Statement of the Caucus to Green the MTPDP on the approval of the 2011-2016 Medium Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP)

Where are the Principles of Sustainability and Reforms in the 2011-2016 MTPDP that was recently “approved in principle” by President Aquino?

Statement of the Caucus to Green the MTPDP on the approval of the 2011-2016 Medium Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP)

March 30, 2011

The crafting of the new MTPDP under President Aquino’s leadership provided renewed interest from a broad range of citizen’s groups and other stakeholders such as the Caucus to Green the MTPDP to meaningfully participate in both formal and parallel processes with the aim of pursuing and concretizing reforms contained in the President’s Social Contract with the Filipino People.

We are concerned over the ever-increasing vulnerability of our country to climate change and disasters even as we are already experiencing its ill effects.  Any plan for the country’s growth and development will unfortunately be an exercise in futility IF it does not integrate concerted, extraordinary and urgent actions on climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction and on our strategic transformation to a low-carbon economy. This is the reason why in all the processes, we have insisted on the need to “green” the MTPDP, to make the MTPDP climate change responsive.

We express apprehension that in the recently approved 2011-2016 MTPDP, key inputs of citizen’s groups were noticeably absent, particularly in the following arenas:  a) food self sufficiency based on sustainable, ecological and organic agriculture; b) disaster risk reduction & management; c) improved ecosystem, soil and water management; and, d) sustainable, off grid, decentralized, community based, efficient and new renewable energy systems.

We are particularly distressed that the proposal for a “Green Audit” allowing for a continuing review and adjustment of the country’s development plan in terms of its consistency with environment sustainability that originally formed part of the draft Chapter on Environment and Natural Resources were unilaterally excluded in the final MTPDP.

We are alarmed that disaster risk reduction, mitigation and recovery projects were delisted from the Investment Priorities Plan for 2011 based on short economic returns.

We have humbly urged President Aquino to lead the path towards “greening” the MTPDP, to break free from the failed development track of the previous administration.

We have implored the government time and again not to relent in pursuing conservation, protection and rehabilitation of our environment and natural resources as it is the best socio-economic safety net for our largely ecologically-dependent and highly vulnerable communities.

Looking at the situation we face today, it is apparent that the previous MTPDP did not go far enough. In its relentless pursuit of growth, it failed to recognize the already over stretched carrying capacity of our environment and natural resources.  More than anything, it failed to consider that the environment is the social security system of the poor, and without environment sustainability, millions of Filipinos would be denied the opportunity for sustainable growth.

As a result, poverty has not been curbed, food security has not been achieved, and our national vulnerability to climate change has increased. Clearly, the last decade was a lost decade for environment sustainability and sustainable development and more could have been done towards this end.

Knowing fully that this situation must be reversed, we, the Caucus to Green the MTPDP ask the government, Where are the Principles of Sustainability and Reforms in the 2011-2016 MTPDP?

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 The “Caucus to Green the MTPDP” includes Action for Economic Reforms (AER), Alternative Budget Initiative-Environment Cluster (ABI-ENVI), Angkan ng Mandirigma UP Diliman Chapter, Asia Intercontinental Networks of Organic Farmers, Batas Tomasino, UST, Bluewater Consultancy, Convergence for Community-Centered Area Development, Earthday Network Phils., EcoWaste Coalition, Education for Life Foundation (ELF), Go Organic! Phils., Greenpeace Southeast Asia, Haribon Foundation, Haribon Foundation, Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC), Institute for Philippine Cooperative and Social Enterprise Development (IPCSED),Intercontinental Network of Organic Farmers Organizations (INOFO Philippines), Interface Development Interventions, Inc (IDIS) of Davao, Mindanao, KAAKBAY, Movement for the Advancement of Sustainable Agriculture (MASA), One Organic Movement (OOM), Partido Kalikasan (PK), Partnership for Clean Air, Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM), RESILIENCE, Nurturing Disaster Ready Cities and Communities, Rice Watch and Action Network (RWAN), Saganang Buhay sa Liga ng Bayan Foundation, Inc., Sagip Sierra Madre Environmental Society, Inc. (SSMESI), Sibol ng Agham at Technolohiya, Inc. (SIBAT), Sierra Tourism Consultancy, Social Watch Philippines (SWP), World Wildlife Fund Philippines and Zero Waste Recycling Movement of the Philippines.