In a simple ceremony on July 4, 2008, at the Grand Ballroom of the Intercontinental Hotel in Makati City, Gen. Santos City was again awarded as Most Competititve Mid-Sized City of the Philippines along with six others in the Philippine Cities Competitiveness Ranking Project 2007 of the Asian Institute of Management Project Center. Receiving the award was GenSan City Mayor Pedro Acharon, Jr.

This is the 3rd time that the Tuna Capital was accorded such honors by the Asia Institute of Management Policy Center. The first time was in the year 2000 when it was the Most Competitive City in the Philippines and two years later, when it was ranked as the Most Competitive Mid-Sized City.

This year, however, among a field of 35 contender-cities, it has to share the title with six other medium-sized cities. And so, for 2007, the country’s most competitive cities in alphabetical order are:

  • Cabanatuan City
  • General Santos City
  • Lucena City
  • Olongapo City
  • San Pablo City
  • Tagum City
  • Tarlac City

The awardees for the Most Competitive Metro Cities in alphabetical order are:

  • Davao City
  • Makati City
  • City of Manila
  • Marikina City
  • Lapu-lapu City
  • Quezon City

And lastly, the Most Competitive Small-Sized Cities in alphabetical order are:

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  • Bayawan City
  • Calapan City
  • Calbayog City
  • Dagupan City
  • Dipolog City
  • Laoag City
  • Malaybalay City
  • Naga City
  • San Fernando City (La Union)
  • Surigao City
  • Tagbilaran City
  • Tuguegarao City

(Unluckily, the former topnotcher of 2005, Koronadal City is nowhere in this small-sized city list. What could have happened?)

Anyway, to all the generals and the city officials, CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! May this serve as another incentive for everyone to continue to make each year and not just this year a YEAR OF EXCELLENCE.

MABUHAY TAYONG LAHAT!! (You may write your CONGRATULATORY MESSAGES below. :))

A briefer on the Philippine Cities Competitiveness Ranking Project 2007:

Patterned after the International Management Development’s World Competitiveness Yearbook (WCY), the study utilizes both hard data and executive survey to measure the competitiveness of Philippine cities. However, not all WCY’s indicators are materialized in this study. The Philippine settings had been considered in the selection of variables to be included.

Over all, the study uses 43 indicators, which are distributed among the six drivers of competitiveness. Nine out of the total variables are hard data, which were acquired from different national government agencies, local government units, and private utility companies.

On the other hand, executive surveys were administered to owners and managers of Small-and-Medium enterprises (SMEs) to capture their perception on the capability of the city to provide an environment that nurtures dynamism of its local enterprises and prosperity of its residents. SMEs are chosen since the view of businessmen gauges the attractiveness of city as a place of living and business.

 

For more information, check out AIM Policy Center’s website by clicking HERE.