CLARK CITY, PAMPANGA — Seventeen (17) Local Government Units in Central Luzon made it to the prestigious Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI) ranking for 2023. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) awarded outstanding local government units (LGUs) in the region during the Central Luzon Creative and Competitiveness Summit held at the Quest Plus Conference Center at Clark Freeport on April 25, 2024.
The Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index 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 (USAID).
For Overall Most Competitive LGU, Baler, Aurora ranked second place among 3rd to 4th Class Municipalities with San Felipe, Zambales ranking 9th place in the same category. Among the first to second class municipalities, Baliwag, Bulacan garnered 3rd place also for overall competitiveness.
The province of Bulacan received a special award for the most competitive province placing 8th in the category.
Three LGUs received most improved cities and municipalities awards. Olongapo City placed 6th most improved among highly urbanized cities while Gapan City, Nueva Ecija ranked 6th among component cities. The municipality of Angat, Bulacan moved 249 notches placing 7th most improved among 1st to 2nd class municipalities.
The CMCI is measured based on the LGU’s excellence in the five pillars of economic dynamism, government efficiency, infrastructure, resiliency, and innovation to inspire and encourage them to attract investors in their localities to boost the local economy.
For Economic Dynamism, Marilao and Sta. Maria, Bulacan ranked 10th and 6th place respectively, among class 1 to 2 municipalities. Baler, Aurora placed 5th while San Simon, Pampanga ranked 4th most dynamic among 3rd to 4th class municipalities.
Among component cities, Balanga City and the City of San Fernando placed 10th and 9th respectively, for Government Efficiency category. In the same category, Samal and Pilar, Bataan ranked 2nd and 9th respectively, for class 3 to 4 towns while Limay, Bataan placed 7th for 1st and 2nd class municipalities.
For the Infrastructure pillar, Sta. Maria, Bulacan landed 4th place among class 1 to 2 municipalities with Baliwag, Bulacan placing 5th. In addition, Baler, Aurora and Morong, Bataan ranked 5th and 7th place respectively, for 3rd to 4th class municipalities.
San Felipe, Zambales garnered 4th place in Resiliency pillar with Pura, Tarlac taking 8th place among Class 3 to 4 municipalities. Baliwag, Bulacan also ranked 8th in resiliency for Class 1 to 2 municipalities.
Among the most Innovative LGUs, Baliwag, Bulacan placed 6th among Class 1 to 2 municipalities while San Felipe, Zambales placed 7th for Class 3 to 4 municipalities.
DTI-3 OIC Regional Director Brigida T. Pili and DTI-Competitiveness and Innovation Group Director Lilian G. Salonga led the awarding ceremonies.
The CMCI serves as a benchmarking tool, allowing LGUs to assess their performance across key pillars of competitiveness and identify areas for improvement. By participating in the CMCI process, LGUs can formulate policies and strategies to enhance their competitiveness, attract investments, and create job opportunities. The index also promotes capacity building at the local level, encouraging LGUs to strengthen governance practices and improve service delivery.
Overall, the CMCI plays a vital role in driving economic growth, fostering development, and improving the quality of life for residents in cities and municipalities nationwide.
Date of release: 25 April 2024
