Phl has slim chance of meeting MDG goals

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines has a slim chance of meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) on education and maternal health but the probability of meeting the other targets remains high, the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) said in a report.

The MDGs are a set of eight international development goals that United Nations member states including the Philippines have agreed to achieve by 2015.

These goals are (MDG 1) eradicating extreme poverty and hunger; (MDG 2) achieving universal primary education; (MDG 3) promoting gender equality and empowering women; (MDG 4) reducing child mortality rates; (MDG 5) improving maternal health; (MDG 6) combating AIDS, malaria and other diseases; (MDG 7) ensuring environmental sustainability and (MDG 8) developing a global partnership for development.

According to the NSCB, the country continues to have “low probability” in achieving two of the eight MDGs. These are MDG 2 on achieving universal primary education and MDG 5 on improving maternal health.

On MDG 2, data culled by the NSCB showed that there are still children who are unable to enroll in primary education because of poverty, with the net enrollment ratio in primary education still at 89.9 percent, out of a goal of 100 percent by 2015. The completion rate in primary schools is still low at 73.1 percent as of 2010 out of a goal of 100 percent, the latest available data culled by NSCB.

Furthermore, the literary rate of 15 to 24 years old was only 97.8 percent as of 2008.

On MDG 5, the NSCB said the proportion of births attended by skilled health personnel is only at 74.3 percent as of 2009, the latest available data as against the goal to bring this to 100 percent.

The contraceptive prevalence rate, an indicator of the government’s efforts to combat AIDS, is only 50.78 percent as of 2008 versus the 100-percent goal by 2015.

As for the other targets, the NSCB said there are two MDG goals that have medium probabilities of achieving targets. These are MDG 1 on eradicating extreme poverty and hunger and MDG 3 on promoting gender equality and empowering women.

“The remaining four MDGs: MDG 4 on reducing child mortality, MDG 6 on combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, MDG 7 on ensuring environmental sustainability, and MDG 8 on developing a global partnership for development - continue to have high probabilities of achieving respective targets by 2015,” the NSCB said.