PH Integrates Economic Growth, Sustainable Dev’t

The government is integrating efforts to ensure sustainable path to the country’s development plan and long-term vision to make growth more inclusive.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said poverty and inequality in the country still persist despite exhibiting consistent economic growth amid solid macroeconomic fundamentals.

“The current administration is acutely aware of this, and is determined to make growth more inclusive by prioritizing rural and regional development,” he said during the international conference on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) statistics on Wednesday.

Pernia noted the United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda, or the Sustainable Development Agenda, recognizes such need, and aims to ensure that development is sustainable for all countries and across their respective sectors.

He added the SDGs are thus integrated into the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022, as the country will be coming up with comprehensive reports on it.

Pernia, also National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Director-General, said the Philippines had also taken the first step by mainstreaming the Global Agenda 2030 in its development agenda, through the PDP.

“This year and in the coming years, we shall strive to implement the Plan in the best way we can, keeping in mind the ultimate goal of leaving behind a peaceful, clean, and developed world for our children and future generations,” he added. (PNA)