PHL deemed to have regressed on 5 SDG sub-targets

THE PHILIPPINES is regressing on five of the 32 sub-target milestones that make up the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), an official with the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said.

Assistant National Statistician Wilma A. Guillen, in an online presentation Tuesday, said the Philippines is on track in meeting seven of the sub-targets.

The SDGs are a series of United Nations development milestones to be achieved by 2030.

Regression was taking place in food security, control of communicable diseases, road traffic accidents, early marriage, and the establishment of legal identity.

Meanwhile, progress was deemed on track in improving skills for employment, reducing violence against women and girls, promoting women in leadership, expanding access to energy, increasing per capita economic growth, providing employment and decent work; and curbing corruption and bribery, she said.

The findings are based on the anticipated progress index of the United Nations (UN) Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, which considered 51 main indicators and 113 sub indicators.

Based on the UN’s current status index, the Philippines’ progress in 16 out of the 17 SDGs remained below the level they should have been at last year en route to meeting the 2030 deadline. The Philippines has only exceeded 2020 levels in terms of promoting gender equality, where it is judged to be at about 75% of achieving the goal.

Ms. Guillen reported that progress is greater than expected in 12 indicators, but is behind the pace in 13 indicators, according to assessments made in November. The most advanced progress was noted in the proportion of women in managerial positions, in which the Philippines is reckoned to be 13.1 years ahead of the pace.

On the other end of the scale, the area in which the Philippines lags the most is economic growth, reckoned at 15.4 years behind the pace.

The SDGs set out targets for addressing issues like poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice, among others. — Beatrice M. Laforga