Result of the Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) estimation for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) showed that the region’s economic performance accelerated by 7.3 percent between 2016 and 2017, after a rebound in 2016 with 0.4 percent growth rate and a contraction in 2015 at 0.4 percent negative growth rate. Philippine’s economic performance decelerated at 6.7 percentage in 2016-2017 from the 6.9 percent positive growth rate in the previous year.

ARMM’s economy was estimated at 54.5 billion pesos in 2017 which is higher than the previous year with only 50.8 billion pesos. Philippine’s economy was estimated at 8.6 trillion pesos in 2017 and 8.2 trillion pesos in 2016.

Fig. 1. Gross Regional Domestic Product, ARMM: at Constant 2000 Prices (in billion pesos)

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority

Fig. 2. Regional Growth Rates: 2016-2017 (At Constant 2000 Prices)

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority

Among the 17 regions in the country, there are seven regions which posted a higher GRDP growth rate than the national Gross Domestics Product (GDP) growth rate. These are Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) at 12.1 percent; Region X (Davao Region) at 10.9 percent; Region III (Central Luzon) at 9.3 percent; Region VI (Western Visayas) at 8.4 percent; ARMM at 7.3 percent and Region II (Cagayan Valley) at 7.2 percent. ARMM ranked 6th in the entire country in terms of GRDP growth rate.

Agriculture, Hunting, Forestry and Fishing sector rebounded to 7.7 percent growth rate in 2017 from the 2.9 percent contraction in 2016. Agriculture and Forestry recovered from a 0.9 percent decline in 2016 to 8.7 percent growth rate in 2017. Similarly, Fishing turned around from 8.7 percent drop in 2016 to 4.5 percent growth in 2017.

Services grew faster from 5.5 percent in 2016 to 6.3 percent in 2017. All subsectors contributed positively to the entire sector. Transportation, Storage and Communication grew by 3.8 percent; Trade and Repair of Motor Vehicles, Motorcycles, Personal and Household Goods by 6.0 percent; Financial Intermediation by 8.7 percent; Real Estate, Renting and Business Activities (RERBA) by 2.0 percent; Public Administration and Defense by 5.9 percent; and Other Services by 12.1 percent.

Industry sector registered a 10.8 percent growth rate in 2017, faster than the 2.5 percent growth in 2016. Mining and Quarrying and Electricity, Gas and Water Supply posted a double-digit growth of 31.9 percent and 16.3 percent, respectively in 2017. Likewise, Manufacturing and Construction contributed positively to the growth but at a slower pace of 4.0 percent and 2.5 percent, respectively.

Agriculture, Hunting, Forestry and Fishing (AHFF) continued to account the largest share to the region’s economy at 56.4 percent. Services and Industry accounted for 37.7 percent and 5.9 percent, respectively.

Agriculture and Forestry contributed 76.4 percent from the total contribution of AHFF while the remaining 23.6 percent was contributed by Fishing subsector.

Public Administration and Defense accounted the largest share under Service sector at 35.3 percent followed by Real Estate, Renting and Business Activities at 20.8 percent; Other Services at 19.9 percent; Transportation, Storage and Communication at 11.0 percent; Financial Intermediation at 9.8 percent and Trade and Repair of Motor Vehicles, Motorcycles, Personal and Household Goods at 3.2 percent.

Under the Industry Sector, Electric, Gas and Water accounted the largest share at 35.9 percent followed by Construction at 29.4 percent, Manufacturing at 21.8 percent and Mining and Quarrying at 12.9 percent.

In 2017, the highest per capita GRDP was posted by the National Capital Region at 244,453 pesos while national per capita GDP was estimated at 82,592 pesos. In the case of ARMM, the estimated per capita GRDP is 13,989.00, about 83 percent lower than the national per capita GDP and about 4.7 percent higher than the 13,366 pesos 2016 per capita GRDP of the region. On the other hand, the 2017 economic output per capita index of ARMM to the national average is 16.9.