SANTA ROSA, Nueva Ecija (PIA) — The Provincial Government of Nueva Ecija is translating economic gains into targeted programs and investments to expand opportunities for farmers, workers, and businesses, using data from the Provincial Product Accounts (PPA) to guide development planning.
This was highlighted during the Provincial Product Accounts Dissemination Forum of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
The PPA showed that Nueva Ecija recorded a ₱355.09-billion Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2025, growing by 7 percent, the fastest among provinces and highly urbanized cities in Central Luzon.
Provincial Planning and Development Office Planning Officer Angelo Picio said the province’s economic growth reflects increasing diversification while agriculture remains a major economic pillar.
“It does not mean that agriculture is becoming less important. It means that we are strengthening the sectors and conditions where agriculture can thrive even more,” Picio said.
He said the provincial government is responding through interventions focused on agricultural productivity and resilience, value addition, infrastructure, human capital, investment promotion, and disaster preparedness.
Among these are farm-to-market roads, cold storage and post-harvest facilities, the Palay Support Program, Kadiwa ng Pangulo, agricultural product promotion, and a proposed Nueva Ecija Food Processing Center in partnership with Central Luzon State University.
The provincial government is also pursuing improved connectivity through planned road links to the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway to widen market access and facilitate the movement of people, goods, and services.
Meanwhile, Department of Economy, Planning, and Development Regional Director Nerrisa Esguerra emphasized the importance of strengthening agricultural value chains, market linkages, digitalization, and public transportation to help farmers and workers access larger markets and employment opportunities.
She urged local governments to use the more granular PPA data in their development plans and investment programs to identify fast-growing and lagging sectors and set appropriate priorities.
“The data are now more granular and can help identify where the opportunities are, which sectors are growing the fastest, and which are lagging. This will help define the priorities of our LGUs,” she said.
For her part, PSA Nueva Ecija Chief Statistical Specialist Girlie De Guzman said the PPA provides an evidence-based picture of the local economy that can guide government agencies and stakeholders in crafting targeted policies and programs.
The data-driven approach supports the national government’s thrust under the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. to strengthen agriculture, accelerate infrastructure development, expand employment opportunities, and ensure that economic growth translates into tangible benefits for communities. (CLJD/CNG, PIA Region 3-Nueva Ecija)
