NEDA cites Human Development Index

The Philippines continues to rank relatively higher in human development than other ASEAN member countries and is also making progress in the attainment of the millennium development goals (MDGs).

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) cited the 2013 Human Development Report of the United Nations Development Program ranking the Philippines 114 among 187 countries, with a medium Human Development Index (HDI) at 0.654 as of 2012.

“Within the ASEAN region, the Philippines’ HDI is higher than Indonesia (0.629), Vietnam (0.617), Cambodia (0.543), Lao PDR (0.543), and Myanmar (0.498), though lower than Thailand (0.690) and Malaysia (0.769) ” said Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan.

However, the pace of improvement in HDI over the past three decades is much slower in the Philippines than in most major East Asian neighbors, particularly Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam.

HDI is a composite index of health, education and income. the Philippines has also achieved three of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) ahead of the 2015 target, according to Balisacan.

“We are an early achiever in the attainment of the MDGs in the areas of gender equality, disease control, and environmental sustainability,” he said.

The “2012 MDGs Regional Report: Where We Stand” showed that the Philippines has attained three of the eight goals and in nine out of the 22 indicators of the MDGs way before the 2015 target.

Overall, the Philippines fared better in comparison with its Southeast Asian neighbors such as Timor Leste, Cambodia and Lao Peoples’ Democratic Republic in terms of progress towards attaining the MDGs.

“The 2013 Human Development Report and the 2012 MDGs Regional Report supports the claim that our country is not Asia’s worst performer in those areas,” said Balisacan.

On the MDG on women empowerment, the country has succeeded in realizing gender equality in primary, secondary and tertiary education. –Edu Lopez, Manila Bulletin