By Rohanie Yahya

TAGUIG CITY—The Department of Trade and Industry, through its office of Competitiveness Bureau (DTI-CB), recognized and awarded the most competitive cities and municipalities of Local Government Units (LGUs) in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in a ceremony on Wednesday, Sept. 28, at Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in this city.

The Ministry of Trade, Investments and Tourism (MTIT), in collaboration with the DTI spearheaded, the awarding ceremony during the 3rd Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI) Summit.

The CMCI’s annual ranking aims to measure the performance of competitive cities and municipalities based on the sum of five (5) pillars such as the Economic Dynamism, Government Efficiency, Infrastructure, and Resiliency, and Innovation.

After awarding the LGUs according to the aforementioned categories, DTI recognized the Overall Most Competitive LGUs in BARMM.

Component Cities:

For the Component Cities, Cotabato City was hailed as the Overall Most Competitive LGU in BARMM. It was followed by Marawi City of Lanao del Sur as 2nd Most Competitive City and Lamitan City of Basilan as 3rd placer.

Top 10 on the First to Second Class Municipalities:

1st Parang, Maguindanao
2nd Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao
3rd Wao, Lanao del Sur
4th Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao
5th Upi, Maguindanao
6th Bubong, Lanao del Sur
7th Bongao, Tawi-Tawi
8th Talipao, Sulu
9th Pagalungan, Maguindanao
10th Sitangkai, Tawi-Tawi

Top 10 on the Third to Fourth Class Municipalities:

1st Balabagan, Lanao del Sur
2nd Ampatuan, Maguindanao
3rd Datu Paglas, Maguindanao
4th Piagapo, Lanao del Sur
5th Datu Saudi-Ampatuan, Maguindanao
6th Amai Manabilang, Lanao del Sur
7th Balindong, Lanao del Sur
8th Taraka, Lanao del Sur
9th South Upi, Maguindanao
10th Kapatagan, Lanao del Sur

Top 10 on the Fifth to Sixth class Municipalities:

1st Datu Abdullah Sangki, Maguindanao
2nd Sultan Dumalondong, Lanao del Sur
3rd Calanogas, Lanao del Sur
4th Tamparan, Lanao del Sur
5th Tugaya, Lanao del Sur
6th Guindulungan, Maguindanao
7th Pagagawan, Maguindanao
8th Talitay, Maguindanao
9th Datu Unday, Maguindanao
10th Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Maguindanao

“I am very much looking forward to the future developments in the BARMM, especially since BARMM is now emerging as a growth area, not just in Mindanao, but also in the entire country,” said Undersecretary Rafaelita Aldaba of DTI Competitiveness and Innovation Group (CIG).

Aldaba said that BARMM is now among the regions in the country that was able to reduce poverty between 2018 and the first semester of 2021 amid the pandemic.

“Today’s celebration is not only for the awards to be received by deserving LGUs but also to inspire all the LCEs to continue pursuing excellence and competitiveness,” she added.

Meanwhile, MTIT Minister Abuamri Taddik encouraged LGUs to continue participating in CMCI to identify the needs of each city and municipality, and to formulate programs that will improve competitiveness and investment promotion activities across the region.

“Aside from the opportunity, malaking tulong din ito na napapanatili ang peace process sa region at ma-encourage ang mga mamamayan inside and outside the BARMM to go here, and always choose Bangsamoro,” the Minister added.

For Parang Maguindanao Mayor Cahar Ibay, he said one of his inspirations is to serve the community whole heartedly with all dedication and without self-interest to rank first among the overall most competitive LGUs under the first to second class Municipalities.

“Hindi po talaga naming iniisip ang pagkakaroon ng awards, kundi kung paano mapagsilbihan ang taong bayan to the best of our ability. Nakukuha po natin yan sa pamamagitan ng pagtutulungan at pagkakaisa ng ating mga officials sa munisipyo kabilang na ang mga partners natin sa business sectors,” Ibay said.

“Nakikita natin sa taong bayan na sila ay masaya sa pagkakaroon ng mga magagandang innovative na ginagawa ng LGU, maging noong may pandemic. At lahat ng ating ginagawa ay hindi pakitang tao lang dapat ito ay bukal sa loob upang mapanatili ang tiwala ng taong bayan sa ating pamahalaan,” he added.

A total of 119 LGUs across BARMM, including 3 independent cities and 116 municipalities, took part in the competition and 51 of them were nominated for the CMCI. (With the story from Johaira Sahidala/BIO)