Ready for Johannesburg

Filipino women are getting ready for the World Summit on Sustainable Development, which will be held in Johannesburg, South Africa, August 26-September 4. The big meeting of environmentalists from all over the world will assess the gains made 10 years after the Earth Summit which was held in Rio during which Agenda 21, an unprecedented global plan of action for sustainable development, was adopted by the international community.

Has the Philippines met the expectations set forth by Agenda 21?

* * *

The answer is yes – Dir. Gen. Dante Canlas of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) told the 120 delegates from local government units and non-governmental organizations to the 1st national conference on building partnerships for sustainable gender and development held this week.

Mr. Canlas said the Philippines was one of the first among the participants at the 1992 Rio conference to establish a national body to comply with its commitments. This is the Philippine Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD), which became a global model for being one of few government bodies to adopt counterparting with NGOs and other multi-stakeholders such as academe, business, and the labor sector. PCSD’s programs have used Philippine Agenda 21 as the blueprint for achieving sustainable development in the country; central to it is forging partnerships, which means strengthening the roles of major groups and stakeholders.

Based on preliminary findings, Mr. Canlas said that targets set in the Rio summit have been met, such as in primary education and potable water supply "earlier than the target year of 2015, and we’re making steady progress."

* * *

"I believe that lots of good things have come out of the efforts to promote gender and development, and this is not by chance but by integrating GAD (gender and development) concerns in the Medium-Term Development-Plan and by agencies directly assigned to do such an integration. NEDA made a manual on formualting GAD plans, and this manual is being localized. He stressed that community-based projects are important as long as there is community support for them.

* * *

In terms of impact, NEDA has made it easier for NGOs to have greater access to credit and it is looking into constitutional, legal, administrative, behavioral and cultural impediments to promote credit accessing.

NEDA is also looking at domestic violence and empowerment of women in compliance with the country’s commitments dealing with women. It is also harmonizing with civil society, e.g, it aps NGOs if community-based projects need social preparation.

* * *

The credit programs are for micro enterprises, for which there are also credit facilities for NGO projects through the World Bank. There are new programs with the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Interior and Local Governments of first and second municipalities. Also, P350 million is initially available under the Kapit Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan nationwide programs. Communities can submit proposals to harmonizing with civil society, e.g, it taps NGOs if community-based projects need social preparation.

The national conference was organized by the Ugnayan ng Kababaihan sa Pulitika (UKP) under the leadership of women sectoral Representative Leonor Ines Luciano and Daphne D. Roxas in cooperation with the CEDAW (UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women) Technical Working Group composed of government and NGOs led by the National Commission on the Role of Filipino women, the Department of Foreign Affairs, DILG, and the Philippine Information Agency.

Other speakers at the national conference were Helena Benitez, former senator and founding president of Philippine Women’s University who pioneered global advocacy of women on environmental protection, Gov. Jose Caballero of Compostela Valley, Vice-Gov. Bella Takinan of the province of Ifugao and Vice-Gov. Joseph Delson of Kalinga Province.

* * *

ON ANOTHER FRONT, Soulmates, Incorporated will hold the ground-breaking ceremony of its "Soul garden" this morning at 9:30 inside the Q.C. Memorial Circle, Congressman Eduardo Veloso, chair of the committee on natural resources; Q.C. district Councilor Janet Malaya and QC Parks President Charito Planas are honorary guests.

Soul Garden is an innovative concept of providing the general public an alternative place for spiritual and aesthetic uplift through spaces for meditation, rituals, arts and cultural performances, health-related activities, and semianrs and dialogues. It is situated inside the gate fronting Mindanao Ave. It’s a joint venture of Soulmates Incorporated and the Quezon City Parks & Development Foundation. A non-profit venture, Soulmates welcomes sponsors and partners, particularly those providing landscape expertise and materials, construction services, spiritual leaders, artists, counselors and healers. Contact 426-0536 or 434-5303.

* * *

Tomorrow at 6 p.m., classic guitarist Michael A. Dadap, his wife violinist Yeon-Cheng Ma and the world-renowned Loboc Children’s Choir from Bohol will perform at the CCP Main Theater. The concert, dubbed "An Intimate Evening – a Musical Concert for the Family", is a collaboration of the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the Bravo Filipino Music Society headed by Bert Robledo of radio station DZFE, 98.7 FM.