Mdgs Articles.docx

Editorial: Hunger on the rise September 17, 2017 https://www.rappler.com/move-ph/issues/hunger/98617-poverty-hunger-millennium-development-goals-report-2015

THE Millennium Development Goals that ended in 2015 has as its top goal to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, while the transformational vision of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development calls on all countries and stakeholders to work together to end hunger and prevent all forms of malnutrition by 2030. Except that... United Nation's 2017 The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World reported that there appears to be a resurgence in hunger. "The failure to reduce world hunger is closely associated with the increase in conflict and violence in several parts of the world," the report said. The Philippines is among those listed as affected by conflict and violence. This is exacerbated by climate-related shocks, of which the Philippines is also not spared from. In terms of nutrition, there is the growing number of obese children and adults alike. "The estimated number of undernourished people increased to 815 million in 2016, up from 777 million in 2015," the report said. Although there is already a decline, stunting due to malnutrition among children affect one out of four under five years old in the world and wasting continues to threaten the lives of 52-million children. A third of women of reproductive age suffer from anemia while child overweight and adult obesity are on the rise worldwide. "Multiple forms of malnutrition are coexisting, with countries experiencing simultaneously high rates of child undernutrition and adult obesity," the report further added. Clearly, the problem is real. Made more so indeed by conflicts. We can just wonder how the evacuees of Marawi City are faring and how much of the vital nutrients they need everyday are they getting. Then there are the others affected by pocket gun battles. It is indeed timely that the Davao City government has created the peace body to try to negotiate for peace with local rebels. From Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio's statements, it appears that she is targeting the combatants who feel the brunt of the injustices that they have taken arms against and not the leaders who are enjoying their lives in their comfortable homes and air-conditioned offices. The appeal is for the future of the children, the peace of communities that will ensure better chances of growth and development for the future. "I am asking our NPA friends to work with us in the local government. After all, we all want to see a better Davao and we surely can attain this if you work beside us,” the mayor said. It is also clear that the mayor wants to achieve something within a year and does not intend to pander to the delaying tactics of those who have other agenda other than real peace as the peace body created is only good until November 2018. The hunger and sufferings have dragged on for too long, there is no reason to drag our feet any longer. Now, if only those who profess to be bleeding for the state of the poor in the mountains would just stand aside and let real progress come in.

EDITORIAL - Education for All November 30, 2008 https://www.philstar.com/opinion/2008/11/30/419566/editorial-education-all#0fVPi9zrGWOExfM8.99

When financial systems fail, the consequences are evident and governments act quickly to confront the crisis. When education systems fail, the impact is less tangible and there is less urgency in governments’ response. This is one of the observations of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in its latest global monitoring report on the implementation of the UN’s Education for All program. Although progress has been recorded in some of the poorest regions, the report said the world is not on track to achieve the Millennium Development Goal of universal primary education by 2015. UNESCO predicts that at least 29 million children would be out of school in 2015. The number does not include several million children in countries with weak governance such as Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. With too many problems and conflicts around the

world, the international donor community is also stretched thin, with a current shortfall of $30 billion in its promised increase of $50 billion in aid for universal education, UNESCO reported. In countries such as the Philippines and Peru, children in the poorest 20 percent of the population receive the equivalent of five years less in education than those from wealthy families, according to UNESCO. Though basic education is free in the Philippines, many families cannot afford even the other expenses to send a child to school, such as daily transportation fare, money for snacks and miscellaneous school fees. Compounding the problem are malnutrition and other health problems that stunt the development of a child’s brain. UNESCO estimates that around 193 million children in developing countries reach primary school age with impaired brain development. The gap widens in the higher stages of education, when many poor children can no longer catch up with those from affluent families. Previous studies have shown an alarming dropout rate in Philippine elementary schools, with the rate rising in high school. Governments cannot afford to ignore the UNESCO warning. The failure of the education system invariably affects national development and competitiveness. A nation’s most precious resource is its people. National progress depends to a large extent on the capabilities of that resource.

Report: Child mortality rate in the Philippines dropped since 1990 Patricia Lourdes Viray (The Philippine Star) - September 18, 2014 - 4:22pm https://www.philstar.com/lifestyle/health-and-family/2014/09/18/1370477/report-child-mortality-rate-philippinesdropped- 1990#L47DbyDdJuhH32Rx.99

MANILA, Philippines - The child mortality rate in the Philippines decreased since the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) target of reducing child mortality was proposed in 1990. The Philippines’ mortality rate dropped from 80 to 30 deaths out of 1,000 live births from 1990 to 2011. The infant mortality rate also decreased from 57 to 22. According to the Department of Health’s data, pneumonia, diarrhea and congenital anomalies are the leading causes of death among children below 5 years of age as of 2010. On the other hand, bacterial sepsis, pneumonia, and respiratory distress are the top leading causes of infant mortality. The country's MDG 2015 target for under-five children is a mortality rate of 20 deaths out of 1,000 live births. According to a report, the Philippines has a chance in attaining this goal if the government will provide professional healthcare to expectant mothers, said the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Representative Tomoo Hozumi. “We need to do more to reach the most vulnerable children, and ensure that each one of them not only survives, but thrives. UNICEF provides assistance to give children the best possible start in life by working at the national and LGU (local government units) levels to increase the quality of care, the coverage of births attended by skilled birth attendants, and the number of facility-based deliveries with postnatal and neonatal care,” said Hozumi. A report noted that the Philippines is among 176 governments that signed a pledge to commit to child survival. Data shows that under-five deaths are focused on the poorest and most remote areas of the country. A recent report from the United Nations, World Health Organization and World Bank published that 17,000 under-five children died last year.

Philippines made little progress in achieving MDGs - Report Posted at Jun 28 2010 11:51 PM | Updated as of Jun 29 2010 01:44 PM https://news.abs-cbn.com/nation/06/28/10/philippines-made-little-progress-achieving-mdgs-report

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines still has much work to do in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), particularly reducing poverty, a report released by the Overseas Development Institute and the United Nations Millennium Campaign revealed. Ending extreme poverty and hunger comes first in the list of MDGs -- a set of time-bound, concrete and specific development goals that 189 leaders worldwide committed to achieve by 2015. The other key goals include achieving universal primary education, promoting gender equality and empowering women, reducing child mortality, improving

maternal health, combatting HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, ensuring environmental sustainability, and developing a global partnership for development. Government data show that poverty incidence among population in the Philippines increased to 32.9% in 2006 from 30% in 2003, with the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao posting the highest incidence at 61.8%. Poverty incidence among families also worsened from 24.4% in 2003 to 26.9% in 2006. With the aftermath of the global economic slowdown, typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng in 2009, and the El Nino phenomenon, a further worsening of poverty is anticipated in the 2009 poverty estimates. Another MDG where the Philippines is lagging is improving maternal health. The Philippine Legislators' Committee on Population and Development Foundation Inc. reported that the maternal mortality ratio continues to worsen with 162 maternal deaths for every 100,000 live births. Eleven Filipino women die every 24 hours from pregnancy and childbirth complications. However, the country has made significant progress in reducing child mortality. Infant and under-five mortality rates have been steadily decreasing since 1990, according to the National Demographic and Health Survey. The infant mortality rate in 2008 was 25 per 1,000 live births, very nearly closing the gap with the target of reducing infant deaths to 19 by 2015. The Philippines had also consistently managed to bring the infant mortality numbers down from 80 deaths per 1,000 live births in 1990 to 34 deaths in 2008. Because it was off track with several MDGs, the Philippines did not make it to the list of top 20 countries cited for their overall progress in achieving the MDGs. The list included the poorest countries in Africa. Jacqui Badcock, UN Resident Coordinator, said: "The Philippines may not have made it to the top 20 list, but this does not mean hope is lost." "All we need is government commitment, and a pro-active and sustained nationwide advocacy to keep government actions and intentions aligned with the MDGs," Badcock added.

LEARNINGS: I have learned that Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are very important this millennium. This will help our country, and also the others, to be more modernized and it will help us for our continuous developing of our society, technology, relationship from other nations, health, and also our environment. We as a human being and a person who has the ability to do something can help our country to become better and will help ourselves in the future. The reports that I’ve compiled with are the problems or latest issues that involves the MDGs. The first report stated that our country is still having a hard time to reducing poverty and hunger, the Local government are trying their best to end this type of problem. I’ve learned that I should value the money and the food that I have received because someday these things will disappear so we should appreciate the gift from God. The second report stated that universal primary education is still a problem in our country, and also the other countries, because the poor families can’t afford the needs that will help their children to learn, this will result into drop out or not going to school. I’ve learned that education is very important to us, because this will help to accomplish our goals and dreams in our life, so we should value it and it will help us in the future. The third report stated that child mortality is also the problem that we have faced today, because sometimes a family that has a first baby might not know how to grow, care, and nurturing it so its very problematic this day. I’ve learned in this report is that we should care the babies because they are very fragile and we should have a program that will help to reducing child mortality. The last report is all about the common problems in MDGs. This problem is not only affected them, but it will affect the society and the country itself because this MDGs has its goals to help other countries to be better or something that will help them. On the other note we should have an awareness on the goals so the people will have a mindset that our country has a small progress on developing new system, technologies, policies, relationships, and the care of the people.