THERE are many reasons why Quezon City (QC) is ready for the world. One of them is because of its business-friendliness. The other reason is because of its strong positive relationship with the business sector, represented by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry-Quezon City (PCCI-QC). The city was adjudged the Most Business Friendly City of the Philippines by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 2023 and 2024, along with the elevation of the PCCI-QC to the Hall of Fame as the Most Outstanding Local Chamber of the country.
There had been many projects jointly undertaken by the local government unit (LGU) and the local chamber. On Feb. 28, the first QC International Business Conference happens, which signals the city’s preparedness for the businesses of the world.
QC, being the country’s biggest city, occupies the territorial jurisdiction of 171.71 square kilometers or 17,171 hectares, which accounts for a quarter of the entire National Capital Region. It has a population of 3,137,062, making it the most populous city in the Philippines, excluding a visiting population which moves to the city for reasons of education, work, government transaction or entertainment. And the city is privileged to have good governance.
Governance par excellence
Behind the success of the city is a world-class leader. Mayor Joy Belmonte is a 54-year-old leader who has been recognized by the United Nations Environment Program and is enlisted as one of the 50 Sustainability Leaders by Forbes magazine. She leads QC as one of the 119 A-list Cities.
She holds a social science degree from Ateneo de Manila University and a graduate degree in archaeology from University College London.
A business-friendly technology-transformed city
Mayor Joy Belmonte’s Business Permit and Licensing Division team, headed by Margie Santos, strengthens the Ease of Doing Business in the City through a streamlined process that it continuously seeks to improve. The city is a four-time Overall Most Competitive LGU awardee of the Department of Trade and Industry.
Under QC Biz Easy, a new business permit is processed in an hour, while its renewal takes only 10 seconds with free delivery of the hard copy of permits, with receipts.
Under the automated zoning evaluation system, the appropriateness of business in a location can be determined real time. Businesses are geotagged using artificial intelligence, enabling the tracking of trends at patterns of businesses using all these data.
Through the amended Quezon City Local Economic Development Incentives Code, there is a two-year tax exemption for new, relocating and expanding medium and large businesses in the city. There are also business incentives for businesses in the creative industry, urban agriculture and low-cost housing.
The QC E-Services portal has 145 online services and transactions, including tax payment through your preferred payment option. In 2024, Online Business Tax Assessment was rolled out and used by 45,000 taxpayers with online tax payments reaching P152.4 million.
A total of 22,824 building permits and clearances have been issued which generated almost P300 million through QC Build Easy, which received the Government Best Practice Recognition in 2023. Simple permit applications take three days and one week for complex permits.
Friendly to startups
QC has become the country’s Innovation and Startup Capital through the StartUP QC program โ the first and the largest of its kind in the country, and Pangkabuhayan QC.
The POP-QC, which showcases the proudly original products from the city, has assisted around 600 entrepreneurs and cooperatives who collectively earned P18.6 million so far this year.
Sari-sari store owners and other nano-entrepreneurs have become legitimate business owners. The Market One Stop Shop, launched last year, has grown more than 2,000 stallholders across all eight efficiently managed public markets, where 90 percent of vendors have capability for a cashless transaction.
Business conference going international
The PCCI-QC, the voice of business in the city, is headed by its president, Arnel Mateo. The board is chaired by architect Alfred Carandang.
Ably chaired by its chairman emeritus Carl Balita and president emeritus Sarah Deloraya-Mateo, the PCCI-QC’s Quezon City Business Conference has dared go international for its 5th Business Conference. The event is in partnership with the local government. It will be held on Feb. 28 at the QC MICE Center.
Mayor Belmonte will be the keynote speaker of the event, with the theme “Building Tomorrow Together: Future-proofing Business, Driving Sustainable and Fostering Equitable Economy.” This topic is close to her heart as QC strives to pioneer a lot of sustainability initiatives and future-proofing efforts, in an equitable society.
The one-day event gathers three Cabinet secretaries, namely Maria Cristina Aldeguer-Roque (trade and industry); Renato Solidum (science and technology); and Ivan John Uy (information and communications technology). Israel’s ambassador to the Philippines, Ilan Fluss, will share the startup ecosystem as experienced by Israel. National University of Singapore professor of marketing and academic director for executive MBA, Prem Shamdasani, will talk on the topic “Collaborative Visions: Shaping a Sustainable and Equitable Future Business and Society.” The president of Vietnam International Entrepreneur Networking Club Dinh Vinh Cuong will represent Vietnam businesses in the conference. Other foreign speakers include Hiromi Aoki (Japan), Paula Mills (Australia), Daniel Obrado Calzado (Spain), Karman Yuen (Singapore), Alexander Titov (Russia), among others. Foreign embassies have been invited to bring their delegations, too.
The event also gathers the leaders of business organizations in the country like Consul Eunina Mangio (president, PCCI); Sergio Ortiz Luis (president, Philippine Exporters Confederation); Chris Lim (chairman, Philippine Franchise Association); Rosemarie Bosch-Ong (chairman, Philippine Retailers Association); Rhoda Caliwara (president, Women Business Council Philippines); and Armand Gutierrez Jr. (president, Philippine Association of Legitimate Service Contractors). The forum will focus on the essence of collaboration for business success and social purpose.
The event has power-packed speakers for specialized topics, including Miss Earth 2017 Karen Ibasco (on From Profit to Planet); social entrepreneur Illac Diaz (on Measuring Impact Beyond Profit); Mansmith chief behavioral strategist and author Chiqui Escareal-Go (on the Four-Gate Model of Entrepreneurship); Digital Pilipinas convenor Amor Maclang (on Global Digital Economy); and young entrepreneur leader Aries Balanay and Uratex director Peachy Balanay (on Future-proofing Businesses), among others.
The event will also showcase the initiatives of the QC local government with its panel of executives, namely Michael Alimurung (city administrator); Margie Santos- Mejia (head, Business Permit and Licensing Division); Juan Manuel Gatmaitan (head, Local Investments Promotions Office); Mona Celine Marie Yap (head, Small Business Cooperative Development Promotions Office); and Sherry Gonzalvo (city assessor).
This year will also turn over the chairmanship of the QCIBC to Roselyne Marie Balita and Josie See.
PCCI-QC commits to act, deliver and make a difference.
As the world has become one small global village, doing business may be anchored on the vision of expanding overseas and shifting the mindset of entrepreneurs from navigating local success to capturing global opportunities that are vast and inviting. But beyond profit, business needs to be mindful of its equitability for its people and the ecology of the planet โ its deeper purpose.
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