CALAMBA CITY — CALABARZON is regressing in four Sustainable Development Goals, with climate action posting the region’s steepest decline, according to the Department of Economy, Planning and Development (DEPDev).

The latest regional assessment showed Climate Action with a pace-of-progress score of -5.3, followed by Gender Equality at -5.2, Sustainable Cities and Communities at -3.1, and Zero Hunger at -3.0.

The findings prompted the CALABARZON Special Regional Committee on Sustainable Development Goals and its Stakeholders’ Chamber to call for a review and update of the region’s SDG Catch-Up Plan.

The updated plan will cover 2026 to 2030 and identify priority interventions to accelerate progress in areas where the region continues to lag.

DEPDev said the updating will also strengthen the integration of SDG priorities into regional plans, investment programs, priority projects, budget proposals and monitoring mechanisms.

The review will be guided by the latest findings of the CALABARZON SDG Watch and Pace of Progress Report, which the Philippine Statistics Authority is expected to release by the end of September.

The updated catch-up plan will focus resources, partnerships and interventions on areas with the greatest development gaps and help accelerate the region’s progress toward the 2030 targets.