NEDA assures RP to achieve MDG goals despite global crisis

MANILA, June 27 (PNA) -- Despite the global crisis, the country's pursuit in achieving the United Nations' Millenium Development Goal (MDG) will not be sidetracked, said National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) deputy director general Rolando G. Tungpalan.

“Let me underscore that despite the global economic crisis, the Philippine government’s resolve to achieve the MDGs would not be sidetracked,” Tungpalan said during the launching of the MDG-Fund (MDG-F) Joint Programme on Youth, Employment and Migration “Alternatives to Migration: Decent Jobs for Filipino Youth” .

Tungpalan, who spoke at the launching on behalf of Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ralph G. Recto, cited the government’s Economic Resiliency Plan (ERP) as the strategic tool in addressing the crisis as it focuses on saving and creating jobs and protecting the vulnerable sectors.

“The challenge posed is on how the international development community can help developing countries like the Philippines cushion the impact of the crisis on the lives of people and respond to the threats to achieve the MDGs by 2015,” Tungpalan said.

The MDG-F Joint Programme on Youth, Employment and Migration “Alternatives to Migration: Decent Jobs for Filipino Youth” is a three-year US$ 6 million initiative funded by Spain which aims to improve access to decent work for poor young men and women and improve policy coherence and implementation on youth, employment and migration through full stakeholder participation.

The program will also provide direct services in the poorest areas focusing on four provinces with high incidences of out-of-school and poor youth, low enrollment rates and where MDGs are least likely to be achieved. These provinces include Masbate, Antique, Maguindanao and Agusan del Sur.

The “Alternatives to Migration: Decent Jobs for Filipino Youth” program is the third MDG-F Joint Programme in the country. The first is the US$ 8-million MDG-F Joint Programme on Strengthening the Philippines’ Institutional Capacity to Adapt to Climate Change and the second is the US$ 5.35-million MDG-F on Democratic Economic Governance: Enhancing Access to and Provision of Water Services with the Active Participation of the Poor.

The MDG-F is a global $ 700 million funding facility contributed by the Spain to the UN in December 2006. It aims to accelerate progress towards attainment of the MDGs in selected countries by supporting programs in areas acknowledged as central to the achievement of MDGs and other internationally agreed development goals.