THE National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) recently started a conversation on why some Philippine regions are dynamic and why some are stuck in a seemingly permanent state of immobility. The studies on economic geography are limited and the intellectual firepower devoted to finding the deeper reasons behind the dynamism/stasis of regions is likewise wanting. But there are items in the NEDA’s rich regions/poor regions graphs that immediately catch the attention of people with an elementary interest in economic geography. One thing that stands out is this. Why is Central Luzon whose economy was devastated by the largest volcanic eruption of the late 20th century, way ahead of other regions that have not suffered from such a calamitous fate?