CLARK FREEPORT – The Department of Trade and Industry awarded 17 local government units in Central Luzon who made it to the Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI) ranking for 2023 at the Central Luzon Creative and Competitiveness Summit held at the Quest Plus Conference Center here on April 25.
The 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 (USAID).
For Overall Most Competitive LGU, Baler, Aurora ranked second among 3rd to 4th Class municipalities with San Felipe, Zambales ranking ninth in the same category. Among the 1st to 2nd Class, Baliwag, Bulacan garnered third place also for overall competitiveness.
The province of Bulacan received a special award for ranking eighth in the Most Competitive Province category.
Three LGUs received most improved cities and municipalities awards. Olongapo City placed sixth among highly urbanized cities while Gapan City ranked also sixth among component cities. The municipality of Angat, Bulacan placed seventh 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, Sta. Maria and Marilao, both in Bulacan ranked sixth and tenth respectively, among 1st to 2nd Class municipalities. Among 3rd to 4th Class municipalities, San Simong, Pampanga ranked fourth and Baler, Aurora fifth.
Among component cities, the City of San Fernando ranked ninth while Balanga City tenth in the Government Efficiency category. In the same category, Samal and Pilar, Bataan ranked second and ninth respectively, for 3rd to 4th Class municipalities, while Limay, Bataan placed seventh for the 1st to 2nd Class municipalities.
For the Infrastructure Pillar, Sta. Maria, Bulacan landed fourth among 1st to 2nd Class municipalities with Baliwag, Bulacan placied fifth. In addition, Baler, Aurora and Morong, Bataan ranked fifth and seventh places respectively, for 3rd to 4th Class municipalities.
San Felipe, Zambales ranked fourth in the Resiliency Pillar with Pura, Tarlac taking eighth among 3rd to 4th Class municipalities. Baliwag, Bulacan also ranked eighth in resiliency for 1st to 2nd Class municipalities.
Among the most Innovative LGUs, Baliwag, Bulacan placed sixth among 1st to 2nd Class municipalities while San Felipe, Zambales placed seventh for the 3rd to 4th Class.
DTI-3 OIC 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. DTI-PR
