UN's Badcock lauds PNoy admin's efforts to achieve MDGs

Efforts by President Benigno Aquino III’s administration to reach the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) reflect a strong resolve to reach the objectives set by the United Nations (UN), the top UN official in the country said Monday. UN Resident Coordinator Jaqueline Badcock said the Aquino government’s programs aimed at inclusive growth shows the country’s “strong" resolve to eradicate poverty and improve health services. “I think the current administration’s intent to reach the MDGs is very strong. There is heavy emphasis on social sector development… There are a lot of good indicators out there," she said in an interview after a press briefing in Makati City on Monday. The media briefing was held in line with the worldwide celebration of UN Day. Badcock specifically identified the Aquino administration’s conditional cash transfer program, the K+12 basic education program, and the climate change adaptation efforts as “good signs" to fulfilling the MDGs. UN-formulated objectives The millennium goals are eight UN-formulated development objectives its 193 member-states — including the Philippines — vowed to reach by 2015. The goals are to:

1. eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
2. achieve universal primary education
3. promote gender equality and empower women
4. reduce child mortality
5. improve maternal health
6. combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
7. ensure environmental sustainability
8. and develop a global partnership for development.

The Philippines should continue to strive to attain these goals in case it fails to meet the 2015 deadline, the UN official said. “If those are not achieved entirely by 2015, you don’t stop. You keep going and you find other ways to accelerate," noted Badcock. — VS, GMA News