President-elect Benigno Simeon ''Noynoy'' C. Aquino III will have a lot of catching up to do in terms of achieving for the Philippines its Millennium Development Goals (MDG) by 2015.
As soon as he assumes the presidency on June 30, much will be expected from Aquino by the United Nations Millennium Campaign to address significantly at least three major challenges posed by the MDG - corruption, rapid population growth, and bad governance.
''It is crucial for the next administration to take decisive steps in implementing existing MDG supportive policies and formulating policies where they are lacking, so the country can get closer to achieving the MDGs,'' said Minar Pimple, UN Millennium Campaign Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific.
Pimple said the Philippines gained significant progress in MDG Nos. 4, 6, and 7: reducing child mortality; combating malaria; and ensuring environmental sustainability, particularly in access to safe drinking water.
However, more still needs to be done to achieve other issues covered by the MDG.
''There has to be a strong push for localization, making sure that the MDGs serve not just a few, but every Filipino,'' Pimple said.
''This year is particularly crucial, because it is the 10th anniversary of the Millennium Declaration. World leaders, including President-elect Benigno ''Noynoy'' Aquino III, will gather in New York in September for the MDG Summit. They have to come up with MDG Breakthrough Plans that not only sustain policies and programs that have worked for the achievement of the MDGs, but they also have to address the roadblocks that have derailed achievements in some areas,'' she said.
UN data revealed that 33 percent of Filipinos still live on less than US$1 a day, while 5.2 million children of school age are out of school. In addition, 11 mothers die each day due to pregnancy-related causes, and the incidence of HIV among the youth has increased five-fold from 41 in 2007 to 218 in 2009.
''We may have already lost ten years' worth of opportunities to work towards the MDGs, but it's not too late. With committed leadership, the right policies and resources, the Philippines can still achieve the goals by 2015,'' said Pimple.
''Now that the election fever has died down, we see this as the perfect time to remind the new President that there is a lot of work to be done, and the people that we have the right to demand from the new administration a renewed commitment to the MDGs, better policies, and more decisive action.''
The Philippines was one of 189 countries that signed the Millennium Declaration of 2000. The eight MDGs are: eradication of extreme poverty and hunger; achievement of universal primary education; promotion of gender equality and women empowerment; reduction of child mortality; improvement of maternal health; combating HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases; ensuring environmental ustainability; and development of a global partnership for development. The MDGs are hoped to be achieved by 2015.
