CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Many are currently striving to make ends meet in quite decent ways due to the extremely
high cost of living. People are selling things on the city's highways and sidewalks as a strategy to
increase their income despite the presence of traffic. In developing Asian countries, more than
50% of the urban working force works in unofficial jobs. The most obvious example of this is
vending on the street. Yet, there are no reliable statistics on street vendors (Recio & Gomez,
2013).
There is no accurate data for street vending or for the informal economy in general due to
the fact that street vending and/or informal sectors are informal activities operating without
registration and licenses. According to the conceptualization of the International Labor
Organization (ILO), the formal economy consists of government entities in addition to registered
private units with fixed premises, while the informal sector includes unregistered business units
such as street vending, agricultural family production, daily construction work, and home-based
enterprises (OECD/ILO, 2019).
Street vendors may work from a fixed location such as a kiosk or sidewalk table, or they
may be mobile. Some combine fixed and mobile vending. Each type of work involves different
regulatory challenges. According to Wiego (2019) street vending offers goods and services in
public spaces that can satisfy the wants of the people thus, it is necessary to apply strategies to
finish selling the products. Street vendors also add vibrancy in many places.
Despite their contributions, street vendors face many challenges. The regulatory regimes
governing where, when, and how vendors may work are often inconsistent, contradictory within
a single area, or inconsistently enforced. Street vendors in many cities are forced to pay bribes or
excessive fines/fees in order to work. In urban planning decisions, the needs of street vendors
and their customers are often dismissed as irrelevant to a modern city's growth. Street vendors
are often evicted by force when their traditional vending sites overlap with sites for proposed
development. And, like members of many sectors of the informal economy, street vendors are
often left out of social protection schemes.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The research study aimed to identify the challenges and contributions of informal street
vendors in Zamboanga City, particularly in Magay. The proponent conducted this study to
interrogate informal street vendors about their experiences. This study will also be beneficial and
insightful to local consumers as well as non-consumers. Specifically, it sought to answer the
following question:
1. What is the demographic of the respondent in terms of:
1.1 Gender
1.2 Age
1.3 Ethnicity
 1.4 Occupation
1.5 Family Status
2. What are the main challenges and obstacles faced by informal vendors in conducting
their businesses within the urban environment?
3. What strategies or innovations do informal vendors employ to sustain and grow their
businesses in the face of challenges?
4. What are the economic contributions of informal vendors to the local urban economy
in terms of income generation, employment opportunities, and economic growth?
5. What policy recommendations can be drawn from the study's findings to improve the
working conditions and economic prospects of informal vendors, while also
enhancing their contributions to the local urban economy?
HYPOTHESIS

Despite a number of challenges, such as limited access to resources, regulatory

restrictions, and market competition, informal vendors play an important role in the local urban
economy by helping to provide jobs, income, and the availability of low-cost products and
services. And the consideration of offering appropriate employment opportunities for individuals
in the informal economy may encourage the development of small enterprises, entrepreneurship,
job creation, and growth in the community's economy.

SCOPE AND DELIMINATION

The subject of this study aims to determine how informal vendors contribute to the local
urban economy. It focuses on exploring the challenges and contributions of informal vendors to
the local urban economy. The gathering of data will be done through a survey questionnaire,
which will be taken in the streets of Magay, Zamboanga City. The main objective of the study is
to understand the current state of the informal vendor sector in the local economy and identify
ways to improve their contribution to the overall economic development of the city.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Teacher. As the study focuses on a specific geographical area, Magay, Zamboanga City, it
provides teachers with a localized case study. This allows educators to create connections
between classroom learning and the real-world economic dynamics in their own community,
making the content more relevant to their students.

Student. The study delves into the real-life economic challenges and contributions of informal
vendors in Zamboanga City. This topic is relatable and relevant to students as it connects their
classroom learning to the economic dynamics of their local community.

Parent. This study enables them to empathize with and learn about the challenges faced by
informal vendors, which can help parents and children develop empathy for individuals
struggling to make a living. This empathy can lead to a greater appreciation for the efforts of
these vendors.
Administration. The study can provide data and insights that help local administrations make
informed decisions related to economic development, urban planning, and policies affecting the
informal vendor sector.

Informed Decision-Making. The research equips local authorities and stakeholders in Magay
with valuable data to make informed decisions about policies, infrastructure, and support systems
related to the informal vendor sector. By understanding the specific challenges and contributions
of informal vendors in this location, they can better tailor interventions and regulations to meet
the needs of this vital economic group.

Informal Vendors. By identifying the challenges faced by informal vendors and exploring ways
to improve their contributions, the study has the potential to empower these individuals to thrive
economically. This, in turn, can enhance the livelihoods of many people within the community.

Local Economic Growth. The study's focus on local economic development underscores the
significance of strengthening the informal vendor sector as part of a broader strategy to stimulate
economic growth within Magay, contributing to the overall well-being of the city's residents.

Future Researcher. While the study aims to identify ways to improve the contributions of
informal vendors to the local urban economy, it may not provide detailed policy
recommendations or implementation strategies. These recommendations, if needed, could be the
subject of future research or policy development.
 CHAPTER II

REVIEW RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDY

Managing the urban environment of Manila David J Edelman Advances in Applied

Sociology 6 (03), 101, 2016 This article brings the contemporary thinking and practice of Urban
Environmental Management (UEM) to the solution of real problems in a major city of a
developing country in Southeast Asia. Such cities confront more pressing problems than those in
the developed world and have fewer resources to deal with them. The study first considers urban
issues, poverty alleviation, industry, transportation, energy, water, sewage and sanitation, and
finance, and then proposes a 5-year plan to help solve the urban environmental problems of
Metro Manila, the Philippines, an environmentally complex, sprawling metropolitan region with
over 24 million inhabitants.
econstor.eu Microinsurance in the Philippines: Policy and regulatory issues and
challenges Gilberto M Llanto, Joselito Almario, Marinella Gilda Llanto-Gamboa PIDS
discussion paper series, 2006 This study assesses the state of microinsurance in the country,
identifies the players and their performance, and the challenges facing microinsurance
development. The term micro pertains to the capacity of a program to handle the small,
sometime irregular cash flows of poor households, who have been excluded in the commercial
insurance system for a variety of reasons. Microinsurance products, specifically designed with
the poor in mind, will help mitigate risks and reduce the vulnerability of poor households. The
most prominent forms of microinsurance are life insurance and health insurance (carried out as
part of an overall health care package that links the health insurance to a health facility), which
have been designed to be responsive to the need of poor households. The paper reports 17
players in the emerging microinsurance industry, consisting of 12 cooperatives, three
NGOs/MFIs, and two transport associations that are offering home-made microinsurance. These
home-made microinsurance products continue to be provided despite their actuarial weaknesses
and lack of financial capacity of the providers because of very strong demand from their
membership for such financial products. Given their advantages over commercial insurance
companies, the mutual benefit associations (MBAs) are the usual vehicles of microinsurance
programs. In 2004, 18 MBAs were registered with the Insurance Commission (IC) with
accumulated assets of PhP14.8 billion. Members equity totaled PhP4.25 billion. The paper calls
attention to the institutional, policy and regulatory issues and challenges facing microinsurance.
Validation Study for the Development of Vendor Business Schools in the Philippines L
Van Der Biezen, P Ricarte CGIAR Resilient Cities is an initiative that aims to enhance city
resilience and sustainability against urban challenges intensified by climate change and rapid
urbanization. A key endeavor within this Initiative is the establishment of Vendor Business
Schools (VBS), providing small food vendors with knowledge, skills, and resources to overcome
the challenges they face in their businesses. With the aim of contributing to the further
development of VBS, this validation study was conducted to identify the key components that
should be incorporated and considered in developing the curriculum. This validation study
focuses on small food vendors from two Metro Manila pilot cities.
Making social health insurance and micro-savings programs work for the informal sector
in the Philippines Mitzie Irene P Conchada, Marites M Tiongco DLSU Business & Economics
Review 27 (1), 107-123, 2017 In the Angelo King Institute annual report of Monitoring the
Philippine Economy, the Philippines maintained its growth momentum in 2014, besting other
Asian economies. Given this backdrop, it is interesting to find out whether various sectors have
benefited from this growth, particularly the informal sector which includes bulk of the poor who
are self-employed and are mostly engaged in the services sector. The intention of this study is
aimed to determine the effect of social protection, particularly social health insurance program
(known as PhilHealth
Skills for the Labor Market in the Philippines Di Gropello, Emanuela World Bank
Publications the Philippines has experienced overall growth over these last twenty years, but the
growth of the manufacturing sector has been sluggish and the country has lost innovation
capacity. Re-gaining momentum will depend on many factors, but skills have a key role to play
to support the growing service sector, help improve the competitiveness of the manufacturing
sector, and, in general, enhance the long-term ability of the country to innovate and adapt and
assimilate new technologies. This book analyzes the functional skills that workers need to be
equipped with to be employable and support firms' competitiveness and productivity and the role
of the education and training system in providing them. It is the most comprehensive attempt so
far to review the skills that matter to employers using an innovative employer skill survey. The
book reveals that a dramatic increase in educational attainment occurred in just under two
decades in the Philippines. However, in view of the growing demand for skills, the book also
makes clear that there are initial indications of emerging skills gaps, suggesting that skills are
becoming a constraining factor for the economy. Several policy implications are fleshed out for
the supply of skills in the country, both overall and by education and training sub-sector, which
we expect to be a valuable contribution to the improvement of the education and training system.
This book is primarily intended to the policy makers which shape the delivery of education and
training in the Philippines and other middle-income countries.
Informal Street Vendors Survival Strategies during the Covid-19 Pandemic Karen Joy
Catacutan, Rona Jay Bernardo, Syra Angelyn Lumaday, Jessa Tabangcura, Justin Marc Benito,
Gladys Tumbali International Journal of Entrepreneurship, Business and Creative Economy 3
(2), 1-14, 2023 Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our government has been forced to implement
strict quarantine measures. As a result, social interaction, particularly among informal street
vendors, has been restricted. The researchers undertook this study to learn more about the
survival methods used by informal street vendors of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan. The current
study used Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis as a qualitative research design. The
informants in this study were 15 informal street vendors who were chosen through a random
sampling … View at journals.researchsynergypress.com [HTML] researchsynergypress.com
diva-portal.org Informal economy in the context of globalization and urban gentrification: the
case of small-scale farmer-vendors in the City of Naga, Philippines Lilibeth Back This study
aims at complementing existing empirical studies that seek to elucidate on the impact of
globalization and urban gentrification processes by placing the local citygeography in the global
South at the forefront of investigation. It investigates, in particular, how the increasing build-up
of large commercial establishments and housing subdivisions are affecting the conditions of
small-scale farmer-street vendors in Naga City, Philippines, including understanding the
challenges of managing their livelihood resources as a consequence of the spatial urban
transformations. A qualitative case-study method was applied for this research study, whereby an
unstructured interview procedure was used in the collection of primary data from randomly
selected respondents involved in small-scale (vegetable) farming-vending at various informal
market locations in Naga City. Secondary empirical data were also gathered from official
documents of pertinent offices of the said city (circulated via print and digital media sources),
educational research institutions, and libraries. An in-depth theoretical review, guided by the
Structuralists and critical postcolonial perspectives, to comprehend the extent of influence and
control of the said phenomenas dynamic processes on the city’s specific informal sector, was
undertaken. To this end, evidences suggest (contrary to the economic gains purported by
neoliberalist) that as global-market expands which influence urban gentrification developments
and its complex ramifications, particularly on the situation of the small-scale farmer-vendors,
produce a Janus-faced outcome, land-resources deprivation, displacement, and eventual decline
or loss of income, as the said affected informal sector struggle for economic survival. The city’s
displayed urban transformation stemming from economic growth, does not ascertain the income
growth and development of its population, particularly the marginalized informal sectors. Said
social disproportions are likewise consequences of predispositions of political and economic
thespians impelled by economic and political motives in congruence with the city’s aspirations
for modernity and global economic competition. View at diva-portal.org [PDF] diva-portal.org
Related articles Street vendors, their contested spaces, and the policy environment: A view from
Caloocan, Metro Manila Redento B Recio, José Edgardo A Gomez Jr Environment and
Urbanization Asia 4 (1), 173-190, 2013 In developing states of Southeast Asia, street vendors
play a significant but frequently unappreciated role in both the vibrancy of public spaces as well
as the informal economy. Yet, they are subject to indiscriminate purges from sidewalks and other
contested territories, which they occupy for lack of provision of spaces in which they could
otherwise do business. But such occurrences, and the conflicts that may follow, can be addressed
by revisiting policies, which seem anti-vendor or which fail to comprehend their presence and
needs. This research studied street vendors of one of the active commuter interchanges of Metro
Manila, the Monumento Station area in Caloócan City, framing their needs, issues and
aspirations against existing laws. Simultaneously examined were typical uses of shifting, often
contested stretches of roads, corners, and easements where hawkers, among other users, daily
negotiate a claim to the city’s space.
Street vendors, their contested spaces, and the policy environment: A view from
Caloocan, Metro Manila Redento B Recio, José Edgardo A Gomez Jr Environment and
Urbanization Asia 4 (1), 173-190, 2013 In developing states of Southeast Asia, street vendors
play a significant but frequently unappreciated role in both the vibrancy of public spaces as well
as the informal economy. Yet, they are subject to indiscriminate purges from sidewalks and other
contested territories, which they occupy for lack of provision of spaces in which they could
otherwise do business. But such occurrences, and the conflicts that may follow, can be addressed
by revisiting policies, which seem anti-vendor or which fail to comprehend their presence and
needs. This research studied street vendors of one of the active commuter interchanges of Metro
Manila, the Monumento Station area in Caloócan City, framing their needs, issues and
aspirations against existing laws. Simultaneously examined were typical uses of shifting, often
contested stretches of roads, corners, and easements where hawkers, among other users, daily
negotiate a claim to the city’s space. View at journals.sagepub.com [PDF] researchgate.net Cited
by 73 Related articles All 7 versions link.springer.com Regulation and evasion: Street-vendors in
Manila Hans F Illy Policy Sciences 19 (1), 61-81, 1986 There are various reasons why the often
stated gap between policy formulation and policy implementation is especially large in
developing countries: ambiguous policy goals, decision-making without considering the needs of
those affected, low degree of compliance and administrative capacity of implementing agencies
etc. What is perhaps most striking is the fact that interest aggregation generally occurs at the
enforcement stage only. This means that laws and regulations can be sapped and distorted along
the lines of the power constellations of the actors involved. The case study presented here deals
with the regulatory aspects of street-vending in the particular cultural environment of a South-
East Asian capital, Manila. It is demonstrated that regulations are more inspired by Western
images of modernization largely removed from the harsh socioeconomic realities of the sector.
Moreover, compliance is minimized by cultural values (conflict avoidance, respect of power
structures) governing the behavior of lower-level administrative agents and hawkers alike. The
overall result is that regulations are purely symbolic and ineffective, nevertheless maintaining a
climate of harassment and extortion. The paper advocates a more positive approach towards
street-vendors combining minimal regulation with measures of encouragement and public
assistance.
The market in the urban informal sector: a case study in metro Manila, the Philippines
Tōru Nakanishi the Developing Economies 28 (3), 271-301, 1990 The objective of this article is
to understand the market mechanism in the urban informal sector, referring to my participant
observation in a certain squatter area in Metro Manila (MM) for a total of one year over the last
few years, from September 1985 to April 1990. It is pointed out that the informal markets are not
necessarily competitive, and an alternative analytical framework is proposed in order to better
understand them. The urban informal sector has been born in the less developed countries
because urban employment has shown very little fluctuation in spite of the high natural growth
rate of population and the large-scale rural-urban migration within the process of
industrialization. This sector consists of the self-employed sector, the cottage-scale economic
units, and the casual laborers. That is to say, this concept intends to explain the huge disguised
unemployed who are not employed by relatively large-scale enterprises (the so-called urban
formal sector). The theoretical models of the urban informal sector have developed as revised
versions of the two-sector models. 1 In these models, the urban informal sector is considered as
one which stands on the opposite side of the urban formal sector. While the urban formal sector
is supposed to have a sticky price system arising from the institutional factors, the urban informal
sector is essentially regarded as one facing perfect competition outside official regulations. In
other words, the urban informal sector has been supposed to be complementary to the urban
formal sector in the dual economy. Now we call these revised two-sector models" traditional."
Extensive observation in a squatter area in MM, however, prompted me to propose a basic
hypothesis that the markets in the urban informal sector are not competitive. Take a sample for
its labor markets. A hired worker needs shelter for emergency because he cannot get a stable job
under the given conditions, while an employer finds difficulty in getting sufficiently stable and
reliable labor. Here the employer tries to maintain long-standing employment relations with
employees, view at onlinelibrary.wiley.com [PDF] wiley.com Cited by 17 Related articles All 4
versions Formalization of Urban Poor Vendors and their Contribution to Tourism Development
in M Anila, P Philippines Yukio Yotsumoto International Journal of Japanese Sociology 22 (1),
128-142, 2013 The growth of tourism and tourism development affects the urban poor both
positively and negatively. Positively, they have more opportunities to find jobs in the tourism
sector or increase their income when their jobs are related to tourism. They can also be the
beneficiaries of pro‐poor tourism projects. Negatively, they are viewed as an obstacle to tourism
development where clean and modern images are sought. This study looks at park vendors (a
type of urban poor) in Rizal Park, Manila, Philippines. This group is unique because it is not
treated as a hindrance to tourism development and the vendors are considered as the beneficiaries
of pro‐poor tourism projects. They are active contributors to tourism development. When a
government agency formalized their businesses, vendors' safety and pride increased. This study
provides a case in which a shift from the informal sector to the formal sector contributed to the
increased welfare of the urban poor. The shift was possible because of a national tourism drive
generating favorable conditions, and the vendors' struggle to obtain the right to work in the park.
In this paper, I discuss how the vendors achieved a legal status and show current conditions of
their work and their relationship with a government agency after obtaining the right. Data for this
study were collected between 2005 and 2008.
Street vendors, their contested spaces, and the policy environment: A view from
Caloocan, Metro Manila Redento B Recio, José Edgardo A Gomez Jr Environment and
Urbanization Asia 4 (1), 173-190, 2013 In developing states of Southeast Asia, street vendors
play a significant but frequently unappreciated role in both the vibrancy of public spaces as well
as the informal economy. Yet, they are subject to indiscriminate purges from sidewalks and other
contested territories, which they occupy for lack of provision of spaces in which they could
otherwise do business. But such occurrences, and the conflicts that may follow, can be addressed
by revisiting policies, which seem anti-vendor or which fail to comprehend their presence and
needs. This research studied street vendors of one of the active commuter interchanges of Metro
Manila, the Monumento Station area in Caloócan City, framing their needs, issues and
aspirations against existing laws. Simultaneously examined were typical uses of shifting, often
contested stretches of roads, corners, and easements where hawkers, among other users, daily
negotiate a claim to the city’s space.
Street vending is often the subject of academic enquiry as it presents an interesting
intersection between public space, economy activities, and temporalities. The latter is significant
as street vending is not often practiced in the same way as professional trading, but rather is
seasonal, or often occasional if it serves as an additional income generator for families. It also
provides a valuable service for the urban poor as it provides food and goods for a lower price. It
can also be fixed in space, mobile (moving from space to space), or continuously mobile (where
items are sold on the move, or on transportation). Street vendors therefore provide difficulties
for city planners, as the informal and temporal use of space is seen as out with the ordinary
usage, and therefore is difficult to predict or control. For this reason, it is often viewed as illegal,
with action often taken against them. For example, in some areas of Metro Manila, officials
previously sprayed their goods with kerosene to cause the goods to be unsaleable (Bhowmik,
2005). Although, as with all industries, there are differences at the local level, with some areas
better able to work alongside officials than others- particularly where the informal economy is
viewed as a boost for the local area than a deficit. This framing of the informal economy is likely
to affect how policies around this phenomenon are delivered.
Engaging the ‘ungovernable’: Urban informality issues and insights for planning Redento
B Recio Journal in Urban and Regional Planning 2 (1), 18-37, 2015 Over the years, studies have
noted the prevalence of urban informality in many countries in the Global South. Yet, despite its
pervasiveness in poor and developing countries, urban informality has often been associated with
ungovernable practices. Ungovernability, however, is never devoid of state intervention. The
literature demonstrates the importance of looking into formal informal nexus in relation to
planning and policy-making. This amplifies the need to analyze how formal and informal
arrangements interact to manage informal economic activities. This paper examines the
interaction of formal governance mechanisms and informal grassroots collective action
initiatives as a way to grapple with urban informality. The discussion of how an informal vendor
organization engages with different stakeholders demonstrates the complexity of informality as a
planning and governance concern. The article thus underscores the critical role of planning, as
part of governance processes, in shaping socio-spatial relations and in managing multiple
arrangements, including informal economic activities, in shared urban spaces.
Street vending represents one of the most visible manifestations of the informal economy
and has been studied for over forty years by various disciplines, especially anthropology,
economics and sociology. Street vending is traditionally rooted in the social and economic fabric
of many southern countries and, therefore, has mostly been studied concerning Africa (e.g., Steel
et al., 2014; Brown et al., 2010), Asia (e.g., Milgram, 2011; Schindler, 2014) and Latin America
(e.g., Crossa, 2009; Donovan, 2008). Nonetheless, in recent decades, interest in the study of the
phenomenon regarding European and North American countries has also increased (e.g., Devlin,
2011; Boels, 2014).
In developing states of Southeast Asia, street vendors play a significant but frequently
unappreciated role in both the vibrancy of public spaces as well as the informal economy. Yet,
they are subject to indiscriminate purges from sidewalks and other contested territories, which
they occupy for lack of provision of spaces in which they could otherwise do business. But such
occurrences, and the conflicts that may follow, can be addressed by revisiting policies, which
seem anti-vendor or which fail to comprehend their presence and needs. This research studied
street vendors of one of the active commuter interchanges of Metro Manila, the Monumento
Station area in Caloócan City, framing their needs, issues and aspirations against existing laws.
Simultaneously examined were typical uses of shifting, often contested stretches of roads,
corners, and easements where hawkers, among other users, daily negotiate a claim to the city’s
space. (Redento B Recio, José Edgardo A Gomez Jr Environment and Urbanization Asia 4 ((1)),
173-190, 2013)
In the Philippines, the liberalization of the country's economy has meant increasing rural
to urban migration and dramatic growth in informal sector trade. Women, in particular, building
on their historical roles as the country's primary public and regional market traders, have made
Philippine city streets their new business venue for itinerant, but viable work selling different
goods: fresh produce, manufactured goods, cooked food – gendered occupations common
throughout Southeast Asia. That their livelihood enterprises occur within public spaces not
customarily used for commercial activities, means that such trades raise questions about who has
access to and rights over such street spaces. Focusing on the growing street economy in Baguio
City, the industrialized and administrative center of the northern Philippines, this article argues
that female street vendors, through their livelihoods, unsettle essentialist categories such as
informal/formal work, appropriate space use, and legal/illegal practice. Many of these women
may appear unprepared for labor organizing, as few have the financial resources or the training,
they need to protect their rights. Yet, by organizing themselves into vendor associations, using
letter writing campaigns and assuming innovative leadership positions, vendors successfully
protested the 2007 Baguio City bylaws banning street trade in the central business district. The
concessions these women won on selected laws enabled them to capture urban spaces
consolidating their access to livelihood despite the constraints they face and the differences
among street-based groups. Recognizing such gendered place-based politics makes nuanced
analyses of Baguio City’s Street vendors important to policy makers and social scientists seeking
to understand how vendors’ actions may contribute to informed renegotiations of rights to
integral work. (B Lynne Milgram, Journal of Developing Societies 27 ((3-4)), 261-293, 2011)
Issues are contested whether informal economy is an opportunity to urban poor or
challenge for urban governance. On the one hand informal economy in the cities of developing
countries has become an opportunity for work and employment to poor, on the other hand it has
created several problems for urban governance. This article argues that street vending has
become an important source of earning livelihood for rural poor in the urban areas, and not only
rural poor are getting livelihood opportunities in the informal economy, this has been providing
goods in cheaper price to another section of urban poor that neither urban authorities nor other
can provide International Journal of Politics and Good Governance Volume 2, No 2.2, Quarter II
2011 ISSN: 0976 – 1195
The inability of street vendors to obtain permanent employment in the lucrative formal
sector is due to their lack of expertise and training in the profession. With the limited money they
have available, they try to solve their financial concerns. This study aimed to determine the
status and problems encountered by street vendors. Solidum, G. (2023). STATUS AND
PROBLEMS OF THE STREET VENDORS: INPUTS FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT
PLANNING. Sprin Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, 2(04), 51–62.
Cognizant of the centrality of food systems in a rapidly urbanizing world amidst
environmental and health risks, the Resilient Cities Initiative will strengthen capacities for
research and innovation in the management of urban food systems in Africa, Asia, and Latin
America. As part of this initiative, the CIP implemented Philippine project aims to improve
urban food systems by strengthening enterprise capacities of informal vendors, thereby helping
to improve food supply and diets of the urban populace and securing economic opportunities,
especially for the urban poor. This initial study reports findings from an assessment of the
participation of informal food vendors in the agrifood systems of two Metro Manila pilot cities in
order to contribute to the design of capacity development interventions in the next phase.
Findings show that informal food vendors play a significant role in food provisioning, livelihood
and income generation across the food chain. They are found to be key links between multiple
food production locations and consumers in primary, secondary, and satellite markets, especially
benefiting the urban poor."(J Roa, 2023)
Redento B Recio, José Edgardo A Gomez Jr Environment and Urbanization Asia 4 (1),
173-190, 2013 In developing states of Southeast Asia, street vendors play a significant but
frequently unappreciated role in both the vibrancy of public spaces as well as the informal
economy. Yet, they are subject to indiscriminate purges from sidewalks and other contested
territories, which they occupy for lack of provision of spaces in which they could otherwise do
business. But such occurrences, and the conflicts that may follow, can be addressed by revisiting
policies, which seem anti-vendor or which fail to comprehend their presence and needs. This
research studied street vendors of one of the active commuter interchanges of Metro Manila, the
Monumento Station area in Caloócan City, framing their needs, issues and aspirations against
existing laws. Simultaneously examined were typical uses of shifting, often contested stretches
of roads, corners, and easements where hawkers, among other users, daily negotiate a claim to
the city’s space.
In the Philippines, the liberalization of the country's economy has meant increasing rural
to urban migration and dramatic growth in informal sector trade. Women, in particular, building
on their historical roles as the country's primary public and regional market traders, have made
Philippine city streets their new business venue for itinerant, but viable work selling different
goods: fresh produce, manufactured goods, cooked food – gendered occupations common
throughout Southeast Asia. That their livelihood enterprises occur within public spaces not
customarily used for commercial activities, means that such trades raise questions about who has
access to and rights over such street spaces. Focusing on the growing street economy in Baguio
City, the industrialized and administrative center of the northern Philippines, this article argues
that female street vendors, through their livelihoods, unsettle essentialist categories such as
informal/formal work, appropriate space use, and legal/illegal practice.
Sally Roever, Caroline Skinner (2016). This paper synthesizes recent research and
evidence on urban policies and local government practices as they relate to street vending, one of
the most visible occupations in the informal economy. It presents the latest available evidence on
the size, composition and contribution of street vending, and reviews the rich literature on street
vending as well as media coverage reflecting the extent of exclusionary policies and practices.
While many analyses explore the reasons behind evictions and relocations through case studies,
this paper draws on participatory methods and surveys to examine the more “everyday”
challenges that street vendors face, even when licensed.
 Redento B Recio, José Edgardo A Gomez Jr (2013). In developing states of Southeast
Asia, street vendors play a significant but frequently unappreciated role in both the vibrancy of
public spaces as well as the informal economy. Yet, they are subject to indiscriminate purges
from sidewalks and other contested territories, which they occupy for lack of provision of spaces
in which they could otherwise do business. But such occurrences, and the conflicts that may
follow, can be addressed by revisiting policies, which seem anti-vendor or which fail to
comprehend their presence and needs. This research studied street vendors of one of the active
commuter interchanges of Metro Manila, the Monumento Station area in Caloócan City, framing
their needs, issues and aspirations against existing laws. Simultaneously examined were typical
uses of shifting, often contested stretches of roads, corners, and easements where hawkers,
among other users, daily negotiate a claim to the city’s space.
J Roa (2023). Cognizant of the centrality of food systems in a rapidly urbanizing world
amidst environmental and health risks, the Resilient Cities Initiative will strengthen capacities
for research and innovation in the management of urban food systems in Africa, Asia, and Latin
America. As part of this initiative, the CIP implemented Philippine project aims to improve
urban food systems by strengthening enterprise capacities of informal vendors, thereby helping
to improve food supply and diets of the urban populace and securing economic opportunities,
especially for the urban poor. This initial study reports findings from an assessment of the
participation of informal food vendors in the agrifood systems of two Metro Manila pilot cities in
order to contribute to the design of capacity development interventions in the next phase.
Findings show that informal food vendors play a significant role in food provisioning, livelihood
and income generation across the food chain. They are found to be key links between multiple
food production locations and consumers in primary, secondary, and satellite markets, especially
benefiting the urban poor.
Zahara Amiri Daudi (2015). This study was designed to assess challenges facing women
informal sector operators in balancing their child caring and productive roles, a case of women
food vendors in Ilala Municipality. Specific objectives were to determine the duration of time
spent by women food vendors in operation of their daily business; to assess challenges facing
women food vendors in balancing time for child care and service delivery; and to explore the
coping strategies employed by women food vendors to overcome the existing challenges.
Graeme Young & Jonathan Crush (2019). The role of the informal food sector in the
urban food system cannot be appreciated or understood without the compilation and analysis of
systematic and representative data on the activities of informal enterprises across a city and along
with food supply chains outside it. At present, there are significant gaps in the knowledge base
about the character, operation, and roles of the informal food sector; a pre-requisite for sound
and supportive governance. This paper presents evidence on the relative importance of the
informal food sector and discusses various methodologies for improving the knowledge base.
Typical urban street landscapes in the third world are dotted with tiny businesses. Street
vendors, who are predominantly women, belong to a sector called the 'informal economy'.
Unregistered and unregulated, these informal businesses are owned by poor, marginalised groups
who depend on them as alternative sources of income for basic survival. In the Philippines, the
informal sector constitutes 50 percent of the country's Gross National Product (GNP) (Enste and
Schneider, 1998). This paper examines the impact of urban environmental features and economic
status on the health conditions of the vendors.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORKS