5 LGUs in Central Luzon awarded

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO— At least five local government units (LGUs) in Central Luzon were recently ranked in the top 10 in the Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI) for 2017 of the National Competitiveness Council (NCC). The top LGUs were recognized and awarded by the NCC on August 17, 2017 at the Philippine International Convention Center.

Leading the awardees for Region III is Baler, Aurora which garnered first place and the overall most competitive LGU among the third to sixth class municipalities category. It also received recognition as first place in the infrastructure category and third place in the resiliency category among the third to sixth class municipalities in the country.

The San Simon LGU Pampanga ranked seventh overall in the same class.

The City of San Fernando, Pampanga garnered second place in terms of economic dynamism in the component cities category. It was also ranked fourth overall among the component cities in the country.

Other Central Luzon LGUs which were recognized by NCC include Bongabon, Nueva Ecija which was awarded first place for the most improved LGU among the first to second class municipalities category while Baliwag, Bulacan placed third in the same most improved LGU award.

The 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.

For 2017, all of the 130 local government units of Central Luzon participated in the CMCI survey.

— Warren Serrano/ DTI-3