Iloilo City, Philippines—The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) celebrated a dual triumph of creative industry development and local governance excellence during the Western Visayas Creativity Forum and 8th Regional CMCI Awards at the Iloilo Convention Center on 4 November 2024.
The morning session began with the Western Visayas Creativity Forum, led by Jo-Dann N. Darong, Assistant Director of the Bureau of Competitive Development, who discussed the Philippine Creative Industry Development Act (PCIDA).
The forum highlighted local successes, including the 2023 Lunsod Lunsad project, and celebrated Iloilo City’s designation as a UNESCO City of Gastronomy. These achievements provided a powerful backdrop for the launch of Fiesta Haraya, a month-long celebration of Ilonggo creativity culminating in Regional Fashion Week.
DTI Region 6 Regional Director Rachel Nufable praised the exemplary commitment of all 133 local government units (LGUs) in the CMCI survey, showcasing the region’s perfect participation rate.
Guimaras was awarded the Most Competitive Province, while Iloilo City took top honors as the Most Competitive Highly Urbanized City. Smaller municipalities were also celebrated, with Roxas City, Kalibo, Leganes, and San Lorenzo recognized for their exceptional performance in different categories.
In economic dynamism, Iloilo City led as the most dynamic highly urbanized city, followed by Roxas City, Kalibo, Jordan, and San Lorenzo across other municipal classes. Government efficiency honors went to Iloilo City and Cadiz City, while Kalibo, Leganes, and Mina excelled in their respective classifications.
In government efficiency, Iloilo City and Cadiz City, Negros Occidental showed exemplary performance in their respective city categories. Kalibo, Aklan continued its strong showing among 1st-2nd class municipalities, while Leganes, Iloilo and Mina, Iloilo set the standard for 3rd-4th and 5th-6th class municipalities.
Awards on infrastructure recognized Iloilo City and Sagay City, with Malay, Jordan, and San Lorenzo also setting benchmarks in infrastructure across municipal categories. Resilience and innovation efforts were also highlighted, with Iloilo City and Sagay City leading in urban resilience, while Tigbauan, Concepcion, and Buruanga excelled among municipalities.
In innovation, Iloilo City and Roxas City took the lead, with Leganes and Belison honored for forward-thinking governance. A special award recognized Mambusao, Iloilo, as the top intellectual property filer, underscoring the region’s commitment to fostering creativity and protecting innovations.
The event concluded with Guimaras, this year’s Most Improved Province, sharing its journey and strategies that transformed it into a model of competitive, sustainable growth. This year’s Creativity Forum and CMCI Awards captured Western Visayas’ unique approach to development, positioning the region as a national leader in creativity and integrated progress.
