LGUs hard put to meet millennium goals

FOUR YEARS into the deadline, some local government units (LGUs) are still sorely lacking awareness on the Millennium Development Goals (MDG), hindering the achievement of the entire set of eight United Nations-sponsored MDG targets, experts yesterday said.

Speaking at a forum yesterday, the academe, government officials and the private sector emphasized that the bulk of work remains with the LGUs’ ability to roll out programs aimed at fighting poverty, disease, pollution and illiteracy — the so-called MDGs — as its deadline nears in 2015.

“It is necessary to localize the MDGs, to translate national goals that are relevant, applicable and attainable at the local level. LGUs are essential to achieving MDGs because they are close enough to the people to be able to respond to real demand and needs,” Jacqueline Badcock, United Nations resident coordinator in the Philippines, said during a two-day forum on MDG Localization.

However, “there still exists LGUs that are not aware about the MDGs in general…the local authority representatives have not heard of MDGs although they are aware about poverty and deprivation in their cities and towns,” Mark A. Gamboa, professor at the UP-NCPAG, said at the same forum.

Localizing the MDGs is an important way to align the MDGs with national long-term planning, Mr. Gamboa said. “By having an effective advocacy and capacity program, the wrong practice of matching the already existing programs and projects to the MDGs will be minimized, if not totally eliminated,” he added.

Aside from lack of awareness, another challenge LGUs face in terms of MDG attainment is funding constraints, which arise when implementation of government programs is being discussed, Erlinda M. Capones, National Economic and Development Authority social development staff director, said.

LGUs must learn to prioritize, she said. “They should identify which of the MDGs are most needed in their localities and implement projects that will address them.” — Noemi M. Gonzales, Businessworld