Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique A. Manalo highlights at the ongoing 2022 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF2022) at the UN Headquarters progress on PH implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, its goals and targets, particularly on SDG4 (quality education), SDG5 (gender equality), SDG14 (life below water) and SDG15 (life on land). HLPF (Photo Credit: New York PM)

 

UNITED NATIONS, NEW YORK, 12 July 2022 — Speaking at the United Nations, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique A. Manalo underscored the commitment of the Philippines to implementing the sustainable development goals (SDGs) as a top priority. Secretary Manalo presented the country’s third Voluntary National Review (VNR) on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the High Level Political Forum for Sustainable Development (HLPF) on 12 July 2022 at the UN Headquarters in New York.

The title of the third Philippine VNR was “Rekindling commitment and using innovation to accelerate recovery and ensure progress to achieve the SDGs in 2030 and our Ambisyon Natin 2040.” The presentation highlighted national policies and programs that aim to strengthen established mechanisms for SDG implementation. These mechanisms include resource mobilization, monitoring, integration of SDGs in governance at all levels, and institutionalization of public participation/stakeholder engagement.

On monitoring SDG implementation, Secretary Manalo said that the existing SDG Watch will be complemented by Community-Based Monitoring System that will feature greater involvement of local governments and provide more granular data at the household level.

Secretary Manalo stated that the Philippines, as with the rest of the world, was adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and reported that “while progress on most of the goals was sustained, some were reversed. Reversal effects were experienced in goal 4 (quality education), with an increase of about 2 percentage points on the average dropout rate among elementary and high school students. Progress was sustained in goals 5 (gender equality), 14 (life below water) and 15 (life on land). On SDG5, the number of reported gender-based violence cases decreased due to the enactment of various legal frameworks that protect women and children. For goal 14, the coverage of protected areas in relation to marine areas increased. For goal 15, we saw notable increase in the country’s forest cover and terrestrial protected areas. Public expenditure and ODA on the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and ecosystems also increased.”

Secretary Manalo also cited that the Philippines is developing a Pandemic Response Playbook on health and resiliency, a guide that will direct government and non-government entities in the event of another surge of COVID-19 or a future pandemic. During the Q&A segment, the Philippines responded to questions from Guatemala, Pakistan, Switzerland, Denmark, Vietnam, and the children and youth sector of the UN’s Major Groups and other Stakeholders (MGoS).

The ongoing 2022 ECOSOC High Level Political Forum, with the theme "Building back better from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) while advancing the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” is discussing ways to ensure a sustainable and resilient recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The HLPF is the core United Nations platform for follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals. The SDGs were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity. The aim of this year’s HLPF is to review progress in the following SDGs: SDG 4: Quality Education, SDG 5: Gender Equality, SDG 14: Life below water, SDG 15: Life on land and SDG 17: Partnerships. END

 

The Philippine Delegation to the 2022 ECOSOC High Level Political Forum led by Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique A. Manalo held from 05-18 July 2022 at the UN Headquarters, New York. HLPF (Photo Credit: New York PM)

Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique A. Manalo with ECOSOC President Colen Vixen Kelapile at the sidelines of the HLPF (Photo Credit: New York PM)