The Quezon City government now has it's first-ever permanent store for the "Kilo/s Kyusi: Kilo Store ng Bayan, Tulong para sa Kinabukasan," located at the Quezon City Hall Park and Lagoon.
Launched as part of the celebration of Earth Day and efforts to bolster the city’s learning recovery initiatives, the Kilo/s Kyusi Kilo Store features 'preloved' and brand new items, which are sold in two ways: either by kilo, in which the price is dependent on the weight of the pre-loved items, or individually, in which customers may find newer and higher quality items.
The Small Business and Cooperatives Development and Promotions Office (SBCDPO), along with Mayor Joy Belmonte, has taken the lead in raising awareness about the necessity of reducing fast fashion waste, given that 60 percent of current clothing production consists of synthetic and plastic fibers.
“Kung maaari, pakinabangan sana ulit ng iba ang mga damit na hindi ginagamit na kalaunan ay naluluma lang at nagiging basura. Uso ang fast fashion lalo na at mas mura ito, pero kapalit naman ay dagdag-kalat na hindi mabilis matunaw,” Belmonte said.
The mayor added that the city’s public school children will benefit most from the Kilo/s store.
“Proceeds from the Kilo/s Kyusi Kilo Store are geared towards bolstering the city’s learning recovery initiatives through various tutoring programs focusing on the numeracy and literacy skills of the city’s youth,” Belmonte said.
"Walang hanggang pasasalamat sa ating mga partner na tuluy-tuloy sa pagbibigay at pagdo-donate ng mga pre-loved items kaya naisakatuparan natin ang opisyal na pagbubukas ng permanenteng Kilo Store ng Bayan ngayong Earth Day," she added.
In culmination of the Earth Day celebration, a fashion show by up-and-coming designers featuring garments made of recycled and upcycled textiles will be held on 26 April at SM Novaliches.
The city’s tutoring initiative, known as the "Zero Illiteracy sa QC Program," has been able to deploy a total of 137 capable tutors in 2023.
“It also helped 1,272 QC public school students from 25 schools, with each student receiving 50 hours of tutoring in a span of 25 sessions,” the mayor added.
According to SBCDPO head Mona Celine Yap, the Kilo/s Kyusi Kilo Store was established as a means for QCitizens to donate their pre-loved items towards supporting the city’s educational initiatives.
The inaugural Kilo/s Kyusi store opened from 17 to 21 July 2023, at the inner lobby of Quezon City Hall. It achieved significant success, generating over P1 million in sales from donated pre-loved items of QC government officials and employees, partner organizations, and other QCitizens.
The second, held from 15 December 2023 until 1 January 2024, at the POP QC Mercadillo, Quezon Memorial Circle, was also a success, as it raised P103,722 for the QC Learning Recovery Fund. POP QC Mercadillo’s co-organizer, Ace Events, donated an additional P500,000 for the cause.
“The QC Government hopes to continue the success of the Kilo/s Kyusi Kilo Store through its first-ever permanent store, helping expand the reach of the city’s learning recovery initiatives to more students in the city,” Yap said.
