KALIBO, Aklan (PIA) – The province of Aklan has once again proven its competitiveness with two LGUs from the province reaching the Top 10 national rankings in the recently concluded 2024 Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI) National Awarding.
The awarding was held at the Fiesta Pavilion of The Manila Hotel on August 23, 2024.
“It is not only focused on the benefits reaped today but also is concerned about the future of Aklan,” Trade and Industry Provincial Director Romel L. Amihan said in an interview.
CMCI is the most comprehensive 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.
The LGU is measured for its competitiveness on the five pillars of the CMCI, namely economic Dynamism, Government Efficiency, Infrastructure, Resilience, and Innovation.
“This identifies the economic strengths and weaknesses of LGUs and allows local-level comparisons, which could help lagging LGUs catch up with better-performing local governments,” he explained.
A Regional Awarding Ceremony was also conducted based on this year’s ranking, where Aklan bagged the 3rd Most Competitive Province, followed by Iloilo and Negros Occidental, then Antique.
“These awards are a testament to the province’s commitment to providing Akeanons with a high quality of life and a vibrant business environment,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, LGU Malay ranked 5th under the Infrastructure Pillar, and LGU Kalibo ranked 8th under the Government Efficiency Pillar.
“It is a significant accomplishment that reflects the LGU’s dedication to progress and commitment to serving its people effectively,” Amihan stated.
He also said that initiative matters enormously, and the success of these competitive LGUs in the province involved building coalitions and being resourceful.
“They are performing very well and have a genuine competitive advantage. Businesses and nearby employment opportunities for residents can increase and grow,” he said.
Further, he expressed his gratitude to all the local chief executives of the 17 municipalities for their determination to invest in this event, which has brought good results.
“We hope that by the upcoming year and subsequent years, more LGUs than just Kalibo and Malay will be among the top-ranked ones,” he said.
He also thanked all the department heads and employees of the local government.
Amihan reiterated DTI’s commitment to working with the provincial government and LGUs on these endeavors. (AGP/SQP/PIA-Aklan with reports from Chantal Jade V. Tolores, GIP-DOLE)
