CEBU CITY, Philippines – Economic experts here expressed optimism that Central Visayas’ growth will continue especially as Cebu and Bohol are set to enter into a sisterhood pact soon.
The National Economic and Development Authority here (Neda-7) expressed support for the Cebu-Bohol sisterhood pact.
In a statement, Assistant Regional Director Evelyn Nacario-Castro was quoted saying that the region’s growth momentum is expected to continue ‘even with the establishment of the Negros Island Region.’
“Cebu and Bohol account for 86 percent of the gross regional domestic product of Central Visayas, based on the 2022 Provincial Product Accounts,” Neda-7 wrote.
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Aside from Neda-7, other agencies that backed the Cebu-Bohol sisterhood included the Central Visayas offices of the Philippine Statistics Authority, Department of Trade and Industry, and the Department of Interior and Local Government.
Since the reestablishment of the Negros Island Region (NIR), only Bohol and Cebu were left for Central Visayas. Before, it comprised of Negros Oriental and Siquijor.
Siquijor was included to form the new NIR.
In turn, last November 18, the provincial governments in the two provinces met for joint session at the Capitol Social Hall here – a historic first.
The two legislative bodies authorized governors Gwendolyn Garcia (Cebu) and Aristotle Aumentado (Bohol) to enter into a sisterhood agreement.
Among the objectives of the sisterhood pact was to boost economy, tourism and inter-regional cooperation between the two provinces.