All regions except Caraga and Region XI showed improvement in Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) in 1999. This explained the overall 3.3 percent growth of the Philippine economy in 1999 from the 0.6 percent contraction the previous year. GRDP is the measure of all the goods and services produced by the regional economies for a given period.

Region II (Cagayan Valley) was the fastest growing region with a significant 22.8 percent increase. Second is the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), last year’s leading region, which continued its upward trend although at a slower pace of 8.8 percent. Region VI (Western Visayas), on the other hand, rose from eighth to third position with a 5.7 percent growth.

Comparative Growth Rates of Regional Economies:
1997-1999 at Constant 1985 Prices

In terms of contribution to growth in GDP, NCR remains the leading contributor to the country’s economy even with the modest growth of 2.5 percent. The region accounted for almost 23.0 percent of the increase in GDP in 1999. Cagayan Valley Region contributed 13.4 percent and Western Visayas, 11.9 percent.