Rising corruption sets back RP on MDG goals

The country is expected to miss development targets set under the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) of the United Nations (UN) mainly as a result of increasing poverty and corruption under the watch of President Arroyo.

A UN official said the Philippines is not making sufficient progress in meeting the MDGs.

The country only has six years to go before the deadline for the achievement of the development targets, Minar Pimple, deputy director for Asia on the UN Millennium Campaign, said yesterday. Pimple lamented that the country continues to lag behind its goals, especially in reducing poverty by 2015.

He added that the series of natural disasters that hit the Philippines and global financial crisis further threatens the government’s development efforts.

But Pimple expressed optimism that the Philippines can still progress and achieve most of the targets, if good governance, political will, and proper mobilization of financial support are in place.

“In terms of South East Asian countries it is not doing very well,” Pimple said, but pointed out that the country fares well compared to South Asian states like Nepal, Bangladesh and India.

“It depends on what comparison you use like Malaysia and Singapore. Thailand in previous years was much worse, but has improved and surpassed the Philippines in terms of human development. In that sense, compared to your South East Asian neighbors in the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) community, the Philippines is not really at par,” Minar said.

Apart from long-standing problems on corruption, Minar noted the inefficient delivery of social services and inability to translate government rhetorics into action are stumbling blocks to achieving the MDGs.

The eight MDGs are the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger; achieving universal primary education; promoting gender equality and empowering women; reducing child mortality; improving maternal health care; combating HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases; ensuring environmental sustainability; and developing a global partnership for development.

While there is no conditionality attached primarily with regards to the provision of foreign aid if the MDGs are not met, Minar stressed it will be detrimental to the country’s image once the government fails to meet the UN goals.

The MDGs consist of eight goals with specific timetables aimed at significantly reducing, if not completely eradicating, extreme poverty by 2015. Of these goals, the Philippines is way behind its targets on eliminating poverty, access to primary education, reducing maternal deaths, protection of environment, and combating HIV/AIDS.

“More than one-third of the population are still living on less than one dollar a day, over five million children are not in school, 93 newborn babies and 11 mothers are dying every day, HIV cases are growing, with the youth increasingly becoming more vulnerable, and environmental resources are depleting,” said UN Population Fund Representative Suneeta Mukherjee in a press conference.

Minar also spoke of the necessity of “disaster proofing” the MDGs by integrating disaster risk reduction into sustainable development policies and planning.

He also urged those seeking for government posts, particularly the presidential candidates, in the May 2010 national polls to incorporate the MDGs in their political platforms.

A UN statement said the country can still do much in the political front by “conscientiously working for good governance, accountability and transparency by eliminating the obstacles to it.

“In addition, the country needs to be conscious about the potential of its human capital and continue to invest in good quality education, health, nutrition, infrastructure to support the delivery of basic social services, and employment that will engender sustainable pro-poor growth,” it said.

According to the UN, there is a need for the Philippines to raise adequate resources to fund the achievement of the MDGs and reverse the trends in social budgeting.

The UN also urged the government to sustain high economic pro-poor growth to reduce income inequality, adding that high population growth rate and unresolved armed conflict with Muslim and communist rebels are diluting the gains of economic progress.

Launched in 2004 by then UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, the MDG aims to push for reforms and developments in key social problems.

United Nations Population Fund representative and UN advocacy group chairman Suneeta Mukherjee, said more than one-third of the population are still living on less that one dollar a day, over five million children are not in school, 93 newborn babies and 11 mothers are dying everyday, HIV and AIDS cases are growing, with the youth increasingly becoming more vulnerable, and environmental resources are depleting.

Former national treasurer Leonor Briones of Social Watch Philippines said widespread measures need to be taken to minimize the impacts of recurrent floods, droughts, and other hazards that further exacerbate the poverty situation.

“Life has been a calamity for 3.7 million Filipino families with no food, no education, and no health care. The numbers are steadily increasing with the impacts of extreme weather conditions regularly happening nowadays,” Briones lamented.

At the press conference, Social Watch and UNMC launched the “I Vote for MDG” campaign, which encourages voters to know their candidates in next year’s elections and support those who will have the MDGs as their platform of government.

The Stand Up campaign is a global mobilization of people happening on Oct. 16, 17 and 18 to demand world leaders to deliver on their promise to end poverty by 2015. A series of activities organized by multi-sectoral groups will be held nationwide during the three-day campaign, such as fund-raising marathons, environmental clean-up, community dialogs, and tree planting, among others.

This developed as the British Embassy announced that representatives of 16 local government units including nine municipal mayors have gathered in Iloilo City last week to assess the progress og capability-building efforts for alternative revenue generation to help municipalities provide more services to their constituents and increase their appeal to foreign investors. The forum and technical consultation was provided by the British Embassy and the University of Asia and the Pacific for their joint project, Alternative Financing Options for Local Government Units (Project ALFI).

British Ambassador Stephen Lillie addressed the local government officials during his opening remarks.

The three-year initiative provides technical assistance to LGUs in establishing profitable ventures, maximizing borrowings and forging tie-ups with the private sector. Under the program, 71 local government officials have been trained so far, including 22 mayors.

A unique component of the project is the professional mentoring program, with faculty members of the University of Asia & Pacific (UA&P) acting as consultants. It is the first project of its kind to help LGUs from the conceptualization of a project down to the actual implementation. At present, 16 municipalities are undergoing professional mentoring. The program addresses a perennial problem of LGUs, which oftentimes lack the skills in preparing successful project proposals for partnerships with the private sector.

Lillie also stressed the importance of a less carbon intensive economic growth as more and more calamities related to global warming arise. “Local governments will need to ensure that adaptation and mitigation measures to climate change are incorporated in annual investment and development plans. Efforts to improve the local economy can be undermined by inaction on climate change. A stronger partnership and shared responsibility will be important in responding to the challenges posed by climate change.” The UK is pressing hard for an ambitious agreement at the UN Climate Change negotiations in Copenhagen this December.  –Michaela P. del Callar and Gerry Baldo, Daily Tribune