Abstract:
This study is an inquiry into the effect of interpersonal relationships between
street vendors, formal businesses, and state forces toward street vendors’
occupancy of public spaces, specifically the Quiapo Commercial District, to
preserve their livelihoods. Using Kusaka’s (2017) concept of the Dual Public
Sphere where the middle class and the urban poor negotiate their identities
through the contact zone and Dovey & Recio’s (2024) explanation of the spatial
logic that shows the interdependence of formal and informal parts of the city, this
study sought to discover the perceived interdependencies between the three
groups. Using semi-structured interviews, documentary review, and site
observation, this study also aimed to trace the process of negotiation between the
three groups and its corresponding effects on the livelihood of street vendors and
overall order of public space. Results have found that vendors have a stronger
chance of securing their space if the state forces, especially the barangay officials,
legitimize their presence despite the lack of permit from the Manila City
Government.
