Speaker affirms House commitment on MDG

MANILA, Philippines – Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. affirmed the House of Representatives’ commitment to achieve the 2015 Millennium Development Goals (MDG) for the Philippines and called on lawmakers to pitch in to help end poverty.

Belmonte, who spoke during the opening ceremonies of MDG Week in the House as part of the global “Stand Up, Take Action” campaign aimed at eradicating extreme poverty by 2015, said “the race to 2015 is on its final stretch.”

“The realization of the MDG is a commitment we will not neglect,” Belmonte said. “This chamber shall devote its work in the next three years to ensure that our national efforts will conform if not exceed—the benchmark in this movement.”

“The commitment to fulfill the MDG goals shall underlie our decisions when we craft the annual national budget, review laws on taxation and guidelines on utilization of development assistance, when we agree to fund public programs, actions and projects and when we scrutinize every piece of proposed legislation,” he said.

Belmonte said: “The present political leadership which assumed power on pledges of ending corruption and poverty are pledges consistent with the country’s commitments to achieve the MDG.”

Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos, MDG committee chairman, sought public support for her panel’s work “to ensure that socially responsive legislation is performed.”

“If we sincerely work together, I am confident it is possible to achieve MDG 2015 deadline and beyond,” Marcos said.

Deputy Minority Leader and Pasig City Rep. Roman Romulo said the government is spending a total of P8.2 billion next year to aggressively fight infant and maternal mortality, and achieve MDGs ahead of the 2015 deadline.

Some P5.7 billion will be spent to put up a total of 1,278 basic and bomprehensive emergency obstetrics and newborn care facilities countrywide, he said,

The facilities are meant to significantly minimize the number of newborns and women lost due to childbirth-related and pregnancy complications, Romulo said.

He said another P2.5 billion has been earmarked to vaccinate up to 2.6 million children against measles, neonatal tetanus, Hepatitis B, and hemophilis influenza type B.

Meanwhile, a network of citizens groups is set to hand over today to concerned officials a report that will help the government implement a “catch-up plan” on the Millennium Development Goals (MDG).

Social Watch Philippines (SWP) will hand over the citizens’ shadow report on the MDGs titled “Winning the Numbers, Losing the War: The Other MDG Report 2010” to Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., to reportedly help guide the government in meeting its targets.

The MDG is the set of measurable targets which heads of state promised to fulfill by 2015 in order to eradicate poverty and hunger, reduce inequality and promote human rights.

President Aquino is set to present the Fourth Philippines’ Progress Report on the MDG to over a hundred heads of State in New York this September.

Isagani Serrano, SWP convenor and editor of the shadow report, said that, in sharp contrast to the Philippines Fourth Progress Report on the Millennium Development Goals 2010, the shadow report warns that the problem is much more serious than what the government is prepared to admit.

“We are losing the war on poverty. Many would still be left behind, and their numbers are simply staggering by any count. The Philippines is in a worse poverty situation in 2010 than when it started on the MDG in 2000,” Serrano said.

He added that the shadow report also digs into the less obvious reasons of not attaining the minimalist set of goals despite MDG-oriented policy declarations and national development plans. –-Paolo Romero (The Philippine Star) with Rhodina Villanueva