LOCAL government units (LGUs) in Central Luzon were recognized as among the most competitive ones in the country in the recently held virtual 2020 Cities and Municipalities Index (CMCI) awarding ceremony.
Four LGUs in the region were ranked among the top 3 in their respective CMCI categories, while 18 others were included in the top 10 rankings of LGUs in different aspects of competitiveness indexes as determined by the Regional Competitiveness Council (RCC).
Baliwag, Bulacan was ranked first among all the 1st to 2nd class municipalities in the country in terms of Infrastructure, and also ranked third in Overall Competitiveness among all 1st to 2nd class municipalities.
The said municipality also ranked 4th in terms of Government Efficiency, 6th in terms of Resilience and 6th in terms of Economic Dynamism.
Baler, Aurora, meanwhile, was ranked as the third among all 3rd to 4th class municipalities in the country in terms of Overall Competitiveness.
It also ranked third in terms of Infrastructure while it ranked 6th among 3rd to 4th class municipalities in terms of Economic Dynamism.
Also, Sta. Maria, Bulacan also garnered the third rank among all 1st to 2nd class municipalities in the country in terms of Economic Dynamism and ranked 5th among all 1st and 2nd class municipalities in terms of Overall Competitiveness.
Malolos City in Bulacan was also recognized among 1st among the Most Improved Component Cities in the country.
Among the 18 Central Luzon LGUs that were ranked in the top 10 in different CMCI categories are: Bacolor, City of San Fernando and Sta. Rita in Pampanga, Baler in Aurora, Marilao, Baliwag, Sta. Maria, Angat, Bustos, Bocaue, Paombong, and the cities of Malolos and San Jose Del Monte in Bulacan.
Also included are Talavera and Cabanatuan City in Nueva Ecija and Tarlac City in Tarlac. The municipality of Subic and Olongapo City in Zambales were also among the LGUs ranked in the top 10 of the CMCI in different categories.
Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index is an annual ranking of Philippine cities and municipalities developed by the National Competitiveness Council through the Regional Competitiveness Committees (RCCs) with the assistance of the United States Agency for International Development.
Rankings of Cities and Municipalities are based on the sum of their scores on 4 Pillars: Economic Dynamism, Government Efficiency, Infrastructure, and Resiliency.
Provincial rankings are based on population and income weighted average of the overall scores of cities and municipalities under a province.