Philippines sees progress in SDGs – Manalo

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has sustained progress on most of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), but reversal effects were experienced in Goal 4 or quality education, with a two percent increase on the average dropout rate among elementary and high school students.

Speaking at the United Nations in New York on July 12, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo presented the country’s progress in the implementation of the SDGs, the “blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all.”

Manalo underscored the country’s commitment to implementing the SDGs as a top priority.

He presented the country’s third Voluntary National Review on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the High Level Political Forum (HLPF) for Sustainable Development at the UN.

Manalo stated that the Philippines, like the rest of the world, was adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and reported that while “progress on most of the goals was sustained, some were reversed.”

He said progress was sustained in gender equality, life below water and life on land. On SDG5, the number of reported gender-based violence cases decreased due to the enactment of various legal frameworks that protect women and children. For goal 14, the coverage of protected areas in relation to marine areas increased.

“For goal 15, we saw a rise in the country’s forest cover and terrestrial protected areas. Public expenditure and ODA on the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and ecosystems also increased,” Manalo said.

On monitoring SDG implementation, Manalo said the existing SDG watch would be complemented by a community-based monitoring system that will feature greater involvement of local governments and provide more granular data at the household level.

He also cited that the Philippines is developing a pandemic response playbook on health and resiliency, a guide that will direct government and non-government entities in the event of another COVID surge or a future pandemic.

During the Q&A segment, the Philippines responded to questions from Denmark, Guatemala, Pakistan, Switzerland, Vietnam and the children and youth sector of the UN’s Major Groups and other Stakeholders.

The HLPF is the core UN platform for follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals. The UN adopted the SDGs in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity.

This year’s HLPF aims to review progress in the following SDGs: quality education, gender equality, life below water, life on land and partnerships.