The NCR’s labor force participation rate in 2013 for the NSO-LFS was estimated at 63.5 % of its working age population while those not in the labor force was 36.5%. Applied to the city, this is estimated at 1,348,546 of the labor force population with 775,149 persons not included in the labor force which is composed of mostly housewives, students, retirees and PWDs. The 2013 NCR Integrated Survey of Households by NSO (Percent Distribution of Employed by Major Industry) listed the top five (5) industries with highest employment, namely:
- Wholesale and retail Industry with the highest number of employed persons at 24.4% share;
- Manufacturing sector with 10.4%;
- Construction Industries at 9.1%;
- Administrative and support services at 8.4%; and
- Accommodation and food services with 8.2%.
It could be noted that in terms of type/business classification, wholesale and retail also had the biggest number in the registered business database of the City. The NCR 2013 unemployment rate is 10.3% or an equivalent of about 138,900 unemployed persons in the City.
Industry and Service
The City’s economy continues to be dominated by small to medium-scale business establishments engaged mostly in the distribution of finished products and in the provision of basic services. There has been an increasing trend in the number of registered businesses from 2008-2013, with the latest total count reported at 64,515 with 13,417 as new and 51,098 renewals.
The Industry sector had a 6.12% share of the total registered businesses of 3,497 in 2013. This was composed of those in the Manufacturing segment (eg. printing/publishing, assembly of motor vehicles, fabrication of metal, steel and aluminum products, etc.)numbering to 2,233 or 3.46% share; followed by Construction which is composed of construction of buildings, site preparation & development, Architectural and Engineering works, etc.with 1,709 establishments (2.65%) and those in the Electric, Gas & Water Supply with only a total number of 5 registered establishments.
Data for the year 2013 showed that 93.88% of registered businesses belonged to the Services sector. The biggest shares were from those businesses engaged in the Wholesale/Retail Trade which totaled to 27,922 or 43.28% of total registered businesses. It is also the number one business revenue source of the city and shown to be increasing in number in the last three (3) years. The second major business type in the City is the Real Estate, Renting and Other Business Activities, i.e. those engaged in leasing of real properties, consultancy and law offices, janitorial/ messengerial/ labor services, real estate broker and developer. It registered a total of 17,461 (27%) businesses.
Those engaged in Hotels & Restaurants Activities ranked 3rd in number with a total of 4,318 followed by Other Community, Social & Personal Services (e.g. beauty salons, dress shops, computer shops, etc.) which registered 3,947 businesses. Other succeeding types are as follows:
- Financial Intermediation -composed of banks, pawnshops, money shops and financing & holding companies, etc.) with 2,855;
- Transport and Communications – transport companies/operators, trucking/hauling services, forwarding/freight services, radio & TV networks, etc. with 1,8722 establishments;
- Health and Social Works- hospitals, clinics, laboratories, etc. with 1,274 establishments; and
- Education – composed of the colleges, universities, vocational schools and other training institutions.
By and large, the tourism industry in Quezon City continues to be a major con-tributor to the country’s economic growth, hence considered as one of the tourists spots in the Philippines. Travelers that contributed the largest share of visitors come from South Korea, United States of America, Japan, and China.
The location of Quezon City in relation to the visitors’ entry points (Airport and Pier) has contributed greatly to the inflow of various tourists in the City. QC is the main gateway, linking Metro Manila to all Northern and Southern Luzon expressways. It is easily accessible from the major highways, thoroughfares and mass transit systems. It has the Epifanio De los Santos Avenue (EDSA) – as the longest highway in the metropolis and the Commonwealth Avenue – as the country’s’ widest. It is so expansive that its eastern areas are connected to the main C-5 high¬way. It offers easy access to the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) that takes tourists to their destinations at Clark, Subic, Baguio and other parts in Northern Philippines. The City has numerous bus terminals where tourists can take a land trip to provinces in Luzon. It has also the light railroad systems that include the LRTs and MRTs stations that are interconnected within the City for tourists to commute easily.
As a powerful growth engine, tourism catalyzes economic development, produces huge exchange movements and accommodates big investments. The City intends to capitalize on its tourist marketing points, such as:
QC As Wellness Center
One of the main reasons for tourists to visit the City is the existence of its foremost medical institutions. A fast-evolving reputation is that of being the wellness capital of the Philippines. The Quezon City is the only city with a high number of internationally renowned specialty hospitals that can form the base of a thriving health & wellness industry. It has the most number of hospitals with the biggest bed capacity. Among the sixty (60) government and private hospitals in the City are the internationally known St. Luke’s Medical Center (international-standard hospital facility), Philippine Heart Center (well-equipped, specialty hospital in cardiovascular), National Kidney and Transplant Institute (premier, ISO-certified facility for renal disease & organ transplant), Lung Center (specialty hospital for pulmonary diseases) and the Philippine Orthopedic Hospital. These medical institutions are often sites of medical conventions/forums/seminars and serve as the destinations of physicians interested in learning new/modern developments in medical fields. Quezon City is a pioneer in the use of stem cell therapy, a famous upscale medical treatment now available at National Kidney Institute and St. Luke’s Hospital.
QC is also the site for numerous health and other wellness services such as diagnostic, dental health and beauty clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health spas, alternative healing centers, and the now very demanding physical fitness centers/gyms. Located also in the metropolis is a unique residential convalescent and day care homes for the elderly and retirees suitable for domestics and foreign clients. These services-oriented endeavors places the City well into a center of health and medical tourism industry.
QC As An ICT Capital
Quezon City has been declared as the ICT Capital of the Philippines having the highest concentration of IT Parks/Economic Zones and having the biggest contribution in the growth of Business Pro¬cess Outsourcing-Call Center Industries, IT infrastructure and educational programs, as well. The City plays a major role in the growth of ICT field. Based on data from the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), there are at present thirty-three (33) ICT Parks/Buildings in the city. The Eastwood City Cyberpark in Libis was cited as the first and biggest IT Park in the country. It also boasts of a so-called “Silicon Valley” in the Philippines which is the Science and Technology Park area along Commonwealth Avenue.
The industry continues to be a significant attraction for local and foreign tourists/investors with still other ICT projects being developed in different parts of the City. ICT empowers tourism, with its newly develop e-commerce system already taking over the entire country. Thus, tourism finds an effective marketing ally in ICT.
QC As Entertainment and Recreational Center
The City has been known as a Center of Media Operations be¬cause of its high concentration of television and radio stations prompting the title of the “Entertainment Capital of the Philippines”. Located in the metropolis are nine (9) major television networks including two of the country’s media giants — GMA (Kapuso Network) and ABS-CBN (Kapamilya Network). Quezon City is also a shopping mecca due to a number of big shopping malls/complexes taking center stage in every dense community cluster.
QC As National Government Center
Envisioned as a center for tourism, Quezon City is the seat of many im-portant government offices such as the Batasang Pambansa, the Sandigang Bayan, Civil Service Commission, Office of the Ombudsman, etc. Aside from its location of being a National Government Center, it is also the site of the nation’s Executive, Legislative and Judicial offices such as the Department of Natural Resources (DENR), ment of Agriculture (DA), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), etc.
QC As Educational Center
Quezon City boasts of numerous learning institutions that are at par with the best in Asia and in the world. Two of its well-known universities—the government-run University of the Philippines (UP) and the Jesuit-owned, Ateneo de Manila University continue to graduate students that shine in their various fields of endeavor. Vocational schools that offer trade skills and business in their curriculum are found in the different barangays. Quezon City boasts of numerous learning institutions that are at par with the best in Asia and in the world. Two of its well-known universities—the government-run University of the Philippines (UP) and the Jesuit-owned, Ate¬neo de Manila University continue to graduate students that shine in their various fields of endeavor. Vocational schools that offer trade skills and business in their curriculum are found in the different barangays.
Quezon City has also metamorphosed into a highly urbanized area, with its historical artifacts carefully restored and preserved. A wide array of historical sites/landmarks and tourism oriented facilities can be found in and around the City such as, the Pugad Lawin Shrine where the first freedom cry of the Filipinos was held and the EDSA shrine where a bloodless 1986 People’s Power Revolution was showcased to the entire world.
