ILOILO – The province reflected an 8.5 percent growth in gross domestic product (GDP) from 4.5 percent in 2021.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)-Iloilo presented the data during last week’s Dissemination Forum held at District 21 Hotel in Iloilo City.
With this, Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. said he is delighted to learn the economy is improving.
“We are very happy. We sustain that through our overall development program, “MoRProGRes Iloilo” (Movement for a Robust, Progressive, Globally Competitive, and Resilient Province of Iloilo),” he said.
Here is the breakdown of Iloilo’s GDP from 2019 to 2022 (at constant 2018 prices):
* 2019 – P193.29 billion
* 2020 – P181.77 billion
* 2021 – P189.93 billion
* 2022 – P206 billion
Of the three major industries, services was the top performer, delivering 14 percent, followed by industries at 7.0 percent and agriculture at -0.5 percent.
For Industry
* 2020 – P38.43 billion
* 2021 – P39.10 billion
* 2022 – P41.84 billion, or a 7.0 percent increase
For Services
* 2020 – P91.24 billion
* 2021 – P96.80 billion
* 2022 – P110.39 billion, or a 14 percent increase
For Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing
* 2020 – P52.10 billion
* 2021 – P54.04 billion
* 2022 – P53.78 billion, or -0.5 percent down
According to Defensor, it is better if the economic growth of the province can be sustained by pushing agriculture production and the development of the growth areas in the province. Agriculture is the main source of livelihood for the residents of the province, he added.
“Our economic driver is the service industry, which is why we want agriculture to be on par since it is also important as an economic driver,” Defensor added.
Improving agriculture production is among the development thrusts of the Defensor administration. These are:
* To maximize agricultural production, create a value chain for agricultural products, and, in the process, generate employment and business for the province’s agricultural tourism industry.
* Develop growth areas that shall serve as investment centers for the information and communication technology and light industries, and in the process generate employment and business for the province’s service and manufacturing industries.
* To create a strong middle class in the province who shall be financially capacitated clients and customers of the province’s service industry and commercial establishment.
These development thrusts align with the “MoReProGRes” Iloilo direction, which has the following specific goals:
* to increase investments and employment opportunities
* to attain food security
* to provide accessible health and social services
* to promote public safety
* to protect and manage the resources and assets of the province
* to provide effective, efficient, and transparent government administrative services.
MoRProgGRes encompasses food security, tourism, and climate change resilience. Here are the objectives:
* to promote the production of high-value crops in various agricultural settings for food security
* to blend ornamental gardening, landscaping, and high-value crop production
* to create an agri-tourism destination for tourists, especially Ilonggo weekenders
* to create green agri-tourism destinations that promote the use of recycled or upcycled materials
* to contribute to the province’s climate change response./PN
