More Region 8 towns to join 2016 competitiveness survey

TACLOBAN CITY, March 17 (PNA) -– About 90 percent of areas in Eastern Visayas will be included in the 2016 Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI) survey as more local government units manifested interest to make their data available for ranking.

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Regional Director Cynthia R. Nierras said that officials in towns and cities positively responded to recommendations of the Regional Competitiveness Committee to join the survey.

The committee, headed by DTI, launched the CMCI information caravan late last year, targeting members of the local development councils.

“Local government units (LGUs) wanted to see that their ranking is high. They even make suggestions that CMCI information requirements would be integrated on their local development plans,” Nierras said.

The remaining 10 percent of the region’s 136 towns are those with poor access from the main highway. “Some areas are not very accessible, but we can still cover them as long as they are interested.”

The CMCI is an annual ranking of Philippine cities and municipalities based on an overall competitive score along the three indicators and their sub-indicators – economic dynamism, government efficiency, and infrastructure.

In the 2014 survey, only 14 of the 143 cities and towns in Eastern Visayas have made it to the roster of competitive areas last year due to lack of data gathered from LGUs.

Initial result for 2015, disclosed that only Leyte province was able to participate in the provincial ranking, having met the minimum 60 percent of the total population of all the participating areas.

Nierras said more cities and towns could have been included in the survey had the towns and cities took part in the data gathering.

“Results also revealed that majority of the LGUs in the region covered by the survey were ranked at the bottom or near bottom, which indicates low competitiveness partly due to lacking data on the three indicators,” she explained.

The overall competitiveness score is determined by the completion rate or all the number of data points filled out over the number of data points required. These information are sourced from the LGUs and national government agencies.

On Sept. 24, 2015, the Regional Development Council approved the CMCI action plan of Region 8 for adoption and support by the LGUs and concerned regional line agencies.

Prepared by DTI, the action plan includes advocacy, capability-building, and institutionalization activities intended to improve data collection in succeeding surveys, thereby enhancing the reliability of the survey.

The study serves as basis for LGUs to improve their competitiveness to attract investments and contribute to socioeconomic development. (PNA)
LAP/SARWELL Q. MENIANO