QC MAYOR JOY BELMONTE HIGHLIGHTS DEBT-FREE STATUS, ₱24.6-BILLION SOCIAL SERVICES BUDGET IN 8TH STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS
Photo screen grabbed: QC Gov coverage video
Quezon City strengthens
social protection, economic growth, environmental sustainability, and
transparent governance as it pursues its vision of becoming a model city for
the country.
QUEZON CITY — Mayor Joy
Belmonte highlighted Quezon City’s continuing transformation into a model city
for inclusive and sustainable development during her 8th State of the City
Address (SOCA), citing the local government’s debt-free status, expanded social
services, strong revenue performance, and commitment to transparent governance.
Belmonte said the city is
gradually realizing its vision of progress despite historical setbacks and
challenges encountered over the past decades. Guided by a 14-point development
agenda, the city government continues to prioritize residents’ welfare, inclusive
economic growth, environmental sustainability, infrastructure development, and
good governance.
A major highlight of the
address was the allocation of ₱24.6 billion, or nearly 54 percent of the city’s
₱45.5-billion budget, to social services this year. Another ₱14.6 billion was
allocated to general services, while more than ₱6.3 billion went to the
economic sector.
Photo screen grabbed: QC Gov coverage video
The mayor also
underscored the city’s prudent fiscal management, noting that Quezon City has
maintained its debt-free status and received an Unqualified Opinion from the
Commission on Audit (COA) for six consecutive years.
Photo screen grabbed: QC Gov coverage video
Photo screen grabbed: QC Gov coverage video
The city was likewise
recognized as a Hall of Famer in Outstanding Revenue Performance by the
Department of Finance after ranking first nationwide among cities in locally
sourced revenues from 2020 to 2025.
Expanded social services
and education opportunities
Quezon City continues to
expand programs for vulnerable sectors, including senior citizens, persons with
disabilities (PWDs), solo parents, and persons deprived of liberty (PDLs).
Through its housing
initiatives, the city has provided decent and affordable homes to 34,000
families, including those previously living in danger zones. Social welfare
assistance, livelihood support, and employment opportunities are also being
extended to qualified residents through city programs and partnerships.
Free medicines and
treatment remain available through city health facilities and partnerships with
PhilHealth’s YAKAP program. The local government has also strengthened hospital
and health center capabilities to improve access to quality healthcare.
In education, Belmonte
announced plans to increase the monthly supplemental allowance for public
school teachers from ₱1,500 to ₱2,000 next year.
The city is also
implementing the QC Safe Schools Whole-of-Community Framework to strengthen
child protection and school safety. As one of only four Philippine cities in
the UNESCO Global Learning Network, Quezon City continues to expand educational
opportunities through scholarships and assistance programs.
These include the QC
Excel Scholarship for student leaders, the MLQ Filipino Language and Literature
Scholarship for creative Filipino writers and journalists, vocational
scholarships at Quezon City University, and college assistance for indigent
adult learners seeking to complete a bachelor’s degree.
Strengthening peace,
order, and public safety
The city government is
investing in community preparedness and emergency response, including
disaster-readiness programs for barangays.
For fire emergencies in
narrow streets and alleys, the city plans to install overhead water tanks with
standpipe systems next year.
Through Project Aurora,
more than 3,000 CCTV cameras have been centralized to facilitate faster
incident monitoring and response.
Following a tragic
incident in Batasan Hills, Belmonte also ordered the dissolution of Task Force
Disiplina. Its personnel are undergoing assessment and training under the
Department of Public Order and Safety, the Traffic and Transport Management
Department, and barangay public safety offices.
Economic growth and
business-friendly reforms
Quezon City contributed
approximately ₱1.4 trillion, or around 6 percent, of the country’s gross
domestic product in 2025, according to the figures cited in the address.
Recognized by the
Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry as a business-friendly city, the
local government continues to streamline services and modernize business
permitting to attract investments and support enterprise development.
Quezon City has also
become the first city to integrate with the eGovPH platform and the Department
of Trade and Industry’s Business Name Registration System, strengthening the
centralization of government services.
The city’s Economic
Development and Investment Plan for 2025–2028 seeks to attract major
investments, strengthen priority industries, support local enterprises, and
generate more employment opportunities.
At the grassroots level,
nearly 180 vendors recently completed the Vendor Business School, which
provides training and practical skills to help small entrepreneurs manage and
grow their businesses.
Flood mitigation and
improved public spaces
To address flooding, the
city continues to implement its Quezon City Drainage Master Plan, including
long-term interventions such as retention and detention ponds in recreational
areas under Project TERRA.
Detention pipes installed
along roads and in covered courts also complement the city’s flood management
efforts.
Meanwhile, the city has
revitalized 370 parks and open spaces and continues to transform roads and
sidewalks into safer, more walkable public areas through QC ReVibe.
The MICE Center has also
been expanded with additional facilities, including the MICE Theater, where
this year’s SOCA was held. The improvements aim to strengthen the city’s
capacity to host conferences, cultural events, and official functions.
The Amoranto Sports
Complex is undergoing renovation and expansion to accommodate additional sports
facilities ahead of Quezon City’s hosting of Palarong Pambansa 2027.
Environmental programs
and renewable energy
Quezon City is
strengthening its environmental initiatives through waste recovery, recycling,
and climate resilience programs.
In partnership with
social enterprise ANTHILL, the city established a Textile Circularity Hub in
Payatas, which has upcycled nearly 100 kilograms of discarded fabric and
generated more than ₱200,000 in sales for local artisans.
The Trash to Cashback
program has also recovered and diverted more than one million kilograms of
single-use plastics from landfills.
In preparation for El
Niño, the city established a Heat Action Team that developed a Heat Resilience
Framework to guide interventions against extreme heat and drought.
The city is also
transitioning toward renewable energy. Solar power systems have been installed
in 36 public facilities, including schools, government buildings, and
hospitals. From January to June 2026, these installations generated more than
3.3 megawatt-peak of clean energy and saved the city nearly ₱14.8 million in
utility bills.
Transparency and
participatory governance
Belmonte emphasized that
responsible governance requires transparency, accountability, and meaningful
public participation.
Through its Open Data and
Open Infra dashboards, the city continues to make government information
accessible to stakeholders and residents, in line with its commitment to the
Open Government Partnership.
The QC Document
Management System has also shifted government processes toward electronic
transactions, reducing paper consumption by 600,000 pages and generating an
estimated ₱1 million in savings.
The city likewise enacted
a Participatory Budgeting Ordinance this year, allowing civil society
organizations to take part in crafting the local budget. In addition, 23
sectors developed their respective People’s Plans, identifying programs and
projects that they want the government to implement in their communities.
Protecting the city’s
gains
In closing, Belmonte
described Quezon City’s progress as the product of collective effort and called
on residents to protect the gains achieved through years of public service and
institutional reforms.
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Photo screen grabbed: QC Gov coverage video
“Mula sa pagiging Capital
City ng dating republika, buong pagmamalaki nating masasabi na ngayon, tayo
naman ay nagsisilbing undisputed model city para sa buong bansa. Naabot natin
ang lahat ng ito dahil nagtulungan tayo,” the mayor said.
She urged residents to
remain vigilant against a return to neglect, favoritism, and fragmented
development planning.
“Kaya’t ang pakiusap ko
po sa bawat isa sa inyo: huwag nating sayangin ang ating mga naipundar. Huwag
nating hayaang bumalik ang ating lungsod sa panahon ng kapabayaan, pabor-pabor,
at pira-pirasong plano. Protektahan natin ang ating mga tagumpay. Patuloy
nating itaguyod ang isang Lungsod Quezon kung saan ang kaunlaran ay may
katarungan, at ang bawat mamamayan ay namumuhay nang may tunay na dignidad,”
she added.
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