The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said all 17 regions had positive economic growth in 2018, however regional income disparities widened.
Bicol region has the highest growth rate with 8.9% followed by Davao region and MIMAROPA with 8.6%.
Regions like Caraga, Cagayan Valley and the National Capital Region (NCR) recorded the lowest growth rate at 3.2%, 3.3%, and 4.8%, respectively.
According to NEDA Usec. Adoracion Navarro the regional disparities or growing income inequality has widened possibly due to high rate of population growth.
“Data shows the richer regions are getting richer so it’s also quite possible that the upper-income classes are getting richer than those in the lower income classes. The high-income classes [meanwhile] are concentrated in the high-income regions, for example, NCR,” she said.
Navarro also said the government should double their efforts in addressing the regional development gaps.
“Poor regions must catch up fast. as widening disparities may be more a result of high rate of population growth in some regions than poor economic performance per se, stakeholders especially local government units must also support the government’s family planning and reproductive health program,” she adds.—(with reports from Rosalie Coz)
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