The Philippine Statistics Authority in Cordillera Administrative Region (PSA-CAR) on Tuesday said the region posted a 4.8 percent economic growth in 2024, driven by household final consumption expenditure.

Villafe Alibuyog, PSA-CAR director, said in her report on the region’s economic performance for 2024 at a hotel here that the region growth was boosted by the services sector that posted a 69.4 percent growth followed by industry at 23.2 percent and agriculture, forestry and fishing at 7.4 percent.

She said the region breached the PHP200,000 mark per capita gross regional domestic product (GRDP) at PHP201,088.

The services sector that contributed much to the region’s economy was driven by the tourism industry especially with the introduction of new tourism products that give visitors more choices on where to go to and the improved data collection on tourist arrivals.

Jose Dado, acting director of the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) said the region’s economy is still in an increasing rate although it decreased from the 2023 GRDP which was at 6.9 percent.

He said the aid from government that comes in different names have also contributed to the region’s growth where individuals are able to spend at least PHP144,230 a year for household final consumption.

Dado said they are pushing for more programs and projects in the agriculture sector to be able to record a higher growth from the 2024’s 1.1 percent, which was still better than the negative growth in 2023.

“More greenhouses, tunnel vents, good agricultural practices, improved crop varieties , mechanization to be able to address the damage brought about by calamities that affects the growth of the sector,” he said.

Dado said the region’s focus on strengthening and drumming up the micro, small and medium enterprises is on the right track as it could cover up for the losses in the manufacturing sector.

He added a realignment of the focus from mass tourism to meaningful travel experience for tourists must also be looked into by the local government units and the concerned agencies.

There is a need for the region to diversify further with the adoption of innovation, mechanization in production and modernization of the agriculture, he said.

Meanwhile, Susan Balanza, Department of Agriculture-CAR Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation chief, said, “While the growth is minimal, it validates that the interventions being put in place by the department which is in billions of pesos is reaping gains.”

She said that for 2025, the DA-CAR has a PHP2.5 billion regular budget for the implementation of its various programs and interventions, not to mention locally and international funded special projects that are continuing and administered by the department, including the Special Area for Agricultural Development and the Philippine Rural Development Program which are in billions of pesos. (PNA)