The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Region 2 successfully conducted the 1st Cagayan Valley Regional CMCI Research Conference last 31 August 2022, 8:30-12nn via Zoom.
Earlier this year, the agency opened the submission of research proposals in line with this year’s theme: “Competitive and Innovative LGUs: Toward an Investment-Ready Cagayan Valley”. The submitted proposals were thoroughly screened by a panel of adjudicators, and after five (5) months, four (4) finalists have prepared their full research papers.
This activity was conceptualized with the aim of utilizing the Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI) data to provide useful information, informative conclusions, and sound recommendations that will improve the regional competitiveness and investment climate of the Cagayan Valley through data research and analysis.
“DTI R2 desires to drumbeat participants from the region, and to handhold researchers that will be our “pambato” to the National CMCI Academic Symposium next year and the succeeding years,” said DTI R2 RD Leah Pulido Ocampo in her message as she inspired the presenters to join in the said symposium.
Moreover, RD Ocampo also highlighted the value of research as a significant tool to understand the complexities of a problem, uphold truth, and build on it to create knowledge that is reliable. Conducting research develops a better understanding and enhances better decision-making capabilities.
“We are optimistic that in our second run next year, we will have increased participation from our research enthusiasts in the region,” RD Ocampo added as she expressed her joy in seeing some of the region’s researchers taking part in the activity.
At the latter part of the activity, Director Lilian G. Salonga of the DTI Competitiveness Bureau (DTI-CB) discussed “The CMCI Survey and the CMCI Academic Symposium,” and invited all interested researchers to attend next year’s DTI-R2’s Regional CMCI Research Conference and DTI-CB’s National CMCI Academic Symposium.
Adjudged as the best paper is the “A Comparative Analysis of 2019 and 2020 Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI) of Nueva Vizcaya” which was presented by Dr. Harrison T. Villanueva together with Engr. Angelino Pimentel, Dr. John Octavious S. Palina from the St. Mary’s University of Nueva Vizcaya.
Meanwhile, “Quirino Toward Investment-Ready Province: Examining its Competitiveness Index along Economic Dynamism, Governance, Resiliency, and Infrastructure,” presented by the team of Dr. Lauro S. Aspiras ranked second-best paper. “Economic Dynamism of Quirino Province Amidst Pandemic: Take-off Point as a Competitive Province in the Philippines,” by Dr. Emma Aspiras’ team and “Data Mining on the Regional Economic Dynamism: A Basis for Local Economic Forecasting,” by the team of Dr. Melidiosa V. Pagudpud ranked 3rd and 4th, respectively. These three teams are from Quirino State University.
The panel of adjudicators was composed of Dr. Wilfredo T. Lacambra, former VP for Research, Planning and Development of the University of Cagayan Valley; Dr. Christian Joy P. Cruz, University Researcher II of the Population Institute, University of the Philippines; and the chair of the panel, Dr. Roberto C. Pagulayan, former Director of the University of the Philippines Institute of Biology.
“May we always be inspired to do great things for the realization of a stronger, more competitive, innovative, and investment-ready Cagayan Valley,” said Industry Development Division OIC-Division Chief Randolph Cacacho as he encouraged the research enthusiasts present during the conference to participate in the 2nd Cagayan Valley CMCI Research Conference next year.
In closing, DC Cacacho also expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the panel of adjudicators as they shared their time, profound knowledge, and excellent input that greatly contributed to the success of the activity. He also added that DTI R2 is optimistic that their research conclusions and recommendations will drive the local economic competitiveness of the LGUs concerned and will contribute to the overall competitiveness of the region.
All comments and suggestions from the panel of adjudicators to improve the research papers and the finalists will be handheld by the DTI R2 and will be the “pambato” for next year’s National CMCI Academic Symposium. ♦
Date of Release: 20 September 2022
Posted on Facebook on 5 September 2022
