FACT CHECK: Davao Region, not city, is ‘2nd fastest growing economy’ in PH

Claim: The Daily Viral Hub blog claims Davao City is the second fastest growing economy in the Philippines in their undated post.

The post’s sole content is a YouTube video, uploaded by DU30 News, of a media briefing by Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque in Davao City last May 5. The video has 21k views with most of its comments congratulating President Rodrigo Duterte, former Davao City mayor, for his efforts.

The headline reads, “GOOD NEWS! DAVAO CITY RANK NOW AS THE SECOND FASTEST GROWING ECONOMY IN THE COUNTRY.”

According to Roque, the economic growth is “backed by positive growth by the industry, agriculture, hunting, forestry, and fishing sectors.”

He added that the government is aiming at a 7-8% growth this year, “we are confident that this target can be achieved through the full implementation of the Build Build Build Program.”

Same claims were also published in at least 3 blogs – tribune2ph.info, du30news.blogspot.com, federalismph.info, thepinoypost.info (which has been taken down) – aside from the Daily Viral Hub blog and at least two video-hosting websites – allvideos.me and YouTube.

All the blog posts are stylistically similar: The content has no explanatory text, but only linked to the same YouTube video uploaded by DU30 News. While the video in allvideo.me is just the same video reuploaded.

Rating: FALSE

The facts: It is the Davao Region which had an economic boost, and not Davao City.

While Davao City is its regional center, the Malacañang press briefing talked about the economic output of the region, which includes Compostela Valley, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Occidental, and Davao Oriental.

Here is an excerpt from the transcript of Roque’s briefing.

“Let me begin with the good news. Good news for Davao Region, the Davao Region ranked as the second fastest growing economy region-wise in the country as it grew by 10.9% in 2017 backed by positive growth by the industry sector and by agriculture, hunting, forestry and fishery sector. In particular, industry grew by 19.1% in 2017 led by expansion of construction at 38.2% and manufacturing – 11.4% subsectors. This is followed by agriculture, hunting, forestry, and fishing with its 1.7% growth, brought by the 1.9 percentage recovery of agriculture and forestry subsectors. The government is committed to accelerate the growth of the country within the 7 to 8 percent range this year. We are confident that this target can be achieved through the full implementation of the Build, Build, Build program.”

At no point in the briefing Roque specifically mention Davao City.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in their Regional Accounts section under Macroeconomic Accounts, Region XI or Davao Region, of which Davao City is a part of, increased its share of the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 10.9%, second to the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) with a 12.1% increase.

While all 17 regions had positive economic growth, only 9 had “accelerated economies” (with asterisk in the table below):

There are no records in PSA’s website specifying the 2016-2017 economic growth of each municipality and city. – Miguel Imperial / Rappler.com