Makati, Daet top competitiveness index for local governments

Makati City and Daet, Camarines Norte have topped the 2014 Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index, where a local government’s performance is measured in terms of economic dynamism, efficiency  and infrastructure.

Based on the results presented at the Regional Competitiveness Summit Thursday, Makati City garnered the highest score of 53.24 among the 136 cities assessed by the National Competitiveness Council (NCC).

Ranking second among the cities was Cagayan de Oro City in Misamis Oriental; followed by Naga City in Camarines Sur; Davao City in Davao del Sur; and Marikina City.

Daet, meanwhile, stood out among the 399 municipalities assessed in the index with a score of 43.24. It was followed by General Trias, Cavite; Kalibo, Aklan; Carmona, Cavite; and Nabunturan, Compostela Valley.

Guillermo Luz, National Competitiveness Council co-chair for the private sector, said the ranking was determined based on 28 equally weighted indicators grouped into three main pillars—economic dynamism, efficiency and infrastructure.

Economic dynamism scores were based on data indicating the size and growth of the local economy as measured by business registrations, capital, revenues, and occupancy permits; capacity to generate employment; cost of living; cost of doing business; financial deepening; productivity; and presence of business and professional organizations.

Data on government efficiency were based on transparency scores, economic governance scores, local taxes and revenues, local competition-related awards, business registration efficiency, investment promotion, compliance to national directives, security, health and education.

Infrastructure scores, meanwhile, were culled from data based on existing road network, distance from city/municipality center to major ports, Department of Tourism-accredited accommodations, health infrastructure, education infrastructure, basic utilities, infrastructure investments, ICT connection, ATMs and public transportation.

Awards were also given to the top three cities and municipalities per category.

While the National Capital Region swept the economic dynamism category with Parañaque, Makati, and Manila taking the top spots, the government efficiency category was dominated by cities outside Metro Manila: Naga, Iloilo, and Angeles.