DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 18 Dec) – Two municipalities and one city in the Davao Region have been recognized as the most improved local government units (LGUs) out of the six cities and 44 municipalities of the five-province region.
Workers sort newly harvested bangus in Panabo City’s Mariculture Park. Mindanews file photo
During the first Regional Competitiveness Awards at the Grand Regal Hotel on Monday, the municipalities of Tarragona in Davao Oriental and Kapalong and Panabo City in Davao del Norte were recognized for being the most improved LGUs based on the 2017 Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI), an annual ranking of the LGUs by the National Competitiveness Council (NCC).
This year’s CMCI showed that Tarragona moved 521 places higher, from 696th place a year ago to rank 175th most competitive this year; Kapalong moved up to 78th place this year from 365th place; and Panabo City moved up to 36th place from 68th.
According to the NCC, the cities and municipalities are ranked on their competitiveness based on an overall competitiveness score, the sum of scores on three main pillars – economic dynamism, government efficiency and infrastructure.
Maria Belenda Ambi, regional director of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), said the Council envisions a more competitive country and to instill a culture of excellence through the public-private collaboration as a means to reduce poverty and attain inclusive growth.
Ambi, who is chair of the Regional Competitiveness Committee (RCC), also highlighted the importance of the index as the data and results generated become a benchmark for government agencies and investors to closely monitor cities and make decisions for budgeting and investing.
She added that it has also enhanced and accelerated the LGUs’ efforts to generate, organize, process and maintain data gatherings, “considering its importance in aid of planning and management.”
“Truly, local competitiveness will lead to better delivery of services and economic development in cities and municipalities – the building blocks of nations,” she said.
“There are a lot of opportunities that can be tapped and challenges to surmount in the environment in which our LGUs operate today, and for an LGU be on top in terms of governance, in providing a conducive environment for business and for service delivery it has to build and sustain its competitiveness,” she said.
Davao City, hometown of President Rodrigo R. Duterte where he served as mayor for over 22 years, was also recognized for placing third in the overall most competitive for highly urbanized cities.
The RCC also cited LGUs that showed economic dynamism – Davao del Sur’s Sulop and Bansalan and Davao del Norte’s Tagum City.
It likewise recognized Davao del Norte’s Braulio E. Dujali, New Corella, and Tagum Cit for efficiency in governance; LGUs under the infrastructure pillar such as Sulop, Tagum, and Compostela in Compostela Valley; and LGUs under the resiliency pillar such as Sulop, Compostela and Tagum. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)
