#PhilippineSDG Breakout Session
Last August 19, 2016, a total of 79 individuals representing 9 schools, 15 Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), 4 Barangay Local Government Units (BLGU) and 1 National Government Agency attended the #PhilippineSDG Conference held at Seminar Room 508, De La Salle University (DLSU). Aimed at raising awareness and commitment to the UN Global Goals, the conference is part of the whole day festivities organized in line with the university’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Localization Project Launch.
The conference started with a prayer and the singing of the Philippine National Anthem. Conference Moderator Joey Rosal, COSCA Program Manager, then welcomed all participants and gave an overview of the conference. He emphasized the historical significance of the event as COSCA is the first social action office from higher education institutions to align its community engagement initiatives to the SDGs. He hoped that all the organizations present would follow suit and utilize the SDGs in their own initiatives as well.
After his opening remarks, Joey proceeded introducing the two resource persons for the talk. First to take the podium was Maria Luisa Isabel Lim-Jolongbayan, the Team Leader of the Management Support Unit at UNDP Philippines. Her task was to provide an overview of the SDGs and the many ways by which countries may localize them in their communities.
The conference started with a prayer and the singing of the Philippine National Anthem. Conference Moderator Joey Rosal, COSCA Program Manager, then welcomed all participants and gave an overview of the conference. He emphasized the historical significance of the event as COSCA is the first social action office from higher education institutions to align its community engagement initiatives to the SDGs. He hoped that all the organizations present would follow suit and utilize the SDGs in their own initiatives as well.
After his opening remarks, Joey proceeded introducing the two resource persons for the talk. First to take the podium was Maria Luisa Isabel Lim-Jolongbayan, the Team Leader of the Management Support Unit at UNDP Philippines. Her task was to provide an overview of the SDGs and the many ways by which countries may localize them in their communities.
Let's not stop half-way.
Lui started her talk by asking who among the audience were aged 45 years old and below. After a show of hands, she then asked the group what kind of future they want to see by the year 2030. She then told the group that we have a sacred responsibility to ensure a new world by 2030.
One by one, she discussed the similarities and differences between the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the SDGs. Unlike the MDGs she said, the formulation of the SDGs took two years of consultations with various sectors around the world. Due to the immense feedback that was gathered, the sustainable development goals are more extensive than the MDGs. In fact, it consists of 17 goals with 169 targets and 230 indicators. It integrates social, economic, and environmental goals with the goals of justice and peace around the world. Like a rubic’s cube she said, “a specific initiative or resource has relevance to more than one SDG, reflecting the cross-cutting nature of today’s issues and challenges.”
Lui however clarified that the UN does not expect all countries to implement all the global goals all at the same time. The Philippines is in fact given leeway to select the SDG targets it wants to prioritize and include in the Philippine Development Plan. She then presented a suggested road map for localizing the SDGs and best practices in MDG localization that may also be applied to the SDGs.
She ended her talk with a moving video, “No Point Going Halfway” that talks about not stopping half-way toward our goals. In the same way, Luis said, “Let’s not stop half-way. Let’s finish job that the MDGs has started.”
Here’s the video that was shown:
One by one, she discussed the similarities and differences between the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the SDGs. Unlike the MDGs she said, the formulation of the SDGs took two years of consultations with various sectors around the world. Due to the immense feedback that was gathered, the sustainable development goals are more extensive than the MDGs. In fact, it consists of 17 goals with 169 targets and 230 indicators. It integrates social, economic, and environmental goals with the goals of justice and peace around the world. Like a rubic’s cube she said, “a specific initiative or resource has relevance to more than one SDG, reflecting the cross-cutting nature of today’s issues and challenges.”
Lui however clarified that the UN does not expect all countries to implement all the global goals all at the same time. The Philippines is in fact given leeway to select the SDG targets it wants to prioritize and include in the Philippine Development Plan. She then presented a suggested road map for localizing the SDGs and best practices in MDG localization that may also be applied to the SDGs.
She ended her talk with a moving video, “No Point Going Halfway” that talks about not stopping half-way toward our goals. In the same way, Luis said, “Let’s not stop half-way. Let’s finish job that the MDGs has started.”
Here’s the video that was shown:
Leave No One Behind.
After a short break, the session resumed with a talk on the "Philippine Initiatives in the Implementation of the SDGs" presented by DLSU Alumni and now Chief Economic Development Staff at the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), Mr. Edgardo "Dune" Aranjuez II.
Dune’s talk centered on what the Philippines’ learned from the MDG implementation and what it intends to do to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Like Lui, he also summarized the accomplishments and backlogs of the country in terms of achieving the MDGs. In addition, he also outlined the lessons learned from the MDG implementation. Of particular note are the clear institutional arrangements and multi-sectoral partnerships that were built. He however shared that local level implementation and data constraints were some of the key challenges that hindered MDG progress in some areas.
Dune then discussed the Duterte Administration’s 10 Point Agenda and how it aligns very well with the SDGs. He highlighted items 6-10 on land tenure, innovation, lifelong learning, poverty alleviation and universal health as those that are also mentioned in the SDGs.
He echoed Lui’s sentiments that some SDGs may be hard to implement. Aside from the priorities of the government already mentioned, he also said that some indicators remain vague and difficult to measure. He cited global citizenship education as an example. Further clarification is needed on what global citizenship education exactly entails. He clarified however that even if some indicators are hard to quantify, the goals and targets in themselves are very good initiatives to pursue.
After listing the government’s planned and ongoing activities on the SDGs, he ended by challenging the audience that in pursuing development, we should make sure that we “Leave No One Behind.”
Dune’s talk centered on what the Philippines’ learned from the MDG implementation and what it intends to do to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Like Lui, he also summarized the accomplishments and backlogs of the country in terms of achieving the MDGs. In addition, he also outlined the lessons learned from the MDG implementation. Of particular note are the clear institutional arrangements and multi-sectoral partnerships that were built. He however shared that local level implementation and data constraints were some of the key challenges that hindered MDG progress in some areas.
Dune then discussed the Duterte Administration’s 10 Point Agenda and how it aligns very well with the SDGs. He highlighted items 6-10 on land tenure, innovation, lifelong learning, poverty alleviation and universal health as those that are also mentioned in the SDGs.
He echoed Lui’s sentiments that some SDGs may be hard to implement. Aside from the priorities of the government already mentioned, he also said that some indicators remain vague and difficult to measure. He cited global citizenship education as an example. Further clarification is needed on what global citizenship education exactly entails. He clarified however that even if some indicators are hard to quantify, the goals and targets in themselves are very good initiatives to pursue.
After listing the government’s planned and ongoing activities on the SDGs, he ended by challenging the audience that in pursuing development, we should make sure that we “Leave No One Behind.”
Open Forum
UNDP
Q: How can we better report SDG progress to our local communities?
Ans. I am not privy to the Philipines' strategies on this maybe NEDA can help later during his presentation. The Philippines however reports progress to the UN once a year. Q: Based from international experience, would a National ID System help monitor the SDGs? Ans. I have not encountered any report on this before, I would have to confer with my colleagues on this. Q: How do you collect data to ensure that parents' commitments to the MDGs (as shared during the FACES Case Study) are done? Ans. The UNDP's role is mainly government capacity-building. Mostly, government collects the data. Hindi sa amin napupunta ang data. We help the PSA (Philippine Statistics Agency) and NSCB (National Statistical Coordination Board) for the MDG Watch. Other UN-Affiliated Agencies like the ILO (International Labour Organization) and the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) collect their own data. Except for implemented projects, UNDP does not collect data. Ang data ng FACES (Family-Based Actions for Children and their Environs in the Slums) ay nasa local government. There is also data gathered by local governments through the CBMS (Community-Based Monitoring System). CBMS Data is however, not aggregated upwards. Iba kasi ang methodology ng PSA. But CBMS definitely serves a purpose at the barangay or municipal level. Sa governments kami (UNDP) mainly nakatutok. At project end, kaya na ng government . For UN reports, it captures PSA data. |
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NEDA
Q: You mention global citizenship education in one of your examples. Is there a plan to include education on sustainable development, gender equality and human rights?
Ans. Familiar naman tayo sa Sustainable Development and Human Rights. Ang mahirap ay i-measure ang extent. Halimbawa, promoting Human Rights, kapag ba naisama na sa curriculum ito, okay na? Sapat ba na naituturo lang ba? Pagka-graduate ba, ibig sabihin okay na yun? Do we report 40M are aware of global citizenship education just because it was included in the curriculum? We know it's there, but we cannot measure it. Q: How can we make the SDGs work for the youth? Ans. Through the NYC (National Youth Commission). Dati maraming programs for the youth.we could use the SK (Sangguniang Kabataan) as well. It's a powerful avenue. Joey (COSCA): Later, we'll show a video on how DLSU will localize the SDGs especially for students. Q: Would a National ID System help monitor the SDGs? Ans. Madami ang implications. Tricky. Information can be used in a good and bad way. Q: With President Duterte's statements about not honoring previous (UN) agreements, paano na? Ans. I cannot speak for the President, but personally, the issue is balancing targets. Industrialization vs. Environmental Sustainability. Q: What would be CHED's (Commission on Higher Education) role? Ans. CHED is one of our partners. They are heavily involved in the SDGs. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have important role especially on skills development and lifelong learning. Q: What are the implications of not meeting the SDGs? Ans. If you don't meet the SDGs, we'll continue to grapple with the same development problem. We cannot focus on others. We are in a position to take advantage of GDP growth. |
Conference Presentations
UNDP Philippines' Presentation on Localizing the SDGs
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NEDA's Presentation on "Philippine Initiatives in the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals"
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Organizations / Schools Represented
Schools
De La Salle University (DLSU)
De La Salle - College of St. Benilde (DLS-CSB) De La Salle Alumni Association (DLSAA) University of the East - Manila (UE) Philippine Normal University (PNU) Technological Institute of the Philippines - Manila (TIP) Technological Institute of the Philippines - QC (TIP) Lyceum of the Philippines Univesity (LPU) Barangay Local Government Units (BLGUs)
Brgy. 704, Manila
Brgy. 707, Manila Brgy. 71,4, Manila Brgy. 717, Manila |
Civil Society Organizations (CSOs)
Claret Urban Poor Apostolate (CUPA)
Kapit Bisig Para sa Ilog Pasig (KBPIP) Repormadong Kababaihang Sandigan ng Kaunlaran (REKASAKA) Ilaw para sa Kagalingan ng Kababaihan at Bata Inc. (ILAW) Epiphany of the Lord Credit Coop Parent Support of God’s Grace Child Development Center Inc. (PSGGCDCI) Kababaihang Yumayabong, tungo sa Kagalingan (KAYUMANGGI) Valenzuela Habitat for Humanity Educational Research and Development Assistance (ERDA) Foundation St. Luke Reachout Foundation Asociacion de Damas de Filipinas, Inc. (DAMAS) Erinyes Community Center (Erinyes) Teach Peace, Build Peace Movement (TPBPM) International Care Ministries (ICM) Palawan BOC OPI |
National Government Agency
Kapit Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan - Comprehensive Integrated Develivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS)
Department of Social Welfare and Development
Department of Social Welfare and Development
Center for Social Concern and Action
2nd Floor, Br. Connon Hall, De La Salle University -Manila
2401 Taft Avenue, 0922 Manila, Philippines
Telefax: (632) 523-4143
2nd Floor, Br. Connon Hall, De La Salle University -Manila
2401 Taft Avenue, 0922 Manila, Philippines
Telefax: (632) 523-4143