Spatial Analysis of Local Competitiveness: Relationship of Economic Dynamism of Cities and Municipalities in Major Regional Metropolitan Areas in the Philippines

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Dear Authors,

thank you for your submission!

I think that the topic that you deal with is important and you study is promising.

However, at this stage it is not appropriate for further consideration, due to the following issues:

1.      I think that sections 1 and 2 must be merged into a common introductory one. Your section2 “Literature Review” is too long for an article. It can be a good review for a thesis but not for a journal article. Please, squeeze the first 6 pages into 2 pages. Do not forget that the introductory literature review is needed to settle the context of your study at larger scale.

2.      I support your intention to include a conceptual framework. However, the diagram in Figure 2 is not good! Please, try to break it into smaller stages/steps of the workflow. And please, improve the graphical quality of it. There must be more graphics/ keywords rather than long texts.

3.      In section 3.2 you must include an introductory map that shows the selected study areas on map. You must show where Philippines is located within the continent. Then, where the study areas are located within the Philippines.

4.      The same comment is relevant for Figure 3 as well!

5.      Why the standard legend in figure 4 is so important to be assigned as a separate figure?! You could include it in the next map that you will show.

6.      Maps in Figure 6 and all the others must include coordinates!

7.      There are some formatting errors like in section 4.2. please, check them throughout the manuscript!

8.      The numbering of sections is unclear to me in some sections like 4.3 you state subsections like 1 and 2?! And then we have suddenly section 5!!!

9.      Conclusion is too long. I would rather suggest you transfer some parts to the discussion section if relevant. Otherwise, you must find the way to make the conclusions part much shorter. Do not forget, that most potential readers of your article will scan first the abstract and the conclusion. And, if they face a very long conclusion they might skip your article, and you will miss a citation here. The conclusions part must be like a “concluding abstract”.

10.  You do not have to write your position at your institution within the affiliation information

11.  Please, cross check if all cited sources are listed in the references list and vice versa.

 

12.  You must check for the referencing format of the journal. Some sources are not appropriately listed.

I would suggest a resubmission after correcting the abovementioned issues!

Kind regards,

Reviewer

Author Response

Dear Reviewer 1,

On behalf of our research team, may we extend our sincere gratitude for taking your expertise, inputs, and time in the exercise of guiding us improve our journal article.

Enclosed is the copy of the point by point reply to your comments. We understand that the uploading of the revised paper can only be activated upon uploading to the online system/platform of the responses to all reviewers.

Looking forward to your consideration and approval.

Thank you and best regards,

Ronnie H. Encarnacion

 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

The research covers interesting research on spatial analysis of local competitiveness. The study analyses the relationship of the economic dynamism of cities and municipalities in major regional metropolitan areas in the Philippines. The manuscript is submitted to the Sustainability journal. However, the authors examined mainly economic indicators in this study. It may be possible to theoretically analyze several social and environmental sustainability indicators (for example, https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-19131-6) of the spatial analysis of local competitiveness. Also, the manuscript is written in style more like a lecture rather than a research article. The global innovativeness in research development hasn't been presented. Some figures and tables which involve world-wide novel research should be described and discussed with more details to emphasize the state-of-the-art-review all over the world novelty. Please use this the newest (2018-2022) Web of Science journal papers.

Author Response

Dear Reviewer 2,

On behalf of our research team, may we extend our sincere gratitude for taking your expertise, inputs, and time in the exercise of guiding us improve our journal article.

Enclosed is the copy of the point by point reply to your comments. We understand that the uploading of the revised paper can only be activated upon uploading to the online system/platform of the responses to all reviewers.

Looking forward to your consideration and approval.

Thank you and best regards,

Ronnie H. Encarnacion

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

Dear authors,

The study is well structured and deeply investigated a unique application of a country-based system to formulating sustainable local development strategies through the spatial interactions of areas. The suggestion of “complementation” rather than competition between local places/cities is logically supported. 

1- I suggest adding some references in relation to the theories adopted in the study.

2- I suggest designing some diagrams to explain the holistic methodology and used systems/tools in the study.

3- I suggest attaching an appendix to acknowledge all the systems/tools in practice in the Philippines. You might include a description, names of developers, links to the tools, establishment date, and if it is still in practice or not...

The work is well-established and will be a good addition to the literature the suggestion might contribute to the clarity of the journal.

Author Response

Dear Reviewer 3,

On behalf of our research team, may we extend our sincere gratitude for taking your expertise, inputs, and time in the exercise of guiding us improve our journal article.

Enclosed is the copy of the point by point reply to your comments. We understand that the uploading of the revised paper can only be activated upon uploading to the online system/platform of the responses to all reviewers.

Looking forward to your consideration and approval.

Thank you and best regards,

Ronnie H. Encarnacion

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

Dear Authors,

Thank you for considering most of the suggestions.

I think that the currents tate of your manuscript is worth sharing with the reader.

Good luck!

Reviewer 1

Reviewer 2 Report

In future articles, authors' should pay attention to emphasizing the global novelty of the research.