Guv: Region’s 2011 economic growth data inaccurate

THE head of the Regional Development Council tagged the National Government’s economic data showing Eastern Visayas’ 1.8 percent growth in 2011 as an inaccurate report.

Leyte Governor Jericho Petilla said it is unbelievable for the region’s economy to achieve only 1.8 percent last year, way below than the 5.4-percent target, considering some economic breakthroughs.

“The NSCB (National Statistical Coordination Board) data is not accurate. It is not absolute and is more as a guide. What is important to me, more than anything else, is the income of families going up and more people are employed,” Petilla said.

He said the “1.8 percent is a good indicator because we will work harder.” “Whatever the data is, it doesn’t affect how we do things. We will still do things the best way we can.”

In the case of obtaining employment rate data, Petilla said National Government agencies tend to count seasonal jobs in the cluster of employed population.

But the NSCB pointed out that its job is only to consolidate reports from various concerned government agencies.

The NSCB reported last year’s regional economic growth further slipped to 1.8 percent from two percent in 2010, putting the region as the third lowest among the 17 regions in the country in terms of Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) growth.

NSCB regional head Evangeline Paran said Eastern Visayas’ slow growth last year is due to weak performance of the service sector, which accounts 35.6 percent of the regional economy. The sector – the region’s second contributor – declined from 6.1 percent in 2010 to 4.1 percent in 2011.

Industry sector had the biggest share to the local economy, accounting 44 percent, largely influenced by activities of Philippines Associated Smelting and Refinery Corporation and Philippine Phosphate Corporation in Isabel, Leyte.

Though the region comprised of vast agricultural land, the agribusiness sector is the lowest contributor to the local economy pegged at only 20.5 percent.

Petilla said the industry sector accounts the biggest share because it is conscious about submitting reports unlike those in the agriculture sector.

“Poor people like farmers don’t have time to submit reports. If you don’t submit reports, you’re not in the radar,” he said, adding that “if there is information like this, I would like to validate them because it is really based on what people submit rather than what people see.” (Leyte Samar Daily Express)