Economies of 17 regions in the country grew in 2018 with National Capital Region accounting for a third of activity .

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority ( PSA) Thursday, NCR accounted for the largest share of the Philippines' Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at 36 percent. It contributed 18 percent to the country's GDP growth.

Calabarzon's share is 17 percent share and contributed 1.2 percentage points to overall GDP growth. Central Luzon had 9.8 percent share and 0.7 percentage point contribution to overall GDP growth.

The national average real per capita GDP grew by 4.6 percent last year. At 6.8 percent, Bicol recorded the highest growth and was followed by Davao Region at 6.6 percent. Mimaropa also grew by 6.4 percent.

PSA also added that NCR's real per capita Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) went almost three times the country's per capita GDP.

NCR posted the highest per capita index relative to the national average at 294.0 in 2018, followed by Calabarzon at 121.2 and Cordillera Autonomous Region at 101.6. A

Other regions have indices lower than the national average, PSA said. Cristina Eloisa Baclig/DMS