ARMM has highest growth rate record, ranks 6th out of 17 regions

COTABATO CITY – Governor Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) said the fiveprovince region in southern Philippines registered a higher growth rate of 7.3% and far from the 0.4% growth rate in 2016, and it even surpassed the national growth rate of 6.7%.

“Masaya ako dahil papasok tayo sa isang transition mula ARMM government to Bangsamoro government nang nag-iwan tayo ng isang mark na kailangan . Magiging challenge din ito sa mga susunod na mamumuno sa atin,” Hataman said after the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in ARMM made the announcement on Thursday.

Hataman called on the region’s line agencies to continue their good work. “Panawagan ko sa lahat, isustain natin kung ano na ang naabot natin at lalo pa nating taasan,” he said.

PSA-ARMM’S OIC Regional Director Razulden Mangelen said the region’s economy was lifted mainly by the recovery of the Agriculture, Hunting, Forestry, and Fishing sector.

National Statistician Lisa Bersales also commended the efforts of the regional government in the message she delivered during the event. “We thank the government of Governor Hataman for being our source of information and for helping us advocate for proper data which enabled us to give the right information,” Bersales said.

“We partnered with ARMM, and with the Bangsamoro eventually, to know more about the information that we come up with as we provide the best information for the lives of the people,” she added.

ARMM ranked 6th among the 17 regions in the country in terms of GDRP growth rate, and remains as the only predominantly agricultural region. GRDP is the the total value of goods produced and services provided in a country during one year.