Overlay of Economic Growth, Demographic Trends and Physical Characteristics

6. Fully immunized children increased by 1.74 percent in 2020;

7. COVID-19 positive cases are on the uptrend butthe recovery rate is high while the fatality rate is relatively low at around 3 percent;

8. Air quality improved over the periodwith average concentration results for the year in the “Good” level, based on the Air Quality Indices within 24-hour guidelines values;

9. Higher education enrolment exceeded the target set for the academic year at 110,000 enrollees. Around 75.64 percent of these enrollees were awarded scholarships, grants, and other government financial assistance;

10. Number of curricula and programs developed/revised based on multi-disciplinary platforms that foster 21st-century competencies more than doubled than the previous years’ accomplishments;

11. Percentage of graduate education graduates who engaged in original research of creative work has increased in CY 2020 as compared to CY 2019 level by 21.61 percent, which surpassed the target set for 2020;

12. Number of beneficiaries provided with livelihood assistance through the DOLE

Integrated Livelihood Program improved as well as thenumber of graduates for the technical and vocational courses;

13.Housing and resettlement program in the region improved with more housing projects implemented;

14. Household energization level is at high 85.9 percent and the public access to internet connectivity improved ;

15.Reduction in maternal and infant mortality rate and decrease in crime volume and increasing crime solution efficiency;

16. Targets of reducing the prevalence of overweight or obesity and wasting as well as the reduction in the number of newly diagnosed HIV/AIDS clients were achieved;

17.Jail congestion also drastically decreased and the BJMP managed jail facilities were able to sustain the Zero Escape and Zero Positive cases among its PDLs.

Challenges and Threats

On the other hand, the regions challenges and threats that we need to hurdle are the following:

1. Poor compliance of our LGUs to mainstream DRR-CCA or the CDRA in its

Comprehensive Land Use Plans and Development Plans;

2. Non-digitization of the civil service and other licensure examinations;

3. Decrease in net enrolment rate for our seniorhigh school students;