MOST COMPETITIVE. La Union is named the seventh most competitive province in the country, based on the 2023 Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI) of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), in a social media post on Thursday night (Sept. 28, 2023). The local governments were ranked based on economic dynamism, government efficiency, infrastructure, resiliency, and innovation. (Photo courtesy of provincial government of La Union)
MALASIQUI, Pangasinan – La Union has been named the seventh most competitive province in the country, based on the 2023 Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI) of the Department of Trade and Industry-Competitiveness Bureau (DTI-CB).
In a phone interview on Friday, DTI La Union provincial director Merlie Membrebre said the ranking was based on the local government units' (LGUs) overall performance in the five pillars of competitiveness, including economic dynamism, government efficiency, infrastructure, resiliency and innovation.
Provincial rankings are based on population and income-weighted average of the overall scores of cities and municipalities under a province, according to DTI.
Membrere said the first-class LGUs of La Union contributed to the overall ranking of the province.
“Tulung-tulong scores nila to make La Union land in the top seven (Their scores helped to make La Union land in top seven),” she said, adding the provincial government has also played a vital role in pushing and supporting the LGUs to do better.
Among the LGU top awardees in the CMCI in the province of La Union this year were San Fernando City as Top 3 in the government efficiency pillar (component city) and Top 5 in the resilience pillar (component city).
The towns of Agoo, Sto. Tomas, Pugo and Bagulin were Top 2 for 1st and 2nd class municipalities, Top 1 for 3rd and 4th class municipalities, and Top 2 and Top 10 for 5th and 6th class municipalities in the resiliency pillar, respectively.
The Bacnotan LGU also won the top indigenous people filers award, while the Pugo LGU ranked ninth in the infrastructure among 5th and 6th class municipalities.
The Aringay LGU landed on the 7th spot in the most improved LGU for 1st and 2nd class municipalities.
“May mga economic dynamism pero malakas resiliency kasi whatever calamity comes ready pero need trabahuin innovation and economic dynamism (There is economic dynamism in the province but the strength of the LGUs is in resiliency as whatever calamity comes, they are ready but there is also the need to work in innovation and economic dynamism),” Membrere said.
The CMCI, she said, is a “very good basis” for planning as it identifies the strengths and weaknesses of the LGUs.
She hoped that La Union’s ranking would attract investors to come to the province as it proves that doing business in the province is good.
Membrere said the DTI and the Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO) in the province have constant communication as they organize activities that would be beneficial to all stakeholders.
She reminded the LGUs to continue to work on achieving a high ranking in the five pillars to maintain the province’s standing.
“In partnership with a provincial government we would like to benchmark in those areas (who are in the top rankings) and create a team that will focus on the pillars and determine what possible programs should be introduced to help the province rise up in its ranking,” she said.
In her social media post on Thursday night, La Union Governor Raphaelle Veronica Ortega-David said the province rose from 11th last year to 7th this year.
“The road to this accomplishment has been paved with the unwavering commitment of our residents, the tireless efforts of our local businesses, and the dedication of our public servants. Truly, this accomplishment is a manifestation when we work together as one, there are no limits to the heights we can reach,” she said.
The list of awardees was announced by DTI during the Philippine Creative Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Congress held at The Manila Hotel on Thursday night. (PNA)
