LAND USE
Region IV is predominantly agricultural and its most important crops are sugarcane, rice, banana, coconut and corn. Of its total land area, 2,531,152 hectares are forestland while 2.161,264 are alienable and disposable. Continuing urbanization and land conversion from agricultural use to commercial use are the biggest issues that face the agricultural sector of the region, especially in the network of industrial and special economic zones, CALABARZON.

NATURAL RESOURCES
Region IV is rich in natural resources: mineral deposits, forest products and large bodies of marine and inland waters as well as fertile soil for cultivation.

INDUSTRIES
The region’s main industries include farming, livestock and poultry, large-scale to small-scale manufacturing, textiles, food processing, mining of metallic and non-metallic minerals and fishing. It is considered the premier region of the country in terms of progress and development.

Due to the contribution of the industrial estates/parks located in the CALABARZON areas, industry had the biggest share to the regional output from 42.20% in 1993 to 44.42% in 1996. The conversion of agricultural land to other uses as well as natural calamities, led the agriculture sector to a decreasing share in the gross Regional Domestic product (GRDP), from 27.5% in 1993 to 25.3% in 1996.

The development of industrial centers in the region such as the Regional Agri-industrial center – Batangas City; Rosario-Imus industrial area; Dasmarinas –Carmona industrial area; West Laguna industrial area; Rizal Suburban industrial area and Metro Batangas are meant to spur economic development in the region .

URBAN CENTERS
The major urban centers of Region IV are the following cities and capital towns: Lucena in Quezon; Batangas and Lipa in Batangas; San Pablo in Laguna; Cavite City, Bacoor and Imus in Cavite; Puerto Princesa in Palawan and the capital town of Boac in Marinduque; Calapari in Oriental Mindoro; San Jose in Occidental Mindoro and Baler in Aurora.

FACILITIES
Overland travel is facilitated by a system of good roads augmented by railways traversing the provinces and interconnecting important economic centers within the region. The island provinces are accessible by air or sea transport. Communication facilities are provided by government postal and telegraphic services and a number of private companies. There are telephones in most towns.