All of the country's regions reverted to economic growth last year, but only four—all in Mindanao, and all of which were relatively unscathed by surging COVID-19 infections—had outputs exceeding their prepandemic levels.
In a press conference on Thursday, Assistant National Statistician Vivian Ilarina said that while all 17 regions posted gross regional domestic product (GRDP) growth in 2021, the only four regions whose GRDP returned to prepandemic levels were the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), Northern Mindanao, Soccsksargen and the Zamboanga peninsula.
NCR ravaged
In contrast, the National Capital Region (NCR)—a hotspot for COVID-19 cases—recorded P5.8 trillion in output last year, up 4.4 percent from P5.6 trillion in 2020 but still below the P6.2 trillion in 2019, prepandemic, Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) NCR regional director Paciano Dizon said.In 2020, Metro Manila's GRDP fell by a tenth due to stringent COVID-19 lockdowns which shuttered thousands of businesses and caused the loss of millions of jobs.
While the majority of industries in the NCR also posted growth last year to reverse outputs that shrank at the onset of the pandemic, Dizon noted the accommodation and food service activities sector still registered negative growth of 5.2 percent last year.
To recall, most recreation activities and hotels in Metro Manila were reopened only late last year.
Laggards
Compared with the national gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of 5.7 percent in 2021, NCR's GRDP fell behind and was the third-lowest increase after Mimaropa's 3.3 percent and Bicol Region's 4.3 percent.
Calabarzon had the highest regional growth rate of 7.6 percent last year, followed by BARMM and the Cordillera Autonomous Region, both 7.5 percent.
"Other regions with growth above the national level were: Central Luzon, 7.4 percent; Caraga, 7.2 percent; Northern Mindanao, 6.3 percent; Eastern Visayas, 6.0 percent; Western Visayas, 5.9 percent; Davao Region, 5.9 percent; and Zamboanga Peninsula, 5.7 percent," the PSA said in a report.
On the other hand, the other regions whose growth rates were lower than GDP included Ilocos Region (4.6 percent), Cagayan Valley (5.1 percent), Soccsksargen (5.2 percent), as well as Central Visayas (5.4 percent). INQ