Former First Lady and incumbent Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos filed a bill seeking the support of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in building a fund to help the country attain the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015. The MDGs are eight international development goals that all 192 United Nations member states, and at least 23 international organizations, have agreed to achieve by the year 2015. In House Bill 3252, Marcos proposed the creation of the Philippine Millenium Development Fund (PMDF), a savings and investment fund that will tap the OFWs, among others, to support the MDG programs. The bill aims to create a $10 billion fund to support local government projects on MDGs with special emphasis on barangay level self-sustaining education, health and livelihood projects. Based on the proposal, the PMDF will be funded by:
P500 million contributions from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor); P100 million contributions from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO); proceeds from bonds and other investment fund subscription alternatives. Marcos also proposed a mutual fund subscription campaign exclusively targeting the OFWs, the "Bayan Mo, Bayan Ko, Mahalin" fund campaign. It will also get its funds from local and foreign donations, gifts, charities and similar undertakings; and global partnerships through bilateral and multilateral agreements with foreign states and international organizations. Marcos, chairperson of the House Special Committee on Millennium Development Goals, said there is a need to accelerate government efforts, if it intends to meet the development goals. “It seems that based on official government reports, our poverty situation worsened today than when we started ten years ago. Yet, we only have five years left to meet these goals," she said in a press statement. Eight development goals These MDGs include: (1) Eradicating extreme poverty and hunger; (2) Achieving universal primary education; (3) Promoting gender equality and empowering women; (4) Reducing child mortality rate; (5) Improving maternal health; (6) Combating HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases; (7) Ensuring environmental sustainability, and (8) Developing a global partnership for development. Development fund Marcos said the PMDF will not only provide solutions for the MDGs but for the other basic needs of society for the long term. “We must not give the poor fish; we must teach them how to fish. We have our natural and financial potentials, which when utilized properly, channeled to the right venues, and anchored on nature and culture, could provide a backbone for our Filipino families," she said. The PMDF can also provide micro-finance livelihood initiatives through: rural banks; private development banks; credit cooperatives, and other community-based financial conduiting. The PMDF board of trustees will be composed of: a chairman that will be appointed by the President from a private sector with a fixed term of six years; president of the Rural Bankers Association of the Philippines; president of the Governors League of the Philippines; president of Liga ng mga Barangay; the Director-General of NEDA; the Finance secretary; the Labor secretary, and the Executive Director of the Fund. The Ilocos Norte representative also wants the MDG programs to continue even after the 2015 deadline. She said the bill also seeks to set up the institutions necessary to ensure that the MDGs are sustained. “We must do everything in our power to ensure the fulfillment of our cause. When it comes to improving the quality of life of our people, there is no room for failure," she said. Based on the Fourth Progress Report on the MDGs as well as Social Watch Philippines’ report entitled “Winning the Numbers, Losing the War," the proportion of population below the subsistence threshold increased from 13.5 percent in 2003 to 14.6 percent in 2006. Poverty stopped declining in 2003 and from that point on started to rise steadily. In education, elementary education enrollment rate decreased from 85.1% in 1991 to 83.2% in 2006-2007, which shows a very low probability of attaining the MDG. –VVP, GMANews.TV 
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