The City Information Office (CIO) in its report said the city also received a Special Award as the first Highly-Urbanized City to pass a landmark ordinance establishing the "Davao City Inventions and Innovations Center in the Philippines".
The Department of Trade (DTI) 11 conferred the award during the virtual 5th Davao Region Competitiveness Awarding on February 22, 2022, participated by representatives of DTI and Local Government Units (LGUs ) all over the Davao Region.
Cities and Municipalities Competitive Index (CMCI) is an annual ranking on the competitiveness of Philippine Cities and Municipalities of the local government units managed by the DTI through the Regional Competitiveness Committees.
CMCI is a measurement tool that is positioned to empower the LGUS to gauge their current level of competitiveness against global standards, identify areas for improvement and growth, and launch reforms and initiatives to further boost local competitiveness.
In her message during the virtual awarding, DTI 11 Regional Director Maria Belenda Q. Ambi said that the five pillars are crucial aspects of local competitiveness.
"For this year's cycle, the index was expanded with the inclusion of the innovation pillar. With this pillar we hope to foster the idea of the competitiveness of the LGUs by enabling them to implement research and development programs and innovation initiatives for agri-industrial growth which will contribute to the economic development of the country," Ambi said.
Ambi lauded all LGUs who have exerted their time and effort in generating and compiling relevant data and information.
Mayor Sara Duterte in her virtual message thanked the DTI for holding the awarding.