UN agencies earmark $507 million for new dev’t framework in Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — Various UN agencies have earmarked $506.627 million for the Philippines-United Nations Partnership Framework for Sustainable Development (PFSD) 2019-2023, a new medium-term cooperation centered on providing technical and policy support for the remaining developmental challenges in the country.

The new framework, the fifth Philippines-UN country plan since 1995, veers away from the provision of development assistance to a strategic partnership collaboration.

This entails building on the country’s socioeconomic successes since 1990 and focusing UN agencies’ attention and resources on challenges that prevent the attainment of the country’s medium and long-term development targets.

It would be focused on three pillars: people, prosperity and planet, and peace.

This framework would be aligned with the socioeconomic priorities under the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022 and its accompanying public investment plan which has a total investment target of P10.64 trillion.

Funding allocated under the new framework would be the initial investment in a longer-term UN effort to support the country’s long-term vision, the UN said.

“The PFSD illustrates our renewed commitment for development cooperations and partnership. While the framework reflects strong government ownership, it also intends to leverage shared opportunities and respective comparative advantages of the government and UN country team, towards efforts that are catalytic, path-breaking, and innovative,” said Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia during the signing of the framework agreement.

In the next five years, UN agencies would provide support to the development and implementation of activities within the PFSD, which may include technical support, cash assistance, supplies, commodities and equipment, procurement services, transport, funds for advocacy, research and studies, consultancies, program development, monitoring and evaluation, training activities and staff support.

The UN would also mobilize funding from other sources other than its own to support the efforts under the new framework.

Out of total budget for the PFSD, $49.949 million is already available, while $456.677 million would still be mobilized.

The Philippines is currently a middle income economy and is now considered as one of the most dynamic economies in the world today. And yet, rising incomes and fiscal space have not contributed to human development, community development, and maintaining peace particularly in Mindanao.

“Having transitioned to a higher, more robust growth path, the quality of growth is the main socioeconomic challenge of the Philippines moving forward,” said the brief for the PFSD.

The PFSD’s first pillar, people, would be geared towards the crafting of policies and programs for the marginalized and vulnerable population to enable them to benefit from more inclusive and quality services and live in more supportive environments where their nutrition, food security, and health are ensured and protected.

The second pilar, prosperity and planet, aims for the creation of communities where urbanization, economic growth, and climate change actions converge for everybody’s benefit.

The last pillar, peace, focuses on attaining “just and lasting peace” in conflict areas in Mindanao.

Progress in each development pillar would be monitored using specific outcome indicators and would be pursued using specific programming priorities.