Mandaluyong best city to ‘live, work, do business in’--study
By Beverly T. Natividad
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 23:39:00 07/17/2008
Filed Under: Good news, Government
MANILA, Philippines -- Mandaluyong is the best city to “live, work and do business in,” said a study by the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) Policy Center.
Mandaluyong has bested 89 other cities in a study about the “quality of life” in cities conducted by the AIM Policy Center in coordination with international agencies like the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ), International Finance Corporation (IFC), and the International Labor Organization, plus private companies like SM Investments and Petron Corporation.
The study, called the Philippine Cities Competitiveness Ranking Program (PCCRP), measures the competitiveness of cities by analyzing relevant indicators of local economic and political systems.
It also measures the capability of cities to provide a nurturing environment for businesses, as well as give prosperity to its residents.
The PCCRP focused on six criteria like the cost of doing business, dynamism of local economy, human resource and training, infrastructure, LGU responsiveness, and quality of life.
Mandaluyong earned the highest score of 7.98 in terms of the “quality of life” criterion, out of an average score of 6.06.
It was particularly cited for its “balanced growth and development.” According to the findings of the study, Mandaluyong is “where the improvement in lives of people is significantly achieved.”
Mandaluyong City Mayor Benhur Abalos Jr. welcomed the city’s newest citation saying that the “synergy of [its] people is the key to [their] success.”
“Despite the fact that Mandaluyong is one of the country’s smallest cities, we are getting bigger achievements,” he added.
Only last June, Mandaluyong was also cited by multilateral funding agency World Bank as the most business-friendly city for making it easier for entrepreneurs to transfer property ownerships.
The World Bank report, done in coordination with AIM and the National Competitive Council, lauded Mandaluyong for processing business transactions like transferring ownership of property only within 21 days, compared to an average of six weeks in other Philippine cities.
The AIM policy center’s PCCRP was aimed at encouraging local government leaders to become economic and development managers, it said in its project background.
It added the PCCRP also aimed to develop a model to emphasize the role of small and medium scale enterprises in city development.
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