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Cordillera Aadministrative Region short of jobs

Despite economic growth

BAGUIO CITY (July 15) — Despite reports that the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) improved its contribution to the national economy, it experienced years of jobless growth.

This, Mt. Province Governor Maximo Dalog, chair of the Regional Development Council (RDC), stated, during his state of the region address (SoRA) on July 14 at the National Economic Development Administration (NEDA) multi-purpose hall here. Dalog disclosed that despite registering economic growth from 1991 to 2002, the region experienced a dip in employment in the same years.

The SoRA was in line with the 18th anniversary of the creation of the CAR by virtue of Executive Order 220 isued by former President Corazon Aquino in 1987.

Citing 2003 data, Dalog added that though the region’s economic growth depended largely on the industrial sector, the region’s contribution to the national industrial employment dropped. He said that following the years of jobless growth, the region’s contribution to industrial employment dropped from 2.2% in 1988 to 1.1% in 2003.

He stressed that the region’s industrial growth is largely attributed to the electronics products produced in the city reflecting imbalance in economic activities. He added that the mining and quarrying sector’s contribution to national employment dropped by 15% following the slump in 1995, despite rebounding in 2002.

Dalog further said that currently over half of the region’s workforce is still in the agriculture sector. However, he added that the region’s contribution to national agriculture output remained the lowest at 1.7% from 1987 to 2003. He mentioned that agriculture gross output was about P2.6 billion, P3.7 billion in 2003 and estimated to have reached P6.1 billion in 2004.

The RDC chair also revealed that there are still problems in the education and health sector. He said that though enrolment in the region increases yearly, a significant number of students still do not complete the school year. He mentioned that in school year 2002-2003, 32% of elementary enrollees dropped out. He also said financial and access to health care and facilities persists in the region.

Moreover, he mentioned that 204 barangays in the region remain remote and not connected to road networks. In fact he said that in 2002 Tanudan and Pasil in Kalinga and Hingyon in Ifugao could not be reached by motor vehicles.

RDC reports also showed that most of the provinces of CAR are still members of Club 20, the group of poorest provinces in the country.

Dalog attributes the slow pace of the region’s development to lack of financial resources. He said CAR should urge the national government to increase the budget allotment of the region in aide of progress. He added that national government expenditures including national investments in the region shrunk in 2003. He also said the region should not expect much change in national allocations given the financial difficulties of the national government.

“We will reiterate our clamor for an increase in our share to national wealth taxes, if not for the automatic retention of national taxes within our host communities,” Dalog however said.

Dalog further said RDC’s priority is to complete major road networks and physically integrate the region. Baguio-Bontoc-Banaue Rd., Cervantes-Mankayan-Abatan Rd., and Cervates-Sabangan Rd. are among the major projects that RDC is currently working on for funding. # Kim Quitasol for NORDIS

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