PH Reaffirms its Commitment to UN SDGs at 75th UNESCAP Session
Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia delivers the Philippine country statement during the plenary session of 75th Session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) on 27 May 2019 in Bangkok, Thailand. (DFA-UNIO Executive Director Roberto G. Manalo photo)
BANGKOK 13 June 2019 — The Philippines reaffirmed its commitment to achieve the the Philippines’ staunch commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) during the plenary session of the 75th Session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) on 27 May 2019 in Bangkok, Thailand.
During his delivery of the Philippine country statement, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia reaffirmed the Philippines’ staunch commitment to achieving the SDGs and highlighted some of the country’s efforts such as the Conditional Cash Transfer program (Goal 4: Quality Education); the recently passed Expanded Maternity Leave Act, and the full implementation of the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Law (Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth); and the passage of the Green Jobs Act and the implementation of the Ease of Doing Business Act, the Community Empowerment through Science and Technology, OneStop Lab, and One Expert programs (Goal 10: Reducing inequalities).
He further highlighted that the Philippines experienced decline in poverty incidence among Filipinos, which decreased to 21 percent in the first half of 2018 from 27.6 percent in the first half of 2015.
The Philippine delegation to the Session was composed of representatives from the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Finance, Department of Science and Technology, the National Economic and Development Authority, Philippine Statistics Authority, Committee on Population and Development, Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization and the Philippine Embassy in Bangkok.
UNESCAP is the regional development arm of the United Nations for the Asia-Pacific region. Made up of 53 Member States and nine Associate Members, with a geographical scope that stretches from Turkey in the west to the Pacific island nation of Kiribati in the east, and from the Russian Federation in the north to New Zealand in the south, the region is home to 4.1 billion people, or two thirds of the world’s population. END
Secretary Ernesto Pernia (3rd from left) with Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn (center), UN Undersecretary General and ESCAP Executive Secretary Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana (7th from right), Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai (6th from left) and other Heads of Delegation to the 75th Commission Session (UNESCAP photo)
Secretary of Socioeconomic Planning and Director-General of the National Economic and Development Authority Ernesto Pernia delivers the country statement (UNESCAP photo)
Ambassador and Permanent Representative Mary Jo A. Bernardo-Aragon (5th from right) with the members of the Philippine Delegation (PHLDEL photo)