THE Province of Davao del Norte ranked second as the most competitive province in the country during the 2023 Philippine Creative Cities and Municipalities Competitive Congress at the Manila Hotel, Ermita on Thursday, September 28.
In a Facebook post by One DavNor Network, the province was second to the Province of Rizal in the rankings of the Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI).
Governor Edwin I. Jubahib of Davao del Norte expressed his elation online about the province reclaiming its well-deserved second place.
“Sa makausa pa, akong ginahanyag kini nga kadaugan sa katawhang Dabaonon. Dili kita moundang sa pagmugna sa atmospera alang sa paglambo sa negosyo, sa paghatud sa mas maayo nga serbisyo ug sa pagkunhod sa kapobrehon," Jubahib said in his post.
(Once again, I am announcing that this is an achievement for all the people of Davao del Norte. We will not stop building an atmosphere of development in businesses, delivering good service, and alleviating poverty.)
The province was second in 2020 but slipped to third place in 2022. But with a remarkable influx of P1.570 billion in fresh investments in 2022, resulting from 5,916 new business registrations and creating approximately 63,855 jobs for the constituents of Davao del Norte, the province surged back to its previous standing.
He attributed such feat to the province's boosted income, increased investments, and an enhanced economic environment, all aligned with the CMCI 2023 pillars of government efficiency, infrastructure, economic dynamism, innovation, and resiliency.
Some local government units (LGUs) of the province received recognition, with the Municipality of New Corella securing the second spot as the Most Improved first to second-class municipality.
The City of Tagum was fifth in the Most Competitive Component City category, ranking sixth in Most Competitive City Infrastructure, and eighth in Most Competitive City Innovation.
Meanwhile, Panabo City was declared the Most Competitive City in Government Efficiency.
The CMCI serves as an annual ranking of municipalities and cities across the nation. It was developed by the National Competitiveness Council (NCC) in collaboration with the Regional Competitiveness Committees (RCCs) with support from the United States Agency for International Development.
The provincial ranking is determined by the population and income-weighted average of the overall scores of the municipalities and cities within the province's jurisdiction. (RGP)