UN reports $137M in development support for Phl in 2024

The United Nations in the Philippines has released its 2024 Annual Results Report, highlighting over $137 million in development assistance and outlining its strategic plans for 2025 under the newly adopted 2024–2028 Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework.

In the first year of implementing the framework, the UN and the Philippine government focused on three priority areas: human development, inclusive economic growth, and environmental sustainability. The report detailed substantial progress across health, education, climate, and enterprise development, with support sourced from bilateral, multilateral, and domestic partners.

Human development received the largest share, with $84.2 million directed toward health, education, nutrition, governance, and peacebuilding. Key achievements included a major improvement in child immunization rates, leading to the Philippines' removal from the list of top countries with the highest number of “zero-dose” children — those with no vaccinations. School meal programs and child protection projects also contributed to better attendance and reductions in child labor, early marriage, and adolescent pregnancy.

“The country’s significant political, economic, and development gains are driving transformation in the Philippines. The United Nations is adapting its tools and support to align with these goals. Beyond projects, the UN in the Philippines is increasingly focusing on high-level policy advice and domestic implementation support — reflected in our shared achievements in 2024,” said UN Philippines Resident Coordinator Arnaud Peral.

“The Philippines remains a firm believer that solutions can be found in multilateral cooperation. The UN has a key role to play in developing countries, including middle-income countries, which are still hampered by structural vulnerabilities, including from climate disasters to inequality. We need a UN that aligns its programs and budget with national strategies, and listens to the country’s needs,” said the Philippines Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo.

The UN also contributed to the finalization of the Fourth Philippine Human Rights Plan, convened the Drug Policy and Law Reform Summit, and supported the passage of a bill protecting the rights of internally displaced persons in the Bangsamoro region.

Sustainable economic development accounted for $27.1 million, supporting micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and aiding the Philippines’ inclusion as a pathfinder country in the Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions. The UN provided MSMEs with access to markets, training, and tools — including artificial intelligence— needed to scale operations and digitize.

Meanwhile, $25.7 million was invested in environmental sustainability, spanning renewable energy, disaster resilience, sanitation, and biodiversity conservation. Nearly 28,000 people directly benefited from these programs, many of which emphasized sustainable livelihoods and climate adaptation.

Looking ahead, the UN plans to align more closely with national strategies, prioritizing large-scale, multisectoral programs and continued support for the Bangsamoro region’s development transition.

“As the United Nations approaches its 80th anniversary, its work remains deeply relevant in the Philippines, one of its founding members,” Mr. Peral said. “At the same time, the UN will work with the Philippines to showcase its experiences, good practices, and leadership globally. With its perseverance, resilience, ambition, and leadership, the Philippines has so much to offer the multilateral system — and the world.”