TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
Senate
of tljf &'raTtnrp
25 AUG 20 AID 52
SENATE
S. No.
RECEIVED BY:
Introduced by SENATOR CAMILLE A. VILLAR
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE MAGNA CARTA FOR AMBULANT VENDORS
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Section 3, Article XIII of the 1987 Philippine Constitution provides that the State 
shall afford full protection to labor, local and overseas, organized and unorganized, 
and promote full employment and equality of employment opportunities for all. This 
recognizes that ordinary Filipino workers - both in the formal and informal sectors - 
are the backbone of the economy. It is through their sheer hard work that our country 
can achieve genuine economic progress.
Informal workers in the Philippines, particularly ambulant vendors or street 
vendors, face challenges due to the lack of secure employment contracts, benefits, 
social protection, and representation. The 2018 Informal Sector Survey reveals that 
the informal sector employs 15.68 million people in the Philippines, representing 38% 
of the working population and contributing significantly to the economy.1
Despite such contributions, ambulant vendors, a vital part of the informal 
sector, operate outside legal frameworks and face vulnerabilities due to absence of 
social protection. Additionally, they frequently encounter challenges including the 
threat of eviction and confiscation of goods, further destabilizing their livelihood. They
1Philippine Institute for Development Studies (2023). Retrieved from: https://vrow.pids.gov.ph/details/news/in- 
the-news/informal-power-opinion-piece-by-george-royeca


also struggle with insufTident capital leading to inadequate income. Sufficient 
government support will alleviate their plight.
Thus, there is an urgent need for comprehensive legislation to protect their 
rights and enhance their social security. The proposed Magna Carta for Ambulant 
Vendors seeks to address these issues by providing a legal framework that ensures 
their rights, protection, and support mechanisms. It also aims to recognize their 
contributions, safeguard their livelihoods, and promote their welfare, thereby fostering 
a just and inclusive economy.
In view of the foregoing, the expedient passage of this measure is earnestly
sought.
CAMILLE A. VILLAR


TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
S. No. 1221
A/.
Senate
iBSfitr cf (iK in- lar
.HP
25 AUG 20 AI0 52
RECEIVED BY;
Introduced by SENATOR CAMILLE A. VILLAR
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE MAGNA CARTA FOR AMBULANT VENDORS
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
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SECTION 1. Short title. - This Act shall be known as the "Magna Carta for
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Ambulant Vendors".
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Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to:
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(a) Recognize the significant contribution of ambulant vendors to the economy,
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to protect, promote, and fulfill the rights of every worker including the right
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to self-organization, just and humane conditions of work, access to social
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protection programs and services, access to justice, and the right to security
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of and in the workplaces;
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(b) Promote a just and dynamic social order that shall ensure the prosperity
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and independence of the nation, and free the people from poverty through
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policies that provide adequate social services, promote decent and
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environmentally sound and full employment, a rising standard of living, and
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an improved quality of life for all; and
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(c) Improve the quality of life of every Filipino as mandated by the Constitution.
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Towards this end, the State shall protect the vendors from being deprived


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of their livelihood as well as the rights of consumers and the generai pubiic 
from any negative effect that the vending industry may have on the 
environment and on societal welfare and well-being.
Sec. 3. Coverage-J\\\s Act shall cover only those ambulant vendors who are 
registered pursuant to this Act.
Sec. 4. Definition of terms-ks used in this Act, the following terms shall mean:
a) Ambulant Vendor - any individual who sells goods or offers non-professional 
services by moving from place to place, without a fixed business location, 
and typically uses portable means like carts or stands and operate in public 
spaces, such as streets and parks;
b) Security of and in the workplace - refers to the right of every registered 
ambulant vendor to an enabling environment that guarantees and protects 
the spaces to undertake one's work, including the right to be safe in one's 
designated workspace and freedom from discrimination, risk, danger, 
doubt, anxiety, or fear of being removed, evicted, or prevented from 
working;
c) Social Protection Floor - refers to a set of basic social security guarantees 
designed to ensure that all registered ambulant vendors have access to 
essential healthcare, income security, and other necessary services. It aims 
to protect workers against poverty, vulnerability, and social exclusion by 
providing a minimum standard of living through coordinated government 
support and resources.
Sec. 5. Rights of Ambuiant Vendors. - Ambulant vendors shall be entitled to 
the rights accorded to workers by the Philippine Constitution, the Labor Code of the 
Philippines, as amended, and relevant international human rights instruments and 
international labor standards. These rights include but are not limited to:


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a) Right to safe and secure working conditions safeguarding occupational, 
mental, and general physical health;
b) Right to equal and equitable access to justice for redress of grievances, 
including alternative dispute resolution process; and
c) Right to access social protection and safety nets, labor market programs, 
and social welfare interventions such as social security, health care, and 
insurance.
Sec. 6. Rights of Registered Ambuiant Vendors. - In addition to the rights 
provided under Section 5 hereof, ambulant vendors who are registered with concerned 
local government unit in accordance with this Act shall have the following rights:
a) Right to security of and in the designated vending place assigned during the 
term of such registered ambulant vendor's license;
b) Right to renewal of registration as an Ambulant Vendor for such designated 
vending place, subject to said person's continued qualification as an 
Ambulant Vendor; and
c) Right to security of tenure in the designated vending place as assigned by 
the concerned local government unit.
Sec. 7. Exemptions from License Fees, Charges. - Ambulant vendors shall be 
exempt from paying business license fees, municipal charges, or other fees, provided 
that they comply with the registration requirements pursuant to this Act.
Sec. 8. Creation of a Local Inter-Agency Councii on the Security and Protection 
of Registered Ambulant Vendors-lhe City or Municipal Mayor shall establish a Local


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Inter-Agency Council through an appropriate locai ordinance within one (1) year from 
the effectivity of this Act. The Council shall be responsible for coordinating efforts to 
ensure the security and protection of registered ambulant vendors.
(a) The Local Inter-Agency Council shall be headed by the City or Municipal
Administrator and shall be composed of the following as members:
i. 
Chairperson of the Sanggunian Committee on Market, Business or 
Trade;
ii. 
City or Municipal Planning and Development Officer;
iii. 
City or Municipal Market Administrator, or a person holding an equivalent 
position;
iv. 
Chief, City or Municipal Police;
V. At least two (2) Representatives from the City or Municipal Vendors 
Association and;
vi. In the case of Metropolitan Manila, a representative from the Metro 
Manila Development Authority.
(b) The Local Inter-Agency Council shall perform the following functions:
i. 
Formulate plans, programs, projects or activities that will ensure the 
security of vendors in the workplace for the approval of the Sanggunian)
ii. 
Recommend appropriate measures to the City or Municipal Mayor and 
the Sanggunian to enhance the participation of vendors in local socio­
economic development efforts;
iii. 
Assist in conducting surveys on vacant areas for vending;
iv. 
Conduct regular inspections and monitor the compliance of ambulant 
vendors to health and safety standards.
Sec. 9. Registration ofAmbuiant Vendors. - All ambulant vendors shall register 
with the city or municipality where they are vending or intend to vend within such city 
or municipality's territorial jurisdiction. For this purpose, the concerned Sanggunian
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shall enact an ordinance on the registration of ambulant vendors and governing the 
issuance of business/vending permits to operate for said vendors.
It shall be the responsibility of the concerned Local Government Unit (LGU) to 
register qualified ambuiant vendors. The registration of ambulant vendors shall be 
simplified and shall not follow the regular procedure in registering businesses and 
other commercial activities in an LGU.
In the registration of ambulant vendors, the following documents shall be 
required:
i. 
Valid government issued identification;
ii. 
Certification from the Punong Barangay 
that the vendor is a
resident of the barangay;
iii. 
A duly accomplished Registration Form indicating the workplace where 
such vendor is vending or intends to vend; and
iv. 
Certificate of Indigency.
Sec. 10. Survey on Vacant Areas for Vending. -The City or Municipal Mayor, 
in coordination with the Local Inter-Agency Council, shall conduct a survey to identify 
vacant areas within the vicinity of markets, other vacant public spaces, public parks, 
city or municipal streets, or sidewalks. These areas must be in locations with high 
pedestrian traffic to ensure that vendors can effectively sell their goods.
Sec. 11. Authority to Designate a Workpiace. — Pursuant to the 
recommendation of the Local Inter-Agency Council, the Sanggunian shaW designate a 
workplace or workplaces for vending through an ordinance. The use of a public park, 
city or municipal street or sidewalk for vending purposes shall be subject to the 
provisions of Sections 16 to 21 of the Local Government Code of 1991 and the Land 
Transportation Code, respectively.


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Sec. 12. Prior Consultation Required. - No workplace for vending purposes shall 
be designated as such unless prior consultation with registered ambulant vendors, the 
local police and the affected inhabitants is undertaken.
Sec. 13. Policy on relocation of vending sites. - Registered ambulant vendors 
shall not be arbitrarily deprived of their workplaces by being unjustly ejected from 
their workplaces nor shall their stalls be demolished without due process of law.
Pending the designation of a viable vending area, vendors occupying a public 
place not previously designated as vending site, shall be provided with a viable 
temporary vending site by the city or municipal government.
Sec. 14. Formalization of the Social Protection Floor for Ambulant Vendors. — 
The State shall support, sustain, enhance, or institutionalize the social protection floor 
for ambulant vendors by coordinating resources from various government agencies. 
This will ensure continuous social security and health insurance subsidies for these 
vulnerable workers.
Sec. 15. Social Insurance. - Social insurance programs, including those 
provided by the Social Security System (SSS), the Home Development Mutual Fund 
(PagTBIG), and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), shall, as far 
as practicable, be fully available to registered ambulant vendors. For this purpose, 
policies and mechanisms for their full utilization and benefit shall be formulated by the 
SSS, Pag-IBIG, and PhilHealth.
Sec. 16. Health and Safety Standards. - All registered ambulant vendors shall 
at all times comply with basic health and safety standards to be established by the 
municipal or city government in coordination with the Local Inter-Agency Council.
Sec. 17. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within ninety (90) days from 
the effectivity of this Act, the Department of Interior and Local Government shall 
promulgate the necessary implementing rules and regulations of this Act.


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Sec. 18. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional or invalid, other parts or provisions hereof not affected thereby shall 
continue to be in full force and effect.
Sec. 19. Repealing Clause. — All laws, orders, rules, and regulations or parts 
thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
Sec. 20. Effectivity Clause. -This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,