The Province of Davao del Norte retains its luster as the most competitive province in the Visayas and Mindanao region when it landed third in the 2022 rankings of the Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI).

Davao del Norte was recognized as the 3rd Most Competitive Province in the country during the 10th Cities and Municipalities Competitive Summit spearheaded by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) held at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City.

Although the province slid down from the previous second position it held in 2020 and 2021, it remained the most competitive province outside Luzon, based on an index that gauged local government units in terms of economic dynamism, government efficiency,  infrastructure, resiliency, and innovation.

It garnered an average score of 37.42% in the CMCI this year, just .26 shy of the second placer Cavite that has a score of 37.68%.

Rizal province bagged the most-coveted award for seven straight years with a score of 40.23% in the CMCI.

Governor Edwin Jubahib shared the award with the 11 LGUs of Davao del Norte, whose efforts collectively contributed to the overall ranking of the province.

“The key policy initiatives and sustained infrastructure development that we carried out to foster an environment conducive for business to flourish are truly working,” the governor said, during the first convocation program of the Provincial Capitol after two years.

Provincial Administrator Engr. Josie Jean Rabanoz received the award on behalf of the governor, accompanied by Department of Trade Industry (DTI)-XI Regional Director Maria Belenda Q. Ambi, DTI-Provincial Director Romeo Castañaga, Assistant Provincial Administrator Engr. Maria Hazel Zafra, and Provincial Local Economic Investment Promotion Officer Joevynar Miedes.

Davao del Norte is also among the finalists of the Most Business-Friendly (MBF) Province Award, as it was further identified as a potential passer of the Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) this year.