AS everyone looks forward to a more prosperous year in 2014, perhaps it
is worth looking back to see how Naga City and other local government units in
Bicol for that matter fared in bringing about economic development and service
delivery during the year just passed.
This way, too, these LGUs will be able to see their strengths and weaknesses
and equip them better in doing their tasks as service providers to their
constituents.
In last year’s 1st Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index held
at the Regional Competitiveness Summit in Makati City, cities and towns all
over the country were ranked to determine their competitiveness based on
indicators that measured each LGU’s Economic Dynamism, Government Efficiency,
and Infrastructure.
It is worthwhile to note that out of the 122 cities and 163
municipalities included in the ranking, Naga City and the capital town of Daet,
CamNorte held the top marks in the infrastructure category, respectively. Daet
was also ranked fourth among the most competitive municipalities throughout the
country.
Still, Naga was ranked 5th in the government efficiency category with a
score of 20.10 where, incidentally, four other Bicol cities made it to the Top
Ten in this category.
These are Ligao City (6th, with a score of 20.08), Iriga City (7th,
with a score of 19.88), Tabaco City (8th, with a score of 19.81), and Legazpi
City (9th, with a score of 19.77).
The top three cities in the government efficiency category were Quezon
City; Koronadal, South Cotabato; and Marikina City.
Government efficiency tracks transparency and accountability, public
finance, performance recognition, business responsiveness, and basic government
services.
In the infrastructure category, data on indicators such as road
network, basic facilities, and registered vehicles are considered.
Following Naga (with a score of 29.54) in this category are San
Fernando City, Pampanga (with a score of 28.58), and Cagayan de Oro City (with
a score of 28.30).
The top municipalities were Daet, Camarines Norte; Mexico, Pampanga;
and Virac, Catanduanes, another Bicol town.
Initiated by the National Competitiveness Council (NCC), together with
the United States Agency for International Development (USAid) under the INVEST
Project, the Competitiveness Index is composed of roughly 30 weighted
indicators measuring Economic Dynamism, Government Efficiency, and
Infrastructure.
Out of the 122 cities and 163 municipalities included in the report,
Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental was ranked the most competitive city
overall. Rounding out the top five cities were Iloilo City, Iloilo; San
Fernando, Pampanga; Butuan City, Agusandel Norte; and Bacolod City, Negros
Occidental. The most competitive municipality was San Francisco, Agusan del
Sur, followed by Guagua, Pampanga; Carmona, Cavite; Daet, CamNorte; and General
Trias, Cavite.
While more than half of the top 50 cities and top 50 municipalities
were located in Luzon, it is interesting to note that the highest-ranked city
and municipality were both in Mindanao.
The results indicate that government initiatives to harness the
potential of the Mindanao region are on the right track.
At the Mindanao Development Forum held last February in Davao,
Socioeconomic Planning Secretary and National Economic Development Authority
Director General Arsenio M Balisacan said that Mindanao “could spur higher
growth for our country and contribute immensely in the attainment of the
inclusive development agenda.”
In the Economic Dynamism category, on the other hand, the top three
cities were Quezon City; Koronadal, South Cotobato; and Marikina City.
The top municipalities were Calasiao, Pangasinan; San Nicolas, Ilocos
Norte; and Sta Cruz, Laguna.
Economic dynamism collects figures on business registration,
employment, and financial institutions, among others.
After last year’s summit, the NCC will be conducting the
competitiveness index report annually to provide LGUs a means to evaluate
performance and formulate development plans.
According to NCC Private Sector Co-Chairman Guillermo M Luz, the report
will not only provide potential investors with information on cities and
municipalities but also enable local governments to better manage themselves.
Based on the indicators, local governments can now benchmark their
performance against each other and eventually against other cities in the
ASEAN.
Department of Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Austere A
Panadero also discussed the Seal of Competitiveness to encourage LGUs to become
more business-friendly and competitive. For his part, Department of Trade and
Industry Secretary and NCC Chairman Gregory L Domingo emphasized the need for
collaboration between the national and local governments, as well as the public
and private sectors, in fine-tuning a comprehensive national competitiveness
plan.
The summit itself was aimed to track competitiveness indicators,
formulate programs to improve competitiveness, and engage in investment
promotion activities to attract investors and create more jobs. – Bicol Mail
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