This capital city of Negros Oriental has been adjudged the “Most Improved” component city in the Philippines under the 2022 Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI).

The award was given on Thursday during the 10th Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Summit held at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay, the city hall said in a statement Friday.

In an interview with the Philippine News Agency, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Negros Oriental provincial director Nimfa Virtucio said the Dumaguete city government topped this “most improved” component city category based on its performance last year.

“Among all the component cities in the country, Dumaguete showed the most significant improvements based on last year’s standing,” Virtucio said in mixed English and Cebuano.

She said the screening process included the submission of documents by the city government and a third-party evaluation, as well as a team of evaluators coming over.

Virtucio, mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo, acting vice mayor Karissa Tolentino-Maxino, and councilor Dionie Amores accepted the award on behalf of the city government.

The CMCI is one of the DTI’s Competitiveness Bureau’s programs which enjoins local government units (LGUs) to gather and submit data that serves as the basis for their scores and ranks, the media release said.

Since 2012, the CMCI program culminates with a summit, where the most competitive cities and municipalities are recognized for excelling in the five Competitiveness Pillars — Economic Dynamism, Government Efficiency, Infrastructure, Resiliency and Innovation.

This year’s summit carries the theme “A Decade of Excellence: Championing Innovation to Sustain Competitiveness.” (PNA)

Photo Credit: www.dumaguetecity.gov.ph