2016 Competitiveness Rankings: San Juan, Bauan Stay Top Towns in Batangas; Lemery 3rd; Rosario, Nasugbu Enter Top 5
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| Image credit: Google Street View. |
The municipalities of San Juan and Bauan stayed first and second in the Province of Batangas as per the 2016 edition of the Nationwide Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index, the results of which were released by the National Competitiveness Council of the Philippines last month. The competitiveness index is an annual undertaking of the council in coordination with the Regional Competitiveness Committees and with assistance rendered by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
The index is measured on the basis of three identified pillars: economic dynamism, government efficiency and infrastructure. It is intended to be used as a diagnostic tool by local government officials, a guide to the business community and a take-off point for further research by members of academe or the general public.
Unlike last year, when some of Batangas’ municipalities did not participate in the survey, for 2016 all of the province’s three cities and 31 municipalities are represented. Lemery also kept its place in the top five; while Taal and Sto. Tomas dropped out, to be replaced by Rosario and Nasugbu.
This article is based on the 2016 rankings of 1,245 municipalities nationwide regardless of what class of municipalities they belong to.
ECONOMIC DYNAMISM
Economic Dynamism is measured on the basis of the following: size of the local economy (as measured through business registrations, capital, revenue, and permits); growth of the local economy (as measured through business registrations, capital, revenue, and permits); capacity to generate employment; cost of living; cost of doing business; financial deepening; productivity; and presence of business and professional organizations.
San Jose kept its position as Batangas’ most economically dynamic town, but with a 0.72 drop from its points the previous year. Lemery, fourth in 2015, leapt to second with 9.12 points, 0.15 better than the previous year. Rosario dropped from third to fifth while Balayan rose from sixth to fourth. Sto. Tomas, the second most economically dynamic municipality in Batangas in 2015, dropped out of the Top 5 to eighth in 2016. Its place in the Top 5 was taken over by Bauan, third in 2016 with 9.03 points, 0.33 points better than the previous year.
In the bottom five for 2016 are the municipalities of Calatagan (5.96), Tuy (5.85), Agoncillo (5.25), Tingloy (5.03) and San Nicolos (4.36). No data was available for Agoncillo, Tingloy and San Nicolas in 2015.
Government Efficiency is measured on the basis of capacity of health services; capacity of schools; security; business registration efficiency; compliance to BPLS standards; presence of an investment promotions unit; compliance to national directives for LGUs; ratio of LGU collected tax to LGU revenues; most competitive LGU awardee; and social protection.
Mataas-na-Kahoy, for which no data was available in 2015, leapt to the top of the 2016 Batangas rankings in Government Efficiency with 11.49 points. San Juan, top in 2015, dropped to second with 11.43, a 4.56-point drop from the previous year. Alitagtag, for which no data was also available in 2015, is at third with 10.47 points. Bauan (9.84) and Malvar (9.09) complete the Top 5, from which Taal, Lemery and San Pascual dropped out.
Meanwhile, Lobo (5.77), Padre Garcia (5.59), Laurel (5.53), Calatagan (5.20) and Santa Teresita (5.13) make up the Bottom 5 in Batangas in terms of Government Efficiency.
The final pillar, infrastructure, is measured in terms of the existing road network; distance from city centre to major ports; DOT-awarded accommodations; availability of basic utilities; annual investments in infrastructure; connection of ICT; number of public transportation vehicles; its health infrastructure; its education infrastructure; and number of ATMs.
Nasugbu leapt to the top of the rankings in infrastructure in 2016 with 11.22 points, a 2.17 improvement over the previous year. Rosario, seventh in 2015, jumped to second with 10.97 points, 1.88 higher than the previous year. Lemery (10.82), Balayan (10.49) and Bauan (9.96) make up the Top 5 in infrastructure in Batangas. Taal, Sto. Tomas and Calaca all dropped out of the Top 5.
At the bottom of the ranking, meanwhile, are Laurel (4.56), Agoncillo (4.48), San Luis (4.05), Tingloy (2.76) and San Nicolas (0.34). No data was available in 2015 for all Bottom 5 municipalities except Laurel.
As mentioned already, San Juan (29.21) and Bauan (28.83) retained their places as first and second in the overall competitiveness rankings in Batangas. Lemery, fourth in 2015, move up one notch to third, albeit with a 3.82-point drop from the previous year’s total. Rosario is at fourth with 27.73 while Nasugbu completes the Top 5 with 26.08. Taal and Sto. Tomas were the municipalities that dropped out of the Top 5.
In terms of nationwide ranking out of 1,245 municipalities regardless of category, San Juan moved up 49 places from its position at 103 last year to 54 in 2016. Bauan also made a substantial move up by 56 places from 118 in 2015 to 62 this year. Lemery improved 42 places from 125 to 83; while Rosario moved up 59 places from 156 to 97. Nasugbu had the biggest jump from 307 in 2015 to 197 this year, a total of 110 places.
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Making up the Bottom 5 in terms of overall competitiveness in Batangas for 2016 are Agoncillo (17.23), Laurel (16.17), Santa Teresita (15.88), Tingloy (13.70) and San Nicolas (10.99). No data was available in 2015 for all Bottom 5 municipalities except Laurel.
Finally, just for perspective, the nationwide rankings of Batangas’ least competitive municipalities are: Agoncillo, 951; Laurel, 1010; Santa Teresita, 1023; Tingloy, 1110; and San Nicolas, 1173.
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| Note: lower bar is better for this chart. |
See complete table with ALL TOWNS → Overall Batangas Rankings and Scores Table
For those who wish to verify the information contained in this article or do further research, please follow this link to the Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index for Batangas.
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