United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Acting Assistant Administrator (AA) for Asia, Denise Rollins visited Cagayan de Oro (CDO) to renew the U.S. Government’s commitment to promote cities as engines of growth under the Cities Development Initiative of the U.S. Philippines Partnership for Growth.

Accompanied by USAID/Philippines Mission Director Gloria D. Steele, AA Rollins visited program sites and engaged with local leaders and families that represent the wide scope of USAID’s work in the Philippines, from government officials, to business and community pioneers, to survivors of Typhoon Yolanda. Her visit reinforced the U.S. Government’s commitment to the Partnership for Growth - a joint effort with the Government of the Philippines (GPH) to achieve inclusive and resilient growth in the country.

Welcomed by Mayor Oscar Moreno, AA Rollins conducted a walking tour of CDO’s Business One Stop Shop (BOSS), which was established with the assistance of USAID through its Investment Enabling Environment Project (INVEST). This effort enabled CDO to achieve significant progress in streamlining its business permitting process, significantly reducing processing time for renewals from 19 days to less than an hour in 2014.

Cagayan de Oro is also one of the first cities to set up a Satellite BOSS (outside the City Hall) during the January 2013 and 2014 renewal period. The city’s efforts to streamline its business processes and cut red tape earned it the distinction of being the number one most competitive city in the Philippines in 2012, based on a study by the National Competitive Council.

“Cagayan de Oro City is indeed on its track in making itself known in the Philippines as an ideal place for business and investment,” observed AA Rollins. “We foresee that Cagayan de Oro will continue to generate volumes of additional investments and increased economic activity to help achieve broad-based, inclusive and resilient growth.”

Launched in 2012, the CDI seeks to promote economic development outside Metro Manila to disperse economic opportunities and enable the country to accelerate and sustain higher, broad-based inclusive growth.

As part of the CDI, the USG and partner cities - currently CDO, Batangas, and IloIlo - hold mutual responsibility for promoting growth through appropriate incentives and policies, greater transparency and accountability, and increased competitiveness. To maximize USAID’s impact, CDI combines economic and investment-related activities with social, environmental, and governance assistance to achieve synergy and unleash the growth potential of cities, ultimately allowing the country to leapfrog past its constraints to growth and join the next generation of developing nations.

While in Cayagan de Oro, AA Rollins also visited USAID projects being implemented in Mindanao, including MindanaoHealth, the Water Security for Resilient Economic Growth Project (Be Secure), the Biodiversity and Watersheds Improved for Stronger Economy and Ecosystem Resilience (B+WISER), and the Private Financing Advisory Network (PFAN) activity.

About USAID

The American people, through the United States Agency for International Development, have provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for over 50 years. In the Philippines, USAID works in partnership with the national government in creating a more stable, prosperous and well-governed country through programs that foster sustainable and inclusive growth, strengthen governance and combat corruption, improve access to water, energy, health and education services, increase environmental resilience and natural resource management capabilities. For more information, visit http://www.usaid.gov/philippines or contact USAID/Philippines Development Outreach and Communications via email: infoph@usaid.gov.