The latest data from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) placed Quezon City at the top among the country's Highly Urbanized Cities, excelling across five key pillars:

Economic dynamism, government efficiency, infrastructure, resiliency and innovation.

As the largest city in Metro Manila and the country, with a population of 3.08 million and a land area of 16,112.58 hectares, Quezon City has steadily distinguished itself as a consistent performer in national competitiveness rankings - a reflection of years of efforts to strengthen institutions, improve service delivery, and enhance the quality of life of its residents.

Under the leadership of Mayor Joy Belmonte, fresh from her participation as a panelist at the World Cities Summit in Singapore, the city has become a model for local government units in building a greener and more livable city, while also inspiring many young Filipinos and public servants to strive for excellence for themselves, for others, and for the nation.

In a sit-down interview with DAILY TRIBUNE, Quezon City Vice Mayor Gian Carlo Sotto shared how the city's transformation into a progressive urban center began with the adoption of good governance practices and anti-corruption initiatives, which have helped shape its progress today.

"During our first term with Mayor Joy, when we were given the opportunity to serve as mayor and vice mayor, as early as 2016 we already filed a Freedom of Information (Fol) ordinance that would give the people access to government documents," the politician said in the interview.

Sotto recalled the period when it took three years before the fol was operationalized in the city, following the signing of Executive Order 2, or the Freedom of Information, in July 2016 by then-Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.

"Honestly, back in 2016, it took quite a long time before it was operationalized in Quezon City. But by 2019, when I was given the opportunity to serve as vice mayor and head the city council, we immediately passed it," Sotto said.

"By 2019, Mayor Joy was already in office, and she signed it right away, which brought us to where we are now," he added.

Beyond this, Sotto also stressed how the work of the Office of the Vice Mayor differs from other offices, reiterating that every office is mandated to uphold integrity and help in the fight against corruption.

"The approval of calamity funds, special education funds, and city development funding - all city budgets, including annual and supplemental budgets, as well as barangay budgets - are carefully scrutinized by our very hardworking city councilors," the city official pointed out.

Meanwhile, another anti-corruption initiative of the local government of Quezon City is the launch of the QC Open Infra Dashboard, a centralized digital project billboard that allows the public to track and monitor city-funded infrastructure projects since 2019.

According to the Quezon City government, the online platform provides comprehensive details on infrastructure projects, including the project title, type, status, location, contractor, cost, start and completion dates and duration.

"We do not just create measures, ordinances, or resolutions. What we do is we talk to the communities, we maintain dialogues with different sectors. We think it is better to have that - it is like an open book, open to all stakeholders, especially our infrastructure projects, particularly after the flood control issues and DPWH anomalies started," Sotto said.

As Quezon City proves itself as a progressive, adaptive, sustainable, and future-ready city, Belmonte and Sotto continue to lead the city's nearly three million residents with dedication, grace, and guidance from the Almighty.

Sotto personally never planned to enter politics, especially given his family background, but later realized that being self-centered left a sense of emptiness in his life.

"Not knowing that all that focus on the self - self-love, self-care, self-gratification, self-glorification and self-satisfaction - can all lead to destruction, he said. "I never decided to enter politics, but it has always been the desire of my heart to serve Godại the public servant added, noting his belief that God's guidance led him to public service.

He also highlighted that being a public servant taught him to improve every day as a person and build character, which became his driving force and faith in serving others. The vice mayor pointed out that challenges remain, with many fellow citizens still experiencing hunger and parents striving to provide basic needs for their families.

Despite these struggles, Quezon City remains committed to continuing the delivery of services, with its leaders at the forefront.

ẠạWe are blessed with a very healthy working relationship with the Mayor, so all our programs, advocacies and laws are really well implemented," Sotto said. "A lot of people have already been helped, and Quezon City has achieved many breakthroughs under the leadership of Mayor Joy," he added.

One of the city's groundbreaking services for QC residents is the Libreng Sakay program. "When Mayor Joy was Vice Mayor and I was a councilor, we already talked about hoping that one day there would be free transportation," he said.

Our perspective in this work should not be about us - it is never about us. It is really about how to improve the lives of the people you serve. Whatever dreams you have for your own children are the same dreams we have for the children of Quezon City" Sotto said correspondingly.

The vice mayor even believes it is part of God's plan that Mayor Joy became Vice Mayor of Quezon City. He revealed that Belmonte - originally an educator and an archaeologist - did not plan to run for the vice mayorship in advance. However, she possesses a deeply people-centered character, a quality that a public servant should have.

"So when the responsibility came to her as Vice Mayor, and I was a councilor, I really saw that she does not just want to lead, but to make an impact in the lives of the people we serve," the city official said.

Belmonte, according to Sotto, is a leader who focuses on developing future leaders, noting that such a leadership approach - prioritizing the success and growth of followers is uncommon among traditional politicians.

"She really wants to build up new leaders.

It is very rare to see a leader who wants their followers to become successful," the vice mayor said.

Sotto stressed that transforming a city with more than 3-million people is not the work of a single leader or office alone, but a collective effort that requires cooperation across all sectors of society.

The vice mayor implied that real progress depends on building genuine relationships between government, communities, and stakeholders, rather than relying solely on formal alliances.

"The only way to succeed in making a difference is to really build relationships, not just build alliances," he said. "In every sector, barangay, or community, what is needed is a strong relationship," the city official added.

Sotto believed that, much like in any family, strong and meaningful relationships form the foundation of lasting stability and progress - a principle that Quezon City also continues to build on across its communities. "Thus, we are blessed that each day, we strive to reach out to one family at a time, seeking to bring a renewed lite and positive change to every household," he said.

The vice mayor also acknowledged that frustration can arise when issues cannot be addressed instantaneously, especially given the city's population of millions, where needs and concerns are vast and constantly emerging.

However, he stressed that the city government adopts a focused and systematic approach, prioritizing one sector or community at a time.

"We try to target one sector or community at a time; in that way, we are moving slowly but surely" Sotto stated.

Despite its gradual and focused approach, Quezon City officials continue to receive recognition and awards, reflecting the city's strong commitment to good governance and effective city-building efforts.

Sotto's recent award was the Gawad Lingkod Bayani Award, conferred by the Civil Service Commission during the Regional Human Resource Management Practitioners Congress on 13 May 2026

The vice mayor also received international recognition, including Asia's Most Outstanding Public Servant and Innovative Vice Mayor of the Year 2024, awarded by the Malaysia Business Leaders and Innovators Awards.

Likewise, Belmonte received the 2025 Gawad Lingkod Bayan ng Pangulo Award, the highest civil service recognition in the country. Notably, she also served as one of the convenors of Mayors for Good Governance (M4GG), a coalition of incumbent mayors from different cities and municipalities in the Philippines committed to upholding the principles of good governance and serving the best interests of their constituents.

Quezon City also recently won the Frontline Protection Award at the Planet Aqua City Awards during Venice Climate Week in Venice, Italy, held from 3 to 8 June 2026.

The project IRISE UP (Intelligent, Resilient, and Integrated Systems for the Urban Population) was recognized as the city's pioneering climate and disaster resilience platform, using advanced technology, real-time monitoring, and artificial intelligence to help protect communities from climate-related hazards, These recognitions, along with various other awards and governance frameworks crafted by the city council, clearly highlight the consistency of the city in pursuit of innovation, resilience, and good governance in public service.

"We do not work for awards or recognitions. It is just a good way of letting people know that whenever we receive a recognition, we always give the glory to God and to the people. It is really the people who are being recognized there. That job was entrusted to you, which is why we always say that this is for the people of Quezon City," Sotto told DAILY TRIBUNE The Office of the Vice Mayor, as Sotto stressed, will continue to strengthen its sports development, anti-drug and rehabilitation programs.

The local government also underscored its commitment to strengthening families through the Filipino Values Reintegration Program to be rolled out among youth, young adults, students and various sectors of society.

"This year, we will be more aggressive in that program so that we can also address the root cause of corruption," the vice mayor said.