COTABATO CITY–The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) has registered the highest employment rate in the country for the month of January this year, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Tuesday.
“The ARMM recorded the highest employment rate of 97.4 percent. That means only 3.6 percent are unemployed in the region,” Roque said in a press conference here, referring to records provided by the Philippine Statistics Authority.
Tailing the ARMM is Cotabato City, which posted 96.2 percent employment rate. “This is above the national average of 94.7 percent,” Roque noted.
He congratulated both ARMM and Cotabato City for the achievement, noting the positive turnaround of the area once labeled as one of the poorest in the country.
“Change has indeed come for what used to be one of the poorest regions in the country,” Roque said.
Likewise, he acknowledged Cotabato City as the country’s leader in the Halal industry.
“We are pleased to announce that the city has the great potential on leading the country in the global Halal industry,” the Palace official said.
He said such was made possible through the Department of Science and Technology regional office that piloted the development of Halal premium brands locally.
Roque also lauded the Department of Agriculture for partnering with the Halal program management office in developing the industry as this would help much the Halal trade in the Philippines and enhance its capabilities in global competitiveness.
Roque was in Cotabato City as special guest to the graduation rites of close to 2,000 tertiary level students of the state-run Cotabato City Polytechnic College, during which, he encouraged learners to take advantage of the government’s free tertiary education program in state colleges and universities. (Noel Punzalan/PNA)
