By Perla Lena/PNA
ILOILO CITY — The 2018 regional trade fair of Western Visayas dubbed “Panubli-on” will not only highlight products of small and medium entrepreneurs but will also serve as venue to recognize competitive local government units (LGUs) at the regional level.
“We will recognize the efforts of our LGUs (local government units) who performed in the four pillars of competitiveness,” Trade and Industry Regional Director for Western Visayas Rebecca Rascon said in a follow-up interview on Wednesday.
Panubli-on, a Hiligaynon word that means heritage, was organized by the Department of Trade and Industry in Western Visayas.
The four pillars under the Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI) include economic dynamism, government efficiency, resiliency and infrastructure. There will also be awards for most improved local government unit.
Ma. Luisa Segovia, chair of the Regional Investment and Competiveness Coordination Committee (Ri3C) in Western Visayas, said that for this year, they are happy that LGUs have 100 percent compliance, even those far-off municipalities.
The Ri3C regularly monitors the level of competitiveness in Western Visayas and provides policy recommendations to the Regional Development Council (RDC).
“For the past three years I made sure I travelled and visited provinces and have audiences with all governors of Western Visayas,” Segovia said.
She added they hope competitive LGUs “maintain the strengths of the locality”.
Some 57 awards will be given to the top three competitive LGUs in each of the pillars, most competitive province and most improved LGU.
For the third to sixth class municipalities, the local government units of Pontevedra in Negros Occidental topped the economic dynamism and infrastructure pillars; Leganes, Iloilo for government efficiency, and Ivisan, Capiz for resiliency. The overall winner is Pontevedra, followed by Ivisan and Balasan, Iloilo.
For the first and second class municipalities, the awardees are La Castellana, Negros Occidental for economic dynamism; San Jose, Antique for government efficiency; Malay, Aklan for infrastructure and Lambunao, Iloilo for resiliency. Malay and Kalibo in Aklan ranked first and second places for the overall award and San Jose in the third rank.
For cities category, Iloilo City was cited for government efficiency while Bacolod City bagged the top award for infrastructure, resiliency and economic dynamism. Overall, Bacolod City ranked first, Iloilo City and Passi City landed in the second and third spot.
The town of Malinao in Aklan was the most improved for the third to sixth class municipalities; San Jose, Antique for the first to second class and Cadiz City for the all-city category.
Aklan, Negros Occidental and Capiz will also be awarded as most competitive provinces. They ranked 15th, 35th and 36th, respectively in the national ranking.
The awarding ceremony will be held on Nov. 16 in this city.
