It also gives a basis for the UN development assistance. With a close working partnership between the country managers, the UN system is then able to decide how best to support the government and people of the Philippines address these issues, Landey said. The Common Country Assessment is an integral part of the reform agenda of the Secretary General himself. Because this partnership is succeeding, she will recommend that UN Secretary General Kofi Annan come to Manila and see things for himself. She sees the cooperation of the UN system and RP government as a model that the UN could use with other countries. The working partnership promotes and preserves the basic rights outlined in the UN Charter for peace, security and development.
At the same time it must be said there is concern that without concerted intensified action, the Philippines will fall short of achieving the Millennium development goals by 2015. The report cited ‘glaring inequalities in Philippine society are unsustainable and reflect core issues of ownership and access to resources, capital, information and power.’ The CCA argues that the poor and vulnerable groups must be at the core of the development agenda. That includes the rural and urban poor; child workers; children without primary caregivers; abused/trafficked women; displaced persons; children caught in armed conflicts; and indigenous persons. These are the most marginalized groups in Philippine society. The causes of poverty and exclusion are inequitable economic growth, unequal access to opportunities and basic social services, inadequate economic and social infrastructure, unregulated trade liberalization, gender inequities and high fertility rates, the report adds.
CCA reports that although the challenges in the Philippines are great, the potential for progress is high. But there is a caveat. This can only be achieved if all development partners – including national and local governments, the private sector, NGOs/CSOs work together. The academic community, media, as well as donors have to be committed to responsible governance, mobilize new resources and outline priorities. It stresses that even augmented efforts will fail unless inequities are minimized
At the Saudi National Day reception later Ms. Landey told me she was pleased as well as surprised at how much support the UN Millennium Goals were getting from the Philippines. Indeed, as she said before a capacity filled Diosdado Macapagal Hall at the Landbank Building off Roxas Boulevard, the Philippines was the first country to turn in its report on CCA.
President GMA’s speech declaring support for Speaker JDV 10-point wealth creation proposal is a step in the right direction. It will enhance party politics and encourage party members to act as one to fulfill a program. A cohesive party structure can be achieved through a program. It will help deliver the goods, as it were. Instead of working at cross purposes Lakas party members from up down should be made aware that this 12 point program is what binds them together. President GMA and Speaker JDV co-chair the Lakas -CMD party. If they work together, we can have a better partnership between the legislative and executive. This in turn will encourage the lower rungs of the party from municipal mayors up to the Senate, where some of those elected to the Senate were part of the Lakas coalition.
JDV’s proposals are intended to revive the mining industry, implement major reclamation and reforestation projects and create special zones within Subic and Clark to attract long term investments. Mrs. Arroyo said De Venecia’s proposals will be incorporated into the government’s medium term development plan.
More worrying is that with the way the Senate is behaving, I cannot see how we can have a fiscal plan in place to avoid a crisis.