MOST IMPROVED. Iloilo City is recognized as the most improved highly urbanized city during the Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Summit 2022 held at the Philippine International Convention Center in Manila on Thursday (Oct. 20, 2022). The inclusion to the roster of competitive cities and municipalities in the list will serve as a magnet for investors, according to Trade and Industry OIC-Regional Director Ermelinda Pollentes on Friday (Oct. 21, 2022). (Photo screen grab from DTI Philippines live streaming)
ILOILO CITY – Five local government units (LGUs) in Western Visayas have joined the list of the country’s competitive cities and municipalities after winning the various pillars of the Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI) during the 10th CMC Summit and Awarding Ceremony held at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City on Thursday.
Trade and Industry Western Visayas Office-in-Charge Regional Director Ermelinda Pollentes, in an interview on Friday, said being included in the list of competitive cities and municipalities was a big honor to the LGU as they were recognized in the five competitiveness pillars namely economic dynamism, government efficiency, infrastructure, resiliency, and innovation.
“This will serve as a magnet to investors in the said LGU that has improved its productivity as a location. Improving productivity allows the LGU to improve the standard of living of its constituents, which results to prosperity,” Pollentes said.
Iloilo City was the seventh among the most competitive highly urbanized cities (HUC) while the municipality of San Lorenzo in Guimaras won as the most competitive LGU for the fifth to sixth class category.
The city was recognized as the most improved HUC and ranked first in government efficiency, third in resiliency, and seventh in infrastructure while San Lorenzo also ranked second in innovation, fourth in infrastructure and economic dynamism, and sixth as the most improved LGU in their respective categories.
“We are happy to share that Iloilo City continues to make a name in progress as we ranked seventh for the overall most competitive highly urbanized city in the entire country and the highest among the Visayas cities,” said Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas in his FB account on Friday.
In addition to Iloilo City and San Lorenzo, three other LGUs in the region were also recognized during the summit namely Leganes and Lambunao from Iloilo province, and Bacolod City.
Leganes ranked third in the infrastructure pillar for the third- to fourth-class municipality, Lambunao was third in the innovation pillar for the first- to second-class category, while Bacolod City was most competitive in the innovation pillar for the HUC category.
CMCI is an annual ranking of Philippine cities and municipalities developed by the National Competitiveness Council through the Regional Competitiveness Committees (RCCs) with the assistance of the United States Agency for International Development.
It is one of the programs of the Competitiveness Bureau of the Department of Trade and Industry.
The 10th year has gathered the participation of 1,631 LGUs all over the country. (PNA)
