New Iloilo City rules hit mobile food vendors

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

Mobile food kiosks and food trucks in Iloilo City face a 20-meter exclusion zone from schools, hospitals, churches, and government offices, among other ordinances under a newly approved ordinance that sets the first comprehensive regulatory framework for the city’s fast-growing street food sector.

The City Council on Wednesday, April 8, approved an ordinance regulating the operation of food trucks and mobile food kiosks in the city, authored by Councilor Rudolph Ganzon, chair of the Committee on Trade and Commerce.

The measure secured majority support, although Councilor Sheen Marie Mabilog raised a qualified objection to provisions on restricted areas, saying some may be “anti-poor” and could limit opportunities for small vendors.

“The City of Iloilo recognizes the rise of food trucks and mobile food kiosks as legitimate and innovative business models that generate employment, support local farmers and suppliers, and contribute to the city’s tourism and cultural identity,” the ordinance read.

“There is a need to regulate such operations to balance entrepreneurial opportunity with public safety, consumer protection, and environmental responsibility,” it added.

Food trucks, under the ordinance, refer to a self-propelled, motorized vehicle designed and equipped to function as a fully contained mobile kitchen, capable of preparing, cooking, storing, and serving food and beverages on-site.

Mobile food kiosks are defined as non-motorized, portable, towable, or movable units such as a cart, stall, trailer, or similar structure used for the preparation, display, or sale of food and beverages.

Ganzon clarified that food vendors exceeding the 2-by-4-foot portable table size set for ambulant vendors are covered by the new ordinance.

The ordinance sets a 20-meter buffer zone around what it calls “sensitive institutions” — which include schools, hospitals, churches, government offices, and similar establishments — unless operators secure special permits or prior written approval from authorities.

“This provision aims to safeguard the health, safety, and quiet enjoyment of sensitive facilities,” the ordinance read.

Mobile food vendors will also be prohibited from operating in officially declared “no-vending zones,” including high-traffic intersections, fire lanes, and emergency access routes. Authorities may further ban operations in any area where vending could obstruct traffic, block pedestrians, or pose safety risks.

The ordinance emphasizes that food trucks and kiosks must not impede the flow of vehicles or people, nor create hazards in public spaces. Violations of these location restrictions could lead to suspension or revocation of licenses, along with fines and other penalties.

Ganzon said the ordinance will give mobile food vendors the “legality to exist” and operate their business.

“They do not have business permits and we are now giving them and we are now giving them identity. What we are after is regulation because they cannot fall in the existing ordinance on ambulant vendors that falls in the Special Services Division,” he said.

“That is why mobile food kiosks have to be legalized in some way so that the ordinance of the city can give them the chance that they have their own identity — that is why we passed this ordinance,” he added.

Under the ordinance, all operators must secure a Mayor’s Permit and a Mobile Food Vendor License before operating.

Licenses will be valid for one year, while temporary permits for events may be issued for up to 15 days.

Applicants are required to submit multiple clearances, including barangay clearance, sanitary permits, vehicle registration for food trucks, health certificates for food handlers, and a waste management plan.

A Technical Regulatory Committee, headed by the Business Permits and Licensing Division, will oversee implementation, including inspections, designation of vending zones, and enforcement of rules.

The ordinance further imposes health, safety, and environmental requirements, such as mandatory sanitation compliance, proper waste disposal, fire safety equipment, and restrictions on wastewater discharge and noise.

Penalties for violations include fines starting at PHP 1,000 for the first offense, increasing to PHP 3,000 and a 15-day suspension for the second offense, with possible license revocation for repeated violations.