Oriental Mindoro’s economy showed steady progress in 2024, with its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growing by 5.3 percent, a slight increase from 5 percent in 2023, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
In its annual Provincial Product Accounts (PPA) report, the PSA noted that the province’s GDP increased from P114.89 billion in 2023 to P120.97 billion in 2024.
Dr. Charlyn Romero-Cantos, PhD, the officer-in-charge of PSA Provincial Statistical Office of Oriental Mindoro, reported that the construction industry experienced the fastest growth, expanding by 16.4 percent. This was followed by strong performances in transportation and storage, which grew by 13.8 percent, and in electricity, steam, water, and waste management, which rose by 11.8 percent.
Meanwhile, human health and social work activities registered a 9.5 percent increase, while professional and business services, along with accommodation and food service activities, recorded an average growth of 8 percent.
However, not all sectors saw gains. The agriculture, forestry, and fishing sector-a traditional economic backbone of the province-was the only major industry to decline, registering a negative growth rate of 11.6 percent.
When compared to other provinces in the Mimaropa, Oriental Mindoro ranked fourth in terms of economic growth. Despite being one of the larger provinces, it trailed behind Romblon, which grew by 6.3 percent, and Marinduque, which posted an 8.5 percent growth rate. The highest growth in the region was recorded by Puerto Princesa City at 9.8 percent.
At the lower end of the regional ranking were Occidental Mindoro, with 2.1 percent growth, and Palawan province, which registered the lowest at 1.1 percent.
Despite the challenges, particularly in the agriculture sector, Oriental Mindoro continues to move toward recovery and resilience, buoyed by its expanding construction, services, and utilities sectors