Kalibo is PH 3rd most competitive municipality

                                                       PHOTO CREDIT ATTY HARRY SUCGANG

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

 

The capital town of Kalibo in Aklan was ranked third for the most competitive municipalities in the country during the Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI) 2014 of the National Competitiveness Council (NCC) Philippines.

Kalibo is the sole municipality in the Visayas region in the Top Ten of Overall Competitiveness that ranked the 399 municipalities in terms of three indicators - infrastructure, government efficiency and economic dynamism.

Kalibo took the top spot in government efficiency, 11^th in economic dynamism and 16^th in infrastructure this year.

The town last year was ranked 45^th nationwide among the 163 municipalities in overall competitiveness, 15^th in infrastructure, 109^th in economic dynamism and 31^st in government efficiency.

Aside from Kalibo, the town of Malay was ranked 107^th in the overall competitiveness with a score of 29.84. It placed 49^th in economic dynamism, 135^th in government efficiency and 206^th in infrastructure. 

Ibajay town is currently emerged 175^th in the overall competitiveness with a score of 26.59. It ranked 73^rd in infrastructure, 241^st in government efficiency and 167^th in economic dynamism. 

During the 2^nd Regional Competitiveness Summit, two plaque of citations were given to Kalibo for the overall competitiveness and for government efficiency category. The awards for Kalibo were received by Mayor William Lachica and Vice Mayor Madeline Regalado at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City on Thursday. 

Aklan Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Atty. Harry Sucgang and Malou Lachica, private secretary of Mayor William Lachica, also witnessed the awarding of plaques.  

Daet of Camarines Norte was the most competitive municipality with a score of 43.24 while General Trias, Cavite placed second with 42.50.

Kalibo scored 42.17 followed by Carmona, Cavite (41.80), Nabunturan, Compostela Valley (41.11), Lubao, Pampanga (40.10), Isulan, Sultan Kudarat (38.87), Polomolok, South Cotabato (38.84), Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon (38.36) and Taytay, Rizal (38.05).

In the government efficiency, the town of Kalibo scored the highest followed by Tupi, South Cotabato and San Mateo, Isabela. 

The scores in government efficiency were measured using data on security, schools, health, investment promotion, LGU competitions related awards, transparency and economic governance scores in Local Governance Performance Management System (LGPMS), compliance to national directives for LGUs and ratio of LGU collected tax to LGU revenues. 

Infrastructure scores were measured on data on number of ATMs, number of public transportations, health and education infrastructure, annual investments in infrastructure, existing road network, availability of basic utilities, connection to internet cable providers, distance of center to major ports and tourism accredited accommodations. 

In economic dynamism, the data on jobs, inflation rate, financial institutions, productivity, local economy size and growth, business groups and cost of doing business. 

The most competitive cities were Makati, Cagayan de Oro (Misamis Oriental), Naga (Camarines Sur), Davao (Davao del Sur), Marikina, Iloilo, Cebu, Manila, Valenzuela and Paranaque. 

The top three winners in each categories and the overall most competitive cities and municipalities received the awards from NCC private sector co-chairman Guillermo Luz, Trade and Industry Undersecretary Adrian S. Cristobal Jr., Budget Undersecretary Richard Moya, Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Austere Panadero and National Economic Development Authority Director General Arsenio M. Balisacan.

(Read related story on this page)