The result of the 2007 Philippine Cities Competitiveness Ranking Program (PCCRP) survey was already released by the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) and was presented on 4 July 2008. There are some notable changes in the 2007 PCCRP. The number of surveyed cities increased from only 65 cities (13 Metro, 15 Mid-Sized and 37 Small-Sized Cities) surveyed in 2005 to 90 (20 Metro, 25 Mid-Sized and 45 Small-Sized Cities). The Linkages and Accessibility Driver was removed and merged in Infrastructure in the 2007 study. In the 2005 survey, all the drivers were given equal weight whereas inthe 2007 study the Dynamism of Local Economy was given a weight of 25% while the rest of the drivers were given a 15% weight.

The top performing Metro Cities category (out of 20):

1. Davao (7.05)
2. Quezon City (6.61)
3. Makati (6.58)
4. Manila (6.43)
5. Marikina (6.37)
6. Lapu-Lapu (6.30)

The top performing Mid-Sized Cities category (out of 25):

1. Olongapo City (7.05)
2. General Santos City (6.94)
3. Tarlac City (6.80)
4. San Pablo City (6.75)
5. Cabanatuan City (6.74)
6. Tagum City (6.66)
7. Lucena City (6.64)

The top performing Small-Sized Cities category (out of 45):

1. San Fernando (La Union) (7.55)
2. Malaybalay (7.11)
3. Surigao (7.08)
4. Laoag (7.00)
5. Tagbilaran (7.00)
6. Bayawan (6.78)
7. Dipolog (6.74)
8. Calbayog (6.73)
9. Dagupan (6.72)
10. Calapan (6.69)
11. Tuguegarao (6.68)
12. Naga (6.65)

Surprisingly, Bacolod City which previously holds the top spot for Mid-Sized Cities for 2003 and 2005 slide to number 15 (below 16 cities, out of 25 Mid-Sized cities) based on the over-all score. Bacolod City scored low in all the competitiveness drivers. On the other hand, Iloilo City which is number three in 2005 PCCRP for the same category dropped to number eight.

What went wrong, Bacolod?

This is something that everybody in Bacolod should be concerned about. What happened between 2005 and 2007 contributing to the big drop in the competitivenes of Bacolod City? Could it be that the ten cities that were added on the survey are so competitive that Bacolod and Iloilo pale in comparison? A slide of five places for Iloilo City may not be enough cause for alarm but a drop of 14 places for Bacolod is something that needed attention.

Bacolod City scored low in all those competitiveness drivers. Let’s compare the rank of Bacolod City in 2007 with 2005.

Here’s the complete ranking for Mid-Sized Cities:

According to the Primer on the 2007 PCCRP:

Cost of Doing Business (15%). How expensive is it to operate a business in the city compared to other cities? This driver is concerned with the direct costs of doing business, such as those for land, labor, rent, telecommunications and power.

Human Resources and Training (15%). How well equipped is the population to build and take advantage of opportunities in the locality? The education of the populace is taken to be the most significant component of human resource endowment. The driver primarily refers to the competence of local manpower and the availability of training programs for skills development.

Infrastructure (15%). Are the necessary physical, telecommunications, technological, infrastructure and knowledge support services in place in the city? Transacting business requires not only the quintessential production factors, but also accompanying infrastructure and services. These include, among others, road infrastructure, transport and information and communications technology.

Responsiveness of LGU to Business Needs (15%). More importantly, the critical role especially in leadership of the local government in urban development cannot be undermined. Much of urban competitiveness is determined by the ability of the government to respond to systemic and short-lived issues with a well grounded and focused vision.

Quality of Life (15%). How well off are urban residents in terms of quality of environment and life? The quality of life factor has been increasingly considered as one of the yardsticks in determining which cities have successfully developed and which have succumbed to the ills of urbanization. Indeed, the long-term competitiveness of the city would significantly be influenced by the degree to which its leaders have taken care of the environment and the local community. Among the relevant aspects of the quality of life are the social welfare of the people, peace and order, quality of living environment, and local amenities among others.

Dynamism of the Local Economy (25%). A vibrant local economy is fundamental in attracting inward investments, generating income and fostering the attractiveness of a city.

If you can remember, Moneysense magazine ranked Bacolod City as the Best PLace to Live in the Philippines, that ranking was based on the 2005 PCCRP. Probably at the time they made the ranking, the result of the 2007 PCCRP was not yet available. For if it was, Bacolod City may not even be on the Top 10. I’m saddened by this result for personally, Bacolod is still a top choice for me as the best place to live in the Philippines.

As what AIM Policy center has noted “results have served as benchmarks for local chief executives, city planners, and economic and development managers in improving their development strides in their cities.” In order for Bacolod City to remain on top, improvements are needed in the competitiveness drivers and indicators. There is a need to revisit these areas and see what needs to be done in order for Bacolod to remain competitive and be at par with other cities. This does not only concern the local government but everybody else. Let’s again make Bacolod the best place to live in the Philippines.

Please click on the following links in order to see the complete result of the study:

PCCRP 2007 Summary of Results

PCCRP 2007 Drivers and Indicators

PCCRP 2005 Final Result Presentation

Source: Asian Institute of Management - Policy Center

photo credit: gezelle