One key focus of the campaign platforms made by many new local executives here in Laguna province has been attracting investments to provide local employment in their localities.
And it’s a very timely move, considering that more and more Filipinos now want to live in an urban setting, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
According to state statisticians, the level of urbanization or the proportion of the total population living in barangays classified as urban was recorded at 54.0 percent in 2020, higher than 51.2 percent in 2015.
Calabarzon region, in particular, has surpassed the national level of urbanization in 2020 with 70.5 percent.
At least two component cities (Sta. Rosa and Cabuyao) and one municipality (Kalayaan) in Laguna province are now also classified as "entirely urban."
The Covid-19 pandemic has also changed, to some extent, the choice of locality of employment for many job-seekers.
The pandemic’s economic effects, coupled with the continued difficulties in commuting to Metro Manila and the high prices of basic commodities in the metropolis, have influenced job-seekers to look for employment opportunities in their own home municipalities and cities.
Fortunately, the current trend for most big business conglomerates is to move not only their factories but also their corporate offices away from Metro Manila.
In fact, many executives are now calling on mayors of Laguna’s “Industrial Belt” from San Pedro to Calamba cities in past weeks, discussing ways for more economic opportunities and investments in these cities.
This is welcome news for residents of these cities who hope that the continued investment of these big businesses will, in turn, generate more opportunities for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) particularly in the services sector.
The challenge now for LGUs is to provide a “business-friendly” environment that will generate employment – and when we don’t just mean providing tax breaks or incentives to attract investors.
What we mean here is providing an infrastructure system – roads, waterworks, energy resources, telecommunications systems – and the right time to accomplish this is now, as we continue our precarious recovery from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.