Philippines Underscores Priorities in Education, Science and Culture at UNESCO Executive Board
PARIS 08 April 2024 – The Philippines, during the General Debate of the 219th Session of the UNESCO Executive Board, the 58-member governing body of UNESCO, acknowledged progress made in the attainment of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 and the new UNESCO initiative on establishing public digital learning. Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. Eric Gerardo E. Tamayo shared the Philippine experience in transforming education, through the implementation of the Department of Education’s "MATATAG Programme: Bansang Makabata, Bansang Makabansa'' which encompasses UNESCO recommendations on lifelong learning, mother tongue-based education, inclusive education and peace competencies, among others, in the K to 12 programme.
In science, the Philippines announced that it joined hands with UNESCO, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Chile, Paraguay and other like-minded states in authoring and submitting a resolution with a related Call to Action on the scientific freedom and safety of scientists before the UNESCO Executive Board.
In culture, the Philippines reiterated the call to include culture as a stand-alone goal in the post-2030 international development agenda and in the upcoming Summit of the Future, and emphasized culture’s important role in climate change adaptation and mitigation.
The Philippines also conveyed its support for new items put forward by member states, particularly those highlighting the cultural significance of the International Day of the Vesak, International Mother Language Day, Eid al-Fitr and Eid al Adha and those that aim to mainstream the disability inclusion and gender equality agendas across UNESCO's programmes.
The 219th Session of the UNESCO Executive Board was held from 11-27 March 2024 in the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. END
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