ANGELES CITY — The city government here under the leadership of Mayor
Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin, Jr. was cited by the Pampanga Micro Small and Medium
Enterprise Development Council for its exemplary performance in the 2021 Cities
and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI).
This, after the city government ranked 5th Most Improved Highly Urbanized City
nationwide.
Lazatin thanked the PMSMEDC for recognizing the city government in its efforts
to make doing business easier in the city and promote development of small
entrepreneurs.
“Just like the objectives of the Council, our administration will continue to uplift
the city’s MSMEs,” the mayor said.
Part of the Lazatin administration's priority programs is to give local
entrepreneurs full support to further introduce their products not just nationwide
but worldwide.
The resolution was received by the Angeles City Economic Development and
Investment Promotions Office on July 28.
CMCI is an annual ranking of local government units in the Philippines developed
by the National Competitiveness Council through the Regional Competitiveness
Committees (RCCs) with the assistance of the United States Agency for
International Development.
It has four main pillars: economic dynamism, government efficiency,
infrastructure, and resiliency.
ACEDIPO chief Irish Bonus-Llego further said the OTOP store which consists of 21
local merchants is expanding.
Apart from the physical store in Barangay Sto. Rosario, it has three exhibit-kiosks
found in the city hall — entrance and exit doors — and at the Prime City Hotel.
Online shop is also available via Shopee and Facebook.
Executive Assistant IV Reina Manuel, who is supervising the OTOP store with
Bonus-Llego and Lazatin chief adviser IC Calaguas, is encouraging more local
entrepreneurs to join the OTOP store.
“It is also the plan of Mayor Lazatin for the OTOP store to participate in trade fairs
locally and abroad to promote and establish possible markets,” Manuel said.
In 2019 during its opening, the OTOP store only had 12 active members.
