Quezon City, Philippines: QC Cares

In 2025, Quezon City, Philippines, was selected as a grantee of the Global Cities Fund for Migrants and Refugees (GCF), the MMC’s instrument to channel international funding directly to cities to implement inclusive projects of their own design. With support from the GCF, Quezon City will establish the city’s first member-owned, city-supported cooperative for domestic workers—both local and returning from abroad. Through savings and credit schemes, members will gain access to training and job-matching services, expand their social protections, and transition into secure, self- directed livelihoods—helping to break generational cycles of poverty.

Quezon City is the largest and most populous city in the National Capital Region (NCR) of the Philippines. The city hosts a large population of domestic workers, including individuals employed locally and those who have returned from jobs overseas (Migrant Domestic Workers, MDWs). Most local domestic workers are women from poor or disaster-affected regions of the Philippines who enter the profession as a survival strategy. However, domestic work in the Philippines remains characterized by low wages, long hours, and limited access to legal protections and social security. These precarious conditions have pushed millions of Filipina women to enter the overseas labor market as MDWs, where they often face rampant abuse, violence, and exploitation. Upon returning to the Philippines, MDWs face challenges finding dignified and safe livelihoods and often re-enter domestic work locally. 

Despite the significant economic contributions of local and returned overseas domestic workers in Quezon City, there is no dedicated entity or support structure focused on helping them pursue economic development or transition into more secure, sustainable livelihoods. 

Check back later for more updates on Quezon City’s grant!

Check back later for more updates on Quezon City’s grant!