“With this performance, there is a need to continue promoting growth in the industry sector by putting in more investments in construction, manufacturing, mining and quarrying, electricity, gas and water to further strengthen the economy and create a multiplier effect on the economy. This will allow the region to continue being the lone industrial region in the country,” Tolentino explained.
Tolentino stressed that Calabarzon reaps the benefits of significant construction projects in housing through the implementation of the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino (4PH) program by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), transportation and flood control projects including the LRT Line 1 Cavite Extension, North-South Commuter Railway, Cavite-Laguna Expressway, South Luzon Expressway TR4, Taal Lake Circumferential Road, Cavite Industrial Area Flood Risk Management Project.
Despite recording a single-digit share in the regional economy, Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing remain important in the daily lives of Filipinos as they drive household consumption and industrial usage and could still be developed for exports.
NEDA recommends that the sector become more modernized and promote agriculture as a viable career path for students.
“To further enhance the sector’s competitiveness, we must invest in research and development, adopt cutting-edge technology, upgrade post-production facilities, and make value-adding investments, among other measures."
Tolentino adds: “Several state universities considered centers of excellence in agriculture and other-related fields located in the region, we must vigorously promote enrollment in agriculture-related programs to develop a new generation of farmers, agriculturists, scientists, and agri-entrepreneurs.”
