1000
short chains, from input suppliers to (US$9.10-18.20). Those with relatively less
immediate consumers. But the challenges daily earnings find other supplemental
are more on the processing chain node income sources.
as in the efficient sourcing of ingredients,
improving product quality (e.g., choice Challenges and opportunities
of ingredient, nutrient enrichment,
processing techniques), and considering Street food is patronized and preferred by
food safety, hygiene and sanitation, and many because it is more accessible and
proper waste utilization. These are areas cheaper than food offered even in small
for interventions that form the essential restaurants, logically due to its very low

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment 37
Table 17. Summative supply and market chains of the informal non-hygienic environments (e.g., personal
street food vending. hygiene of preparer and vendor, working
Supply
Own processing
Consumption
environment, selling location). Thus, while
and selling
street food vendors benefit consumers
Meat ingredients: wet Barbecue various
markets, supply vans, types, fried chicken, in terms of convenience and economy,
shops/groceries pares, mami, goto, Walk-in buyers and consumers also need to have their health
longganisa, tocino, market goers:
embutido, mami, individuals &
and well-being protected. Health offices of
burger households; city government have standard and safety
Eggs: markets, grocery Kwek-kwek, tokneneng, Suki buyers/loyal operations and practices (SSOP) training
balut, penoy customers;
Construction workers, module for food handlers that still needs
Native delicacies: retail Cuchinta, palitaw, puto,
store, markets, home nilupak, turon, carioca.
drivers, shop/ market/ to be extensively implemented, especially
office employees;
processors Banana cue including professionals for street food vendors who may not yet
Industrial processed Fish/squid balls, kikiam, Students be in the radar for such training.
products: groceries/ siomai, hotdog, cold Orders, on-line (try-
shops/retail stores cuts out) started during
Rice, flour, vegetables, Dirty ice cream, shake, lockdown Opportunities for improvement are made
noodles, other palamig, egg pie, feasible by the openness of the street
ingredients: markets, lumpia,
retail store vendors for any initiative to improve
Peanuts, banana, cassava: Boiled or fried peanuts, their trade in terms of the risks and issues
vendors in market cuchinta, other cassava
products
raised. They are willing to be involved
Challenges in initiatives like technical assistance
Sourcing of inputs/ Risks in food safety (e.g. Lacks awareness of and capacity building, yet they stress
ingredients are mostly water quality, improper nutrition of street that access to capital is a major concern.
from retail stores in handling, adulteration, food and food
markets or nearby contamination) safety; availability Engagements should also consider their
homes, which are and unhygienic and convenience time since only about 50% have ready
relatively higher in environments in outweighs safety
cost than in wholesale processing, selling, and and nutrition in food
help from family members.
markets or direct cleaning of utensils choices away from
sources home
Opportunities Capacity development
Interventions could Capacity building of Consumer education and and learning needs
be negotiated with vendors: business skill, nutrition awareness
appropriate business processing for more linked with vendors Informal food vendors were found not
support service (e.g. nutritions, safe and capacity building
LGU, DOLE, PESO) to hygienic food; quality activities (e.g. to have much concrete knowledge of
secure working capital food; standard and promotion of nutrient- the nutrient content of vegetables or the
for volume buying of sanitary operations; enhanced food)
ingredients/cheaper positive attitude/
street food sold. They consider themselves
sources; (i.e. even Vendors willing to be as simply sellers of “delicious, tasty, and
smaller volumes, not in trained nutritious” food and they maintain that
sachets or retail packs)
STAKEHOLDERS
vegetables are nutritious. They are not
Department of Trade CG-CIP WP2, City Foundations, NGO, concerned with further productive use of
and Industry, government, DA-ATI, Department of vegetable and food wastes. Street food
City government, DOLE/PESO, TESDA Health, cooperative/
cooperative/ associations
vendors are not aware, for example, that
associations simple addition of rootcrops in lumpia,
City governments have existing partnerships with different stakeholders native delicacies, or juice coolers adds
Implementing development initiatives on food security, livelihoods, sustainable
development, on which interventions through the CGIAR-CIP WP2 project can
nutrient value. The awareness is more
be anchored. about freshness and price (for vegetables)
and taste (for street food). The use of
plastic packaging is all over the place and
overhead cost. They provide convenient plastic is used as gloves. Vendors are also
meals to workers and households, responsible for the large amount of plastic
especially those with time and budget waste generated.
constraints. These benefits, however, are
matched with issues of food safety (e.g., The vegetable vendors prefer to know
preparation, improper use of additives more about supply sources and the
or colorants, food contaminants and related prices, as they are, on the whole,
adulterants, unsafe water use) and price takers. They would only be able to

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

38 and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment
negotiate prices if they were dealing with environment, and society if such practices
a suki (i.e., with a long-standing seller- are not used in the immediate, short, and
buyer relation that could leverage prices long run.
or credit). But, at present, they are not
able to influence price based on market Governance of informal
supply and price information. This is a food markets
potentially viable service that the city
market administration could provide: Earlier literature and reports pointed out
information on supply and prices in digital concerns of regulators about informal
real time. This would be an improvement vending, such as the competition and loss
over what is currently being done by the of business it poses for formal (registered)
Department of Trade and Industry, where retailers, congestion and disorder in the
prices are posted on market boards/ streets, potential for increased crime
walls during the day, but with time lags. (especially in areas of dense informal
The required information can be posted trading), loss of tourism, and spread
digitally and be made accessible in of diseases (Giroux et al. 2021, Roever
primary and secondary bagsakan night and Skinner 2016 ). This explains the
markets in real time. The mobile phone is negative view of the informal sector,
currently the ubiquitous communication resulting in an ambiguous relationship
medium and would be the most between authorities and this sector. The
appropriate tool to get price information. enforcement of anti-vending laws further
strained the relationship; cities could not
The needs of street food vendors consistently support and enforce food
focused more on product promotion safety and public health regulations due
and possibilities of financial assistance to limited resources. The general approach
to improve in situ product processing, maintained is that of regulation and
display, and hygiene of stall facilities. All control, and evidence shows that such
vendors are interested in any opportunity repressive tactics are not effective (Giroux
to be trained that can improve their trade, et al. 2021, Skinner et al. 2018, Evans 2017).
even a willingness to work with others. The vendors’ knowledge and performance
Their available time for training is an of proper hygiene and health practices
important consideration. They would have vary. In addition, they are not always able
wanted to improve their selling facilities, to comply with laws due to cost (e.g.,
but this requires funding support and required medical examinations) or low
technical assistance to come up with availability of services (e.g., infrastructure
cost-effective stall design like those for for laboratory tests). Scholars and
barbecue and pares. Most have a positive practitioners have encouraged
attitude toward building skills, and most government authorities to recognize
likely the mind-setting exercises can be the important role that informal vendors
integrated into the educative process. play in local food security and to include
informal vendors in food system planning
In common with the general urban for cities: to find ways of engaging with
population in these cities, informal the informal food sector that will secure
vendors are not yet particularly concerned access to safe and nutritious food by the
with reducing plastic packaging, ensuring urban population (UNDP 2021, UNHSP
trash collection, and focusing on the safety 2017, FAO 2016).
and hygiene aspects of their marketing
facilities. Some street food vendors use In recent decades, Quezon City and
both paper and plastic packs in sales. The Pasay fostered initiatives more clearly
awareness is there, but the consciousness geared toward improvements in the
to put it in daily practice is lacking. They marketing infrastructure and operations
need knowledge and skills so they can (including informal vendors); promoting
evaluate the risks to consumers, the a holistic approach toward resilient

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment 39
 food security and livelihood; integrated (d) Inclusion of informal vendors
urban development, and continuous in multipurpose market
efforts to comply with economic associations;
dynamism, government efficiency, (e) Recognition by city officials
infrastructure improvements, and of the important role of
resiliency in compliance to national and informal vendors, particularly
local government pronouncements; as in food security and livelihood,
evidenced by the recognition awards especially among the urban
these cities received for these efforts. poor; this is suggestive of a
While many steps are in their early compassionate stand on the
achievement phase, sustaining them will informal players; and
require more conversations to assess and (f ) Openness and positivity about
learn to further improve iterative planning, collaboration with external
implementation, and monitoring. Some expertise, including the CGIAR
noteworthy steps taken by these two Resilient Cities Initiative in
cities, which are still being negotiated and discussing results and potential
refined, include the following: interventions, particularly
on capacity development of
Pasay City informal vendors. The City
Mayor’s Office has collaboration
(a) Improvement in market with TESDA on training for skills
administration and operation; building, or certification; similar
employee welfare collaboration could be done
Passage of the Market Code with the Resilient Cities Initiative;
in Pasay that clarifies different training facilities and resource
market actors with the end of support can be arranged. The
defining the market players Office is also open for discussions
that the city can focus on. of other progressive options for
Administration and operation the informal sector.
of the city public market are
hands-on through locating Quezon City
two offices: one for the market
administrator and staff (8-hour (a) Passed the Informal Sector
office for supervision, logistics, ordinance in 2016 defining
and monitoring) and the other, the informal economy and the
a 24/7 operations office for informal market sector that
operational functions including becomes the framework for
utilities, cleanliness and order, further regulatory measure and
waste management, security, etc. their inclusion in city planning
Providing lodging barracks at the and programming;
2nd floor of the city public market (b) Provided legislation and
is a welfare approach for market guidance for the registration
employees to ensure better of hawkers that facilitates the
take-home pay by reducing living process of the informal sector’s
expenses at work, where lodgers regularization; and thus access to
are largely dependent on street the city’s development support
food vendors. services in livelihood, capital
(b) Benchmarking for further buildup, and other support
improved market operations, services.
currently ongoing locally and (c) Stepped up the programming
abroad; of improvements in the city
(c) Searching for appropriate public markets’ physical
areas to locate informal market infrastructure, making market
vendors; public spaces convenient and

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

40 and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment
 comfortable to both sellers and To promote urban agriculture, Quezon City
consumers/shoppers, including approved in October 2020 an ordinance
the appropriate location of exempting idle lands from Idle Land Tax
informal vendors. The latest if they are used for urban agriculture for a
to be launched and that had minimum period of 3 years. It collaborates
groundbreaking in mid-2022 is with the Department of Agriculture
Kamuning public market. in promoting and establishing urban
community gardens under the food
Both cities have initiatives on: security and livelihood program toward a
(a) Solid waste management for the more sustainable development of the city.
collection and disposal of market Currently, a drive for expansion is under
trash and waste, household/ way with the establishment of a 7-hectare
residential and commercial/ urban farm, launched in collaboration with
industrial wastes. The exact the Department of Agriculture that mainly
nature and effective utilization provides foundation seeds, technical
of waste management systems assistance, and training.
will need further elaboration
and is beyond this study. Governance is key: that is, building a
However, the assessment points common understanding of the roles
to the existence of a waste of the national and local governments
management system that has in agricultural development and food
potential for bio-recycling that governance. Highlighted during the
supports the other components pandemic are the significant roles of
of integrated urban development both the informal food sector as effective
programs like urban and peri- food distribution links to urban and
urban farm systems. households and urban agriculture as own-
food source in short supply chains. This
The Pasay City example is a case needs further serious consideration for
in point where bio-conditioners urban development planners in search of
from the materials recovery food security, livelihood, and sustainable
facility (MRF) are plowed back for development. The local governments, as
use in barangay or community exemplified by Quezon City and Pasay,
gardens for free. A significant are best suited for collaborative food
part of these is market wastes governance that will enable local trade
(coming from12 primary/ facilitation and value addition. They have
secondary markets in Pasay City, the ability to mobilize local resources
38 secondary markets in Quezon and make a rapid response in promoting
City, and 41 satellite markets or suitable innovations. City authorities will
talipapa). need to fully understand the critical role
(b) Urban agriculture- an important of the informal market sector in food
component of urban security, in urban agrifood value chains, in
development planning; both the generation of livelihoods and incomes;
cities are the first pilot sites of the and urban resilience on the whole (Evans
urban agriculture initiatives in the 2019, Roever and Skinner 2016, Roever
1990s. 2014).

Pasay City’s solid waste These observations can best take

management is conceived to forward the Resilient Cities Initiative to
be linked to its community or establish collaborative partnerships with
barangay gardens. However, this the two pilot cities for improving the
still needs further assessment and informal food markets through capacity
planning for a more integrated development. Such approach aims mainly
and effective system. to improve their capacities and mindsets,

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment 41
 business skills and practices, enabling relevant to the Resilient Cities
them to deal with related trading issues Initiative and contributes to
on food safety, hygiene and sanitation, resilient urban agrifood systems.
nutrient knowledge for trade and value This indirectly improves the
addition, waste/trash recycling and use, security of food chain of the
and access to business development informal vendors through greater
support services. Importantly, in-depth feasibility in developing short
consciousness of their role in food vegetable supply chains of
and nutrition security and sustainable lowland tropical vegetables, as
socioeconomic development of the well as improved distribution and
respective cities needs to be ingrained. consumption links.
As to implementation, LGU partners • Collaborative partnership of
should have a common understanding government agencies with the
with the project that the target resiliency private sector, civil society, and
criterion cannot be effectively achieved international organizations has
alone but in partnership with all relevant increasingly become a strategy
agrifood system actors and development for effective development work
partners, including consumer and civil within an environmental context
society groups that play a role in the (i.e., urban agriculture, solid waste
transformation of the food system. management. food and livelihood
security), including but not
The informal food sector: limited to improved food market
insights for ways forward system objectives.
• Informal food vendors are well
Key emerging issues integrated into urban food
systems, but this integration is
The significant findings and emerging only beginning to be visible to
issues addressed in this rapid assessment planners, decisionmakers, and
study relate to the LGUs and the informal policymakers; the latter may
food markets. These are summarized in the need technical assistance and
following: policy advice –resilient cities
project potential for partnership.
• Enhanced governance initiatives Transformative policies like the
to improve food market systems Pasay and Quezon City ordinances
include improvements in market should be reviewed and further
administration (e.g., market improved in order to change the
monitoring, security, employees’ perspective that informal vendors
welfare) and operations (e.g., are a public ‘nuisance’ and to
physical infrastructure/facility positively harness their positive
improvements, and benchmarking contribution to resilient urban
for better location of vendors), areas.
and enabling policy environments • Informal food vendors
(e.g., regulatory ordinances, own- significantly contribute to urban
produce marketing promotions). food security, livelihood, and
Informal vendors are being income generation, especially
recognized by including them among the low-to middle-
to become members of market income populace. Thus, there is
cooperatives and associations. an overarching need to enhance
• Integration of food security their enterprise capacities to
and livelihood, climate-smart improve business skills, expand
initiatives, urban agriculture, etc. their consumer base, improve
has become an advocacy and their ability to sell and promote,
approach in urban development facilitate access to capital to
programs. This is significantly improve vending facilities, and

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

42 and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment
 inculcate safety and hygiene water supply for cleaning and sanitary
among vendors, among others. practices. Personal care and childcare
These increase the likelihood of facilities are additional considerations
greater contribution to secure as women are largely part of this sector.
livelihoods and resilient urban Locating informal food vendors with other
agrifood systems. informal commodity sellers in one single
market facility or informal food vendors
Common local government taken as a group and relocating them
responses would likely leave many households less
food secure. This does not consider the
The pilot cities maintain a compassionate spatial aspects of food distribution and
stance toward the informal food sector, access and removes certain food chain
clearly recognizing its role in food nodes that low-income and less food-
provision, employment, livelihood and secure households rely on.
income generation. Steps have been
taken for their formalization—facilitative Also, relocating them in places away
registration, inclusion in the formation from the concentration of their markets
of market association or cooperative, will negatively affect the viability
tolerance for coexistence in business of their business. Understanding of
with formal stall owners, and planning for how location affects food access and
relocation to an improved market facility. business relationships is needed by local
But further details of effective operation governments and urban planners to plan
need to be clearly laid out. the relocation of informal vendors to
There are also recent initiatives of improve their physical market conditions
integrating marketing in the urban (Skinner et al. 2018).
food security and livelihood program
as an extension or as improvements of
local marketing initiatives with the DA- Regularization
KADIWA food supply provision during The regularization of the informal food
the pandemic. The feasibility for realistic sector is already under way through a local
improvement of the sector depends on ordinance that facilitates the registration
the specifics of each strategy. of hawkers at the Quezon City Hall.
While Pasay City is still thinking of ways
Relocation to formally recognize and support the
informal sector, it has started the process
Location specificity could be critical of benchmarking. Authorities may need to
with informal vending having diverse consider the constraints that this process
conditions to effectively operate. It is may present to the informal vendors. The
important to assess the spatial aspects current procedure of the barangay giving
of food distribution and access to help permission to informal vendors to operate
ensure the viability of vendors’ location in talipapa or street corners may need
and help ensure food access by the to be assessed in terms of operability. A
poor households (Giroux et al. 2021). consultative process may be facilitated with
Vendor-specific types of intervention the informal vendors for a win-win strategy.
considering linkages with suppliers and This may be difficult but could help
consumers and critical conditions like improve efficiency in terms of the number
hygiene and sanitation practices, food and spatial location of the vendors and
quality standards, and waste/garbage the greater likelihood of establishing an
disposal are non-negotiable. Safety, amenable food system (Giroux et al. 2021).
hygienic selling environment, and
security can be significantly enhanced by The case of Singapore on formalizing the
making available areas for informal trade, informal vendors in the 1960s provides
including shelter, areas for sorting and useful insights. This is a benchmark case
packing, and storage and ensuring good

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment 43
 when Singapore was still a developing Market infrastructure and
city-state (Ghani 2011). By area, Singapore marketing and related support
is about the same size as Manila; yet services
Metro Manila currently is a robust
consumer market; the latter, three times The pilot cities have included
more populated. Metro Manila has more improvements in market physical
global street food types comparable with infrastructure and facilities (including
Singapore than the traditional-food types waste management) in their market
of other Asian cities. development programs. Pasay is
challenged due to its already congested
About 40,000 hawkers selling food public market space, whereas Quezon
and other low-cost goods and services City still has a bigger land area. In both,
were active in the streets and along the however, proximity to residential areas
Singapore River. Serious food safety via affordable transport routes can be an
and environmental issues then haunted issue. Installing store kiosks in strategic
authorities. A licensing and inspection accessible public spaces like parks, public
scheme was introduced with a main markets and offices, or terminals can be
strategy of relocating vendors to hawker more feasible for the informal vendors like
centers: 54 centers built in the late the Quezon City pilot project, (i.e., selling in
1970s and an additional 59 in the early kiosks made of tents near the city hall and
1980s. After which, in the next decade, a park).
“regulate and educate” policy was phased
in to improve hygiene practices. The The facilities and utilities of street food
centers were increasingly recognized vendors can benefit from improved access
in their role as important community to financing their food stands/stalls, with
elements for social interaction. In 2001, technical assistance on design. A few
a huge investment was done (US$420 vendors reported getting minimal financial
M) for the hawker centers’ upgrading: support. But this needs to be done in a
largely infrastructure improvements more systematic basis. Marketing and
complete with needed facilities and promotions assistance will need to be more
equipment (e.g., freezers, cleaning areas); rationalized and linked to seasonal supply
and improvements were continuous or production patterns of vegetables and
to accommodate additional hawkers consumer perspective of street food.
(2014: additional 6,000 vendors). They
continue to be favorite places and have Proposed alternative
loyal customers, an attraction to tourists strategies
(Tefft et al. 2017). Note that Singapore is
a city-state as big as Metro Manila, but Capacity strengthening of the
only about 20% as populous. Thus, more informal food vendors
urban poor benefit from food provisioning
and livelihood. Further, tourists can serve To increase the effectiveness of their
as additional markets for more viable contribution to resilient cities, the
informal enterprises. assessment has indicated that the
informal food vendors can benefit from
A case where a city with similarities to strengthening of their enterprise skills,
Metro Manila successfully dealt with consciousness and practice of food
regularization of the food system in a safety, hygiene and sanitation, nutrient
participatory way through stakeholder knowledge of raw and processed foods,
engagement is Bangkok (Boosabong waste recycling and use, regulatory
2019). policies and a broad understanding of the
agrifood systems. On the whole, capacity
strengthening improves livelihoods of
vendors and contributes to the efficiency
of the food marketing-consumption

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

44 and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment
system, especially serving the low-income The FBS-GCC is a community-based
urban population. Building partnerships business cycle-long participatory learning
with the city governments and other that builds enterprise skills among farmers
relevant stakeholders to implement this as they interact with market chain actors.
capacity strengthening is key. The curriculum adopts a value chain
framework that could have a perspective
The informal food vendors (both similar to that of agrifood systems. The
vegetables and street food) identified very FBS-GCC has been adopted in the IFAD-
similar key capacity strengthening and funded project with the DA-Bureau of
learning needs in order to improve their Fisheries and Aquatic Resources into
business capability. These needs include: the Aqua-based Business School with
Gender and Climate Change (ABS-GCC)
• Business/enterprise skills, which perspective and as Value Chain Business
include entrepreneurship School (VBS) in India CIP-World Bank
consciousness, micro-scale selling APART potato project.
and merchandising techniques,
sorting and packaging, basic Improved integration and support
financial literacy, sanitation and of informal vendors in business
hygiene practices, supply and associations
sales monitoring, among others
• Enhancing product knowledge Engaging vendors under a supportive
(e.g., quality standards, nutrition) environment can be done by encouraging
to improve product nutrition and them to join business associations where
contribute to nutritious diet of they can have a voice. Specifics can follow
urban consumers from a consultative process where vendors
• Access to market information and can effectively communicate their needs,
assistance and supply information constraints and aspirations, and negotiate
for cost- effective operations for solutions. Business organizations are
• Developing/improving the venues where vendors can continuously
consumer base through product improve, learn, and innovate with and
promotion and other means from other members or mentors. They
• Improved skills in accessing can negotiate more strongly as a group to
financial assistance pursue plans or push for some solutions
and can better leverage for technical
For capacity development of informal or financial assistance or other support
food vendors in pilot cities, the CIP- services (FAO 2007). In the Philippines,
developed manual and learning guide, organizations can better access assistance
“Farmer Business School with Gender and or are preferred beneficiaries for support
Climate Change Perspective” (FBS-GCC), services.
will be revised to fit the learning needs
of informal vendors. Developed as the Partnership and specificity
Vendor Business School (VBS), it will have of approach
a similar agrifood system perspective
with gender and climate change. Critically Partnership for transformative change is
relevant issues (food safety, hygiene essential. Local authorities should consider
and sanitation, food and nutrition, etc.) that, formally, vendors lack an institutional
surrounding the vendors’ contribution to partner with whom they can negotiate
Resilient Cities Initiative will be integrated. for their rights and responsibilities, and
The information gathered from interviews they may not understand regulations. No
with vendors and officials and direct agency has the monopoly of knowledge,
observations are the inputs to the revision expertise, and operational adequacy to
of the FBS-GCC manual and learning plan and implement a complex urban
guide. development for resilience program across

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment 45
 time and spatial dimensions. Giroux et other words, food resilience. Thus, the
al. (2021) note spatial differences and nature of analysis and trend of discussion
vendors’ and consumers’ needs in cities; center on an assessment of the informal
thus, a one-size-fits-all approach for food markets, both the spaces themselves
integration of informal vendors into the and also the key actors in those markets,
food system is less likely to be successful informal vegetable vendors, street food
in terms of economic development, vendors, and those responsible for the
household food security, and urban management of the markets.
resilience.
Some conclusions may be made about the
LGU partnership with government and informal food markets:
non-government agencies, private
sector, and civil society is gaining ground. ● Local governments need to accept
Involving informal vendors in a relevant the current reality that almost half
consultative process will give them a voice of all employment is informal in
and participation in understanding their urban Asia (ILO 2018) and a large
challenges and finding feasible solutions. part of that urban employment is
They lack institutional partners with whom related to wholesale and retail food
they can negotiate for their needs as well vending (FAO 2007). The markets
as make them understand regulations and where food vendors operate are
responsibilities. Participatory consultation very important economic and
with vendors (e.g., issues of relocation social spaces, which often have
and registration of businesses) can be infrastructure and organizational
facilitated. It may be difficult but it could problems that market managers
be done with determination. are trying to address, but with
major challenges where they need
support.
Conclusions ● Informal food markets, like the
vegetable and street food markets,
The ever-growing body of literature are increasingly significant parts
toward understanding component of the urban agrifood system
systems aimed at resilient cities is rich characterized by a) diversity
and multi-faceted, engaging various in supply-market chains (e.g.,
disciplines, levels, and tools of analyses, long and short chains) in terms
perspectives, and approaches. The of structure, conditions, and
boundaries can be so seamless that the relationships that are specific
suggested integrative approach, at times, to the respective location and
seems difficult to manage. A clear broad commodity; and b) lack of visibility
framework, some guides and toolkits for and voice in policy formulation
analyses should be useful and forthcoming and implementation and social
from various international organizations development programs.
(FAO 2020, Skinner et al. 2018, WB and FAO ● Informal food vendors are key links
2017, ADB 2014). Focusing on a subsystem between multiple food production
can be a pragmatic strategy to deal with locations and consumers in all
the complexity without losing the whole types of markets (i.e., primary,
conceptual framework to put in context secondary, satellite), and food
the interconnectedness. vending is a source of livelihood
and income for many actors
The current perspective of the urban across the food system, especially
agrifood system focuses on improving the benefiting the urban poor.
efficiency of the informal food markets ● Informal food vendors need to
and harnessing its huge potential to be viewed as assets of the urban
enhance food and nutrition security, in food system and included in

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

46 and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment
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Urbanisation ASIA 4 (1): 173-190. United Nations, New York. 30 p.
Roever S. 2014. Informal economy monitoring UN Habitat. 2022. World cities report 2022:
study report: street vendors. Cambridge, envisaging the future of cities. UN
MA; WIEGO. http//wiego.org/sites/wiego. Habitat, Nairobi, Kenya.
org/files/publications/files IEMS-Sector- United Nations Human Settlements
Full-Report-Street Vendors.pdf Programme (UNHSP). 2017. Trends in
RoeverS, Skinner C. 2016. Street vendors and urban resilience. UN Habitat, Nairobi,
cities. Downloaded from eau.sagepub. Kenya. 152 p.
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library/details/fr/c/274002/ developing countries: lessons from Asia.
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farming system. Feeding cities and
enhancing resilience.

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment 49
 Annexes
Annex 1. Field work activity schedule
Date Activity Particulars/ Key persons interviewed
First field work
3 July: 4:00 PM Arrival Manila
5:30–9:00 Meeting with ATI Points/issues discussed:
Director, Ana Mula,
Arma Bertuso, Julie Status of DA-ATI director under new leadership; not
Roa clear, work as usual; courtesy resignation of previous
administration appointments as of July 31.

ATI director committed to support Phase 1 – rapid

diagnostics part – of the project; including field support
staff and facilitation of UA field visits, meetings and
discussions with UAP key officials.
Libertad Market, Pasay Reconnaissance survey/informal interview of market
City public market officials and vegetable vendors.

Primero de Mayo Uno Informal interviews of vegetable vendors; 6 pax

Talipapa
4 July Wowee Market Informal interviews of fruit and vegetable vendors; 2 pax
5:00–11:00 AM (bagsakan at night;
retail by day)
2:30–5:00 PM MEGA Q Mart, EDSA Wholesale of fruits and vegetables at the back side of the
Quezon City; Private market
market
Retailers and Q Mart grocery are in the middle section.

Dry goods sellers are in front along EDSA

5:00–5:30 CARTIMAR Market closed at 1:00 PM. Security guard information:
bagsakan night market from midnight to early morning;
deliveries to orders of suki are done from early morning to
about 12:00 noon.
5 July Visits to community Bgy. Holy Spirit Community Garden: Interview with Mr.
8:30 AM–1:00 PM and urban gardens: Wally Canque and team of vegetable grower-traders from
community and Benguet
schools San Diego Elementary School Vegetable Garden and
Rooftop Café: 171 teacherss, ca. 4000 pupils
Commonwealth High School Garden: 10,000 students, 320
teachers
Balara Elementary School Garden: 4000 pupils, 120 teachers
1:45–2:15 PM Meeting with field work Orientation meeting with field assistants to conduct key
assistants informant interviews; instrument provided
Meeting with DA-urban FGD with the DA urban agriculture program team: ATI
agriculture program – Director Ana Mula with 2 staff; BPI UAP/Director HVCC –
team Glenn Panganiban with 3 HVCC/BPI staff; AMAS- Ramon
Niedra

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

50 and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment
 Date Activity Particulars/ Key persons interviewed
6 July 10:00 PM to Night market visits/ Padre Rada-Divisoria: interviewed bgy tanod market-in-
6:00 AM interviews charge;

Camote wholesale trader; vegetable vendors

Commonwealth Market, Quezon City; interviewed 5

vendors; 1 market staff; 1 stall owner
7 July 1:30-4:00 PM Training at the ATI 5 ATI staff to conduct key informant interviews in Pasay
Director’s office and Quezon City markets with ATI director. KIIs include
vendors (fixed stall owners, ambulant vendors, talipapa
vendors, street food vendors). Deadline July 25; meeting as
necessary
Second field work
1 August Arrival; mid-AM Status and updates with ATI on the conduct of the KII;
collected completed instruments; others not present;
Meeting at ATI, up to rescheduled another meeting on the 3rd
3:30
Pasay, PM and Cartimar, Reconnaissance street food vending; interviewed 2 street
evening food vendors (barbecue pork, chicken and parts; pares);
Cartimar reconnaissance
2 August Libertad public market Review visits to vegetable vendors and market
and talipapa administrator for FGD schedule with Pasay city officials;
interviewed 2 street food vendors (fried chicken meal; 2
stalls of 1 owner)
PM VSU office; review of secondary data/information and
materials; related literature
3 August AM Pasay city hall Focus group discussion with 7 city hall officials led by the
chief of staff; included city planning office, administrative
staff, market official, city environment resources office
PM Scheduled visit to Cavite, bgy Tanza etc peri-urban farms
cancelled due to conflict schedule with the contracted
vehicle

Continue review of materials at VSU office.

4 August AM Quezon city hall Discussion with the Sustainable Development Affairs
Unit (SDAU) chief and aide: integrated food security and
livelihood program of the city
PM ATI-DA office Meeting with ATI director and KII field staff; submission
of completed instruments; request for additional KII from
Kamuning market
7 August 6:00 AM Back to Leyte
Up to August 16 Field work, ATI staff; KII of vendors (vegetables and street food) at Kamuning
intermittent market; follow-up of gaps
Up to September Intermittent schedule Secondary data/information, related materials and
literature review; data processing, analysis, organization

Report writing
Note: Includes Activities 1, 2 and 3 of deliverables. A report was submitted for Activity 1. Current report is the deliverable for Activities 2 and 3; but includes the whole of
rapid assessment of informal food vendors, including the highlights of Activity 1.

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment 51
 A. Food vendors (fixed or mobile)

52
Name: _________________ Market location: _____________________ Type: _________________________

Any
What can you say about the volume of
classification of
Sources (check who Volume/ week (kg); Buying price traded veggies/eggs (specific) last year?
Selling price (PhP/kg) veggies/eggs,
from & supply area) variations in seasonality (Php/ kg) Before pandemic by how much? What
and differences
Year could be the reason?
in price?
Vegetables/ started
eggs selling a. trader/W Volume now is: H, higher ( )
b. trader/R Peak Grades and L, Lower ( )
Lean mo. Peak mo. Lean mo. Lean Peak
c. grower/farmer mo. prices Than last year; before pandemic. Pls
d. grower-trader give reason(s)

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment
Selling status and prospects, practices, needs
• Who are your buyers? From where? Do they have preferred vegetables; specific varieties/cultivars preferred?
Other preference specs

• Which of the veggies currently sold have the biggest contribution to sales income? Any variations in sales? If so,
why? Which veggies/eggs can be improved in quantify of sales, pricing? How? (e.g. quality, packaging, variety
selection, etc.)

• Which among the veggies/eggs have shown increasing demand now? in the future? Why?

• Which among the veggies/eggs have shown decreasing demand now? in the future? Why?

• What are the problems in selling veggies/eggs?

• What would you like to be doing differently next year? in 3 years’ time?

• How has the pandemic affected your selling? Did you get support?

• Are you willing to work with others to improve veggie vending/marketing? How do you think can this be done?
What is your possible role?

• What types of support services do you need in improving your business?

Market information ______________ Selling/business skills ___________

Supply info/ links ________________ Utilities, water/cleaning __________ ; Water/drinking _________

Promotional support _____________ Waste disposal _________________

Packaging ______________________ Lighting ______________________

Selling/business skils _____________ Others _______________________

• Do you have other household income sources? How big is the contribution of your vending veggies/eggs?

• Are there other household members helping? In which work do they help? (supply contact, preparation for
selling, selling, etc.). Is help regular, occasional, seasonal, etc.?

• How did you get your vending location? Arrangement type? Local requirements? What is the status? How is this
secured?

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment 53
Cost & returns (specify period: week, month, etc.) ___________________

Items Cost Particulars

Veggies sold Per veggie; quantity & price
Labor
Handling
Packaging
Utilities
Other items (as applicable)
Depreciation
Interest

Income:
Per veggie quantity & price

Net income:

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

54 and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment
Annex 2. Key informant interview guide for informal food vendors
CIP WP2 Urban Initiative
Guide for Key informant interview and FGD for vendors
July–August, 2022

Rapid market appraisal for vegetables and processed street food

The RMA is done in selected Metro Manila markets at different types and levels as to the relevant supply
chain (i.e., pref short chain) of the food street vendors to get a whole set of information/data specified in
the data/information guide. If selling mixed vegetables, choose the main commodity with the highest
contribution to sales or income.

Guide A is the interview guide for vendors/sellers. Guide B is used for street food vendors (i.e. banana cue,
bbq of chicken parts, port meat, chorizo, etc.) while Guide C is done with related supplier to the vendor, who
can be a local grower/gardener/farmer (urban, peri-urban).

Name of key informant: ____________________________________

Date of interview: ____________________________________________

Place of origin: _______________________________________________

Observation/thumbnail sketch
[Write down briefly observation on the physical facilities/infrastructure around the selling area; any is-
sues, events that are relevant to selling. Also, briefly describe the circumstances or conditions during the
interview; including disturbances around the environment affecting the interview].

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment 55
 B. Street food vendors (processed food)

56
Name: ________________________ Location: _____________________________________

Information on processed products

Raw material supply

Street food (own Average volume / source (own, direct Purchase price /kg Average volume of raw Product selling price/ Vending location Arrangement; how
processed) daily, week growers/farmers, retail (main ingredient) material/month pack(s) (fixed, mobile, etc.) location is secured
stores, etc.

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment
Selling status and prospects, practices, needs
• Who are your buyers? From where? What are their preference specs?

• Which of the street food currently sold have the biggest contribution to sales income? Any variations in sales?
If so, why? Which can be improved in quantify of sales, pricing? How? (e.g. quality, packaging, variety selection
etc.)

• Which among the street food have shown increasing demand now? in the future? Why?

• Which among the street food have shown decreasing demand now? in the future? Why?

• What are the problems in selling street food?

• What would you like to be doing differently next year? in 3 years’ time?

• How has the pandemic affected your selling? Did you get support?

• Are you willing to work with others to improve street food vending? How do you think can this be done? What
is your possible role?

• What types of support services do you need in improving your business?

Market information ___________ Selling/business skills ____________

Supply info/ links _____________ Utilities, water/cleaning __________; Water/drinking________________

Promotional support __________ Waste disposal _________________

Packaging ___________________ Lighting ______________________

Selling/business skils __________ Others _______________________

• Do you have other household income sources? How big is the contribution of your vending street food?

• Are there other household members helping? In which work do they help? (supply contact, preparation for
selling, selling etc). Is help regular, occasional, seasonal, etc.?

• How did you get your vending location? Arrangement type? Local requirements? What is the status? How is this
secured?

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment 57
Cost & returns (specify period: week, month, etc.) ___________________

Item Cost Particulars

Street food sold Per food; quantity & price
Labor
Handling
Packaging
Utilities
Other items (as applicable)
Depreciation
Interest

Income:
Per veggie; quantity & price

Net income:

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

58 and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment
 Annex 3. Common street 2. Meat-based: fried—chicken
food sold in study sites meat and parts, hotdog and
other processed food
The types of street food shown are those
sold by key informant vendors in the study
sites. These are barbeque products and
beef pares in Pasay City, the fried chicken
combo meal and snack foods in Pasay
market. Photos of other street food were
added as examples.

A. Meat-based
c
1. Barbecue: grilled pork and
chicken meat, and chicken parts d

(c) Fried food (d) Cooked squid (e) Fried chicken

such as fish ball, kikiam and rice meal at
b balls, squid and kwek-kwek Pasay market
balls, kikiam (small, quail’s
(b) Pork and kwek-kwek eggs) are dipped
barbecue common in in sweet or spicy
many stands dip/sauce.

Inset: uncooked 3. Meat-based: soup

3 pork and
7 chicken parts: a
2
5 1 – pork meat,
2 – pork liver, 3 -
pork -cheeks, 4 –
4
1 pork coagulated
6
blood, Betamax,
5- chicken
a
gizzard,
6 – chicken
(a) Mixed intestines, IUD, (a) Beef pares
barbecue stand 7 – chicken head stand in Pasay
on a bicycle – Walkman (1) with rice
along the combo; (2) with
street of Pasay mami (noodles)
City. Most of combo
the customers
are workers in
department
stores and
residents living
in this street

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment 59
 4. Non-meat-based

a b

(a) Pasay public (b) Primero de

market: white Mayo public
cheese, puto, market: ube
suman, bibingka, puto, biko,
cassava cake, bibingka,
sapin-sapin, cassava cake,
leche flan and sapin-sapin,
others kutsinta and
others

(c) Banana and

sweet potato
fried snacks

Informal Food Markets in Quezon City

60 and Pasay City, Philippines: A Rapid Assessment
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