In the recently released Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI) by the National Competitiveness Council (NCC), the cities of Makati, Cagayan de Oro and Naga and the municipalities of Daet, General Santos and Kalibo ranked highest in overall competitiveness.
CMCI is a diagnostic tool for local governments to assess how they perform in a broad range of activities in economic dynamism, government efficiency, and infrastructure that impact on ease and efficiency of doing business in their respective places.
Economic dynamism refers to the size and growth of the local economy and capability to generate jobs.
Government efficiency is related to economic governance score in the Local Governance Perfomrance Management System and security.
Infrastructure includes road network and health facilities.
The report shows that there are many LGUs outside Metro Manila and Central and Southern Luzon that are competitive in terms of the three criteria.
There are insights and lessons learned over the past years trying to improve the country’s business competitiveness, according to NCC director for operations Ruy Moreno.
These are:
(1) Modernize our mindset. A 21st century mindset considers we are a globalized world and part of the global supply chain where the Philippines and the Filipino entrepreneur and business enterprise must find its niche in the supply chain, considering out human and natural resources and geographical location.
Such a mind set maximizes the provisions of the trade agreements and communities that we re part of – the Asean economic community, world Trade Organization, Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership agreement, etc.
(2) Public-private partnership approach. Needed is a public-private sector approach, where the public sector provides the enabling policies, regulations and processes at the national and local level as the city or municipality is the one in close interaction with the citizens. The private sector, for its part, focuses on operations and core competencies, its business and role in the community.
(3) Think big, operate small. Think big in terms of vision and mission and small in implementing the daily and annual activities to achieve the vision. GOs and LGUs should also try to handle efficiently small things like vandalized walls and jaywalking, the timely delivery of mail, etc.
Extracted from Competitiveness of PH, cities by Ruy Moreno in Philippine Daily Inquirer, March 8, 2015.
Photo: from /www.philstar.com/business