The Department of Trade and Industry has conferred Davao City the overall most competitive highly-urbanized city in Visayas and Mindanao, citing its economic dynamism, government efficiency, infrastructure, resiliency, and innovation.
Davao City was also given a Special Award as the first Highly-Urbanized City to pass a landmark ordinance establishing the “Davao City Inventions and Innovations Center in the Philippines”.
DTI-XI conferred the award during the virtual 5th Davao Region Competitiveness Awarding on February 22, 2022, participated by representatives of DTI and LGUs all over the Davao Region.
Cities and Municipalities Competitive Index (CMCI) is an annual ranking on the competitiveness of Philippine Cities and Municipalities of the local government units managed by the DTI through the Regional Competitiveness Committees. It is a measurement tool that is positioned to empower the LGUS to gauge their current level of competitiveness against global standards, identify areas for improvement and growth, and launch reforms and initiatives to further boost local competitiveness.
CMCI is anchored on five pillars that measure LGU performance – economic dynamism, government efficiency, infrastructure, resiliency, and innovation. The Innovation pillar was only introduced in 2021.
DTI-Region XI Regional Director Maria Belenda Q. Ambi in a statement during the virtual awarding said that the five pillars are crucial aspects of local competitiveness.
“For this year’s cycle, the index was expanded with the inclusion of the innovation pillar. With this pillar we hope to foster the idea of the competitiveness of the LGUs by enabling them to implement research and development programs and innovation initiatives for agri-industrial growth which will contribute to the economic development of the country,” Ambi said.
She lauded all LGUs who have exerted their time and effort in generating and compiling relevant data and information.
Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte in her message thanked the DTI for holding the awarding. Apart from Mayor Sara, representatives from Davao City Planning and Development Office and the Davao City Investment and Promotions Center (DCIPC) were present during the virtual ceremony. (CIO)
