Quezon City this week hosts an international workshop on food policy, uniting public health experts and city leaders from six countries to advance healthier, more sustainable food environments.
The three-day event is part of the Partnership for Healthy Cities, a global network of 74 cities working to prevent noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
Delegates from Amman, Bandung, Colombo, Jakarta, Muscat, and Quezon City—alongside teams from the World Health Organization and Vital Strategies—are sharing best practices on food procurement standards, calorie labeling, and enforcement systems.
“Quezon City’s journey to better food policies was not built overnight. Through evidence-based interventions, multi-sectoral collaboration, and citizen participation, we continue to expand healthier food choices that help prevent NCDs and protect public health,” said Mayor Joy Belmonte.
Quezon City is showcasing several pioneering initiatives, including:
• Healthy Diet in Schools Ordinance (SP-3252 S-2023): Ensuring nutritious meals in public schools to support children’s health and learning.
• Healthy Public Food Procurement (EO 16 S-2021): Requiring all city-procured food to meet national and WHO nutrition standards.
• Calorie Labeling Ordinance (SP-3254 S-2023): Mandating restaurants and fast-food outlets to display calorie information to guide consumer choices.
“Cities like Quezon City are showing how strong leadership, evidence-based policies, and collaboration can transform the food environment to protect people’s health,” said Farhad Ali, Deputy Director Asia Pacific Region for the Partnership for Healthy Cities at Vital Strategies. “Through the Partnership for Healthy Cities, we are proud to support this momentum and share lessons across the region, so that healthier choices become easier choices for everyone.”
Field visits and peer-learning sessions form part of the program, fostering collaboration across regions.
Since joining the Partnership in 2017, Quezon City remains the only Philippine city in the network, leading on nutrition, food systems, and healthier environments.
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About the Partnership for Healthy Cities
The Partnership for Healthy Cities is a prestigious global network of 74 cities committed to saving lives by preventing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and injuries. Supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies in partnership with WHO and the global health organization Vital Strategies, the initiative enables cities around the world to deliver a high-impact policy or programmatic intervention to reduce NCDs and injuries in their communities. For more information, visit https://cities4health.org
