Consul General Ferrer Calls on Quezon City Mayor Belmonte to Strengthen Startup Ecosystem Partnerships

CONSUL GENERAL FERRER CALLS ON QUEZON CITY MAYOR BELMONTE TO STRENGTHEN STARTUP ECOSYSTEM PARTNERSHIPS

QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES – Philippine Consul General in San Francisco Neil Ferrer paid a courtesy call on Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte at the Quezon City Hall on 30 July 2024.

Consul General Ferrer expressed gratitude to Mayor Belmonte for the warm welcome extended to him. During his meeting with Mayor Belmonte, Consul General Ferrer inquired about the StartUpQC program, and highlighted the importance of partnerships in enhancing the entrepreneurial landscape.

“The Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco, which covers Silicon Valley, is open to fostering innovation and supporting the development of the Philippine startup ecosystem. We look forward to collaborations with the Quezon City government toward fostering innovation and developing our startup ecosystem,” said Consul General Ferrer.

“We find Quezon City’s programs impressive and we wish to highlight these in our engagements with various groups,” he added.

Consul General Ferrer also shared insights on the public-private partnership with Dynamico Space, which includes a mentorship program aimed at supporting startups. He mentioned upcoming trade and cultural missions from various business groups and tourists planning to visit the Philippines.

“We look forward to cooperating with the Consulate and welcoming visitors and potential investors to Quezon City, highlighting our innovative programs, including those that involve human rights protection and promotion for our residents,” Mayor Belmonte said.

Mayor Belmonte welcomed Consul General Ferrer’s visit, and expressed her enthusiasm for potential collaborations, outlining several programs under her administration aimed at promoting economic growth and innovation in Quezon City.

Mayor Belmonte was accompanied by key city officials, including Office of the City Mayor External Relations Officer Tetta Terona, Quezon City Local Economic Investment Promotions Office Department Head Juan Miguel Gatmaitan, Investment Promotions Division Head Joel Emmanuel Sumpaico, and Small Business and Cooperatives Development Promotions Office Department Head Mona Celine Yap.

The StartUpQC Program supports innovative startups through incubation and acceleration activities, infrastructure development, and funding, offering up to PHP1 million for qualifying projects. Quezon City is also in the process of establishing innovation hubs at the Quezon Memorial Circle to further promote entrepreneurship.

As part of its commitment to good governance and ease of doing business, Quezon City has implemented automation in public service delivery, with 100% of permit applications processed through the QC Biz Easy portal as of April 2024.

Additionally, Quezon City continues to advocate for sustainability through initiatives such as the “Kuha sa Tingi” project, which aims to replace single-use plastics with refill systems, and the “Trash to Cash” program, which encourages recycling among residents.

Mayor Belmonte is committed to supporting marginalized groups through various programs including the “No Women Left Behind” initiative, and is a member of the C40, a global network of mayors dedicated to reducing emissions and fostering sustainable communities.

The Mayor also champions LGBTQ rights, with the city holding the biggest Pride festival in the Philippines every year. In 2024, more than 200,000 people participated in the city’s Pride festival. END

Consul General Neil Ferrer receives a book about Quezon City from Mayor Joy Belmonte

Left to right: Office of the City Mayor External Relations Officer Tetta Terona, Small Business and Cooperatives Development Promotions Office Department Head Mona Celine Yap, Consul Vanessa Bago-Llona, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, Consul General Neil Ferrer, Quezon City Local Economic Investment Promotions Office Department Head Juan Miguel Gatmaitan, Investment Promotions Division Head Joel Emmanuel Sumpaico.