Clearing UN goals edges closer

The country pitched in to celebrate United Nations Day yesterday by renewing its commitment to deliver Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), which are pursuits for development and prosperity that have a deadline in 2029.

In a statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the country is maintaining its commitment to the targets through a “decade of action.”

The Philippines expressed its support to the call of UN Secretary-General António Guterres to find solutions and accelerate efforts to achieve the SDG.

Guterres earlier noted that globally, progress has been made in areas such as access to energy, to decent work and in fighting extreme poverty and child mortality.

The Philippines, in its second Voluntary National Review (VNR), has shown progress in achieving the global goals based on the report of the National Economic and Development Authority.

The DFA, in partnership with the UN, led this year’s celebration to usher in a decade of delivery for the SDG and to bring in key actors for the Partnership Framework for Sustainable Development (PFSD).

Included in the celebration is a Broadway musical by Repertory Philippines that is presented to creatively engage government agencies, development partners, private sector, non-government and civil society organizations, and key partners to intensity efforts for the global goals.

The Philippines has achieved a near-universal primary enrolment rate of 94.2 percent in 2017 under Quality Education or SDG 4 and improved access to education for vulnerable groups. There were also significant increases in completion rates for primary and secondary education by more than eight and 10 percent in the past two years.

The country also recorded a gross domestic product growth rate of over six percent — in line with the decent work and economic growth or SDG 8, as well as the lowest national unemployment rate in almost 15 years.

The Green Jobs Act further promoted decent jobs that are environment-friendly, protect the ecosystem and biodiversity and help reduce waste generation and pollution, while the private sector also brought inclusive business models and value chains, while disadvantaged groups availed of livelihood support programs to lift communities out of poverty.

To promote social protection and to narrow the gap between male and female labor force, the Philippines has also expanded maternity leave benefits and extended its conditional cash transfer to poor families.

On reduced inequalities or SDG 10, data showed a significant growth rate in the household income per capita of the bottom 40 percent of the population, private companies now hire more persons with disability and poor communities were also empowered though a community-driven development approach.

On climate action or SDG 13, the Philippines ranks third in the world as “most vulnerable to hazards,” but data showed a decrease in persons directly affected by disasters from 2015 to 2018.

On peace, justice, and strong institutions or SDG 16, cumulative initiatives including those by the international community resulted to the Bangsamoro Organic Law to address the conflict in Mindanao.

The National ID System — the government’s digital identification platform — is under implementation to facilitate access of the marginalized to government assistance.

A whole-of-government and a whole-of-society approach is, however, crucial to sustain the progress that has been made to address remaining challenges, realize aspirations and ensure that no one is left behind.

The PFSD further promotes a convergence of the global goals and national priorities of the Philippines and is the first Philippines-UN country plan to deliver as one.

The PFSD is based on three desired outcomes or pillars of actions: People, Prosperity and Planet and Peace and it is at the heart of this year’s UN Day celebration and common action towards a more inclusive growth as well as a high-trust and resilient society.

Every year, the DFA and the UN Country Team in the Philippines co-hosts the UN Day celebration in pursuit of common goals.

To recall, the Philippines — as one the founding members of the UN — was among the first signatories of the UN Charter in June 1945 along with 49 other countries, and 24 October has been celebrated globally as UN Day since 1948.