Naga clinches most competitive city award anew

NAGA CITY, July 13 (PNA) -- For the second time around, Naga City was singled out as one of the country’s most competitive cities based on the annual survey conducted by the policy center of the prestigious Asian Institute of Management (AIM).

Naga City Mayor Jesse Robredo received the plaque of recognition during the awarding rites held last July 4 at the Grand Ballroom of the Intercontinental Hotel in Makati City.

This year’s survey covered 90 cities, 25 of which were cited for their competitiveness in the metropolitan, medium-sized and small-sized city categories.

They were ranked based on their respective costs of doing business; the dynamism of the local economies; human resources and training; infrastructure; the responsiveness of the local government units to business’ needs, and the quality of life of their inhabitants.

The annual survey is a research undertaking of the AIM Policy Center that seeks to identify the best cities in the country in which to live, work and operate a business.

The annual survey is an important indicator that helps businessmen to determine which cities are “the most dynamic,” AIM Policy Center Executive Director Federico Macaranas said at a news briefing.

He said cities adjudged to be the best in the country often experienced an inflow of investments immediately after.

Naga was cited as among the most competitive small-sized cities, along with Bayawan, Calapan, Calbayog, Dagupan, Dipolog, Laoag, Malaybalay, Naga, Surigao, Tagbilaran, Tuguegarao, and San Fernando, La Union.

The best medium-sized cities in the country were Cabanatuan, General Santos, Lucena, Olongapo, San Pablo, Tagum and Tarlac City.

For metropolitan cities, Davao City topped the ranking, followed by Quezon City, Makati, Manila, Marikina, Lapu-Lapu, Paranaque, Cebu and Pasay.

Macaranas said the annual award also has the effect of pushing other cities which participate in the survey to improve their overall competitiveness to match their peers.