NEDA-approved development plan lack principle of sustainability, reforms – groups

GREEN groups belonging to the Caucus to Green the MTPDP expressed alarm that the recently approved Medium Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP) for 2011-2016 by the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) lacks the principles of sustainability and reforms to concretize President Aquino’s Social Contract with the Filipino People.

At a press briefing held in Quezon City a day after the approval of the MTPDP, the Caucus to Green the MTPDP expressed apprehension that the key inputs by citizens’ groups to ‘Green the MTPDP’ were mysteriously omitted.

Led by the private think tank La Liga Policy Institute (La Liga) they said citizens’ groups inputs in (1) the areas of food self sufficiency based on sustainable, ecological and organic agriculture, (2) disaster risk reduction and management, (3) improved ecosystem, soil and water management, and (4) sustainable, off grid, decentralized, community based, efficient and new renewable energy systems were noticeably absent in the MTPDP that was approved by the NEDA Board.

“We were particularly distressed that the proposal for a “Green Audit” that will allow for a continuing review and adjustment of the country’s development plan in terms of its consistency with environment sustainability was also omitted,” Jonathan Ronquillo, environment campaigner of La Liga stressed.

The provision for a “Green Audit” originally formed part of the draft Chapter on Environment and Natural Resources.  It was, however, unilaterally excluded in the final draft MTPDP, Ronquillo stressed.

Worse, Ronquillo said that disaster risk reduction, mitigation and recovery projects, were also delisted from the Investment Priorities Plan for 2011 based on short economic returns.

“It seems that our pleas for Pres. Aquino to lead the path towards “greening” the MTPDP, to break free from the failed development track of the previous administration, was not considered, or worst, ignored,” he said.

“We have implored President Aquino’s administration 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.

According to Ronquillo, in its relentless pursuit of growth, the previous administration failed to recognize the already over-stretched carrying capacity of the environment and natural resources.

“More than anything, the previous MTPDP 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,” he lamented.

He said: Because of this, 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. This is the challenge that President Aquino’s MTPDP should address.

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?”

 ———————————————————–

 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.

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?

 ———————————————————-

 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.

Green groups demand for ‘green audit’, inclusion in MTPDP 2011-2016

ENVIRONMENTAL groups belonging to the Caucus to Green the MTPDP expressed serious concern over the removal of the “green audit” provision in the latest draft chapter on Environment and Natural Resources of the Medium Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP) for 2011-2016.

Led by the nongovernment organization La Liga Policy Institute (La Liga), the group wants the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) to reconsider its unilateral decision to omit the provision for a “Green Audit” in Pres. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino’s MTPDP, saying such may again lead to another lost decade for environment sustainability suffered by the country during the previous administration.

The group has been calling for Pres. Aquino to make a clean break from the failed development track of his predecessor, which, among others, disregarded the country’s overstretched carrying capacity that led to a decade of environmental blight.

They said that the continuing degradation of the environment that heightens our vulnerability to disasters adversely affecting the Philippines, make a business-as-usual attitude in national development planning very dangerous for a country already feeling the brunt of climate change.

Jonathan Ronquillo, environment campaigner of La Liga, said the new administration can address the environmental challenges faced by thePhilippineshead-on though the conduct of a “Green Audit”.

Conducting a “Green Audit”, he said, will mainstream conservation, protection and rehabilitation of the environment and natural resources as it will allow for a continuing review and adjustment of the country’s development plan in terms of its consistency with environment sustainability.

The proposal was already included in previous drafts of the MTPDP, as proposed by citizens’ groups engaging the MTPDP processes but the said proposal mysteriously went missing in the latest draft released by NEDA as of last month.

“The conduct of a “green audit” should be institutionalized and be made integral in the MTPDP 2011-2016.  We need to know where we stand as far as the country’s carrying capacity is concerned and we need to know which path our MTPDP will lead us to,” Ronquillo stressed.

Earlier, the Caucus to Green the MTPDP, through a letter, asked Pres. Aquino to issue the necessary directive that will start the “Green Audit” as provided in the Environment Chapter of the MTPDP 2011-2016.

Aside from the “Green Audit” in the Environment Chapter, the members of the Caucus to Green the MTPDP have also recommended that the same be institutionalized in the other chapters of the MTPDP, to ensure that they comply with citizens’ group’s demand to give premium to conservation, protection and rehabilitation efforts.

“Clearly, the last decade was a lost decade for environment sustainability.  Pres. Aquino should lead the path towards “greening” the MTPDP by breaking free from the failed development track of the previous administration,” Ronquillo said.

 ———————————————————————————–

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.

‘Green the MTPDP’ – Aquino asked to ‘break free from failed development track’ of GMA administration

LEADERS of various citizens groups and individuals on Thursday called on Pres. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III to clearly “define the directions and the blueprint” for the country’s growth and development in the next five years through a well-crafted Medium Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP) for 2011-2016.

Groups belonging to the “Caucus to Green the MTPDP” led by the La Liga Policy Institute (La Liga) which now includes former cabinet secretaries and members of the academic community expressed concern over the increasing vulnerability of the country to climate change, thus issuing the resounding call to urgently “green the MTPDP.”

They include former Agrarian Reform Secretary Horacio “Boy” Morales, former TESDA Director General Edicio G. dela Torre, former DENR Secretary Elisea “Bebet” Gozun, former National Treasurer Leonor “Liling” Magtolis-Briones, Dean Oscar B. Zamora, UPLB Graduate School, Dean Rex Victor O. Cruz, UPLB College of Forestry and Natural Resources, Dean Ma. Victoria O. Espaldon, UPLB School of Environmental Science, and Dean Domingo E. Angeles, UPLB College of Agriculture.

The call to “Green the MTPDP” was made as the nation commemorates the 25th anniversary of EDSA People Power on February 25, which saw the fall of the late dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos and the rise to power of the country’s first ever woman president, the late Corazon C. Aquino, mother of P’Noy.

“We look forward to the fulfillment of its (Edsa People Power) promise of a better future for all Filipinos. Let us build together, a greener, more sustainable, resilient and climate change readyPhilippines,” they told Aquino.

They also called on Pres. Aquino to issue the necessary directive that would start the “Green Audit” provided under Chapter 9 of the draft MTPDP, which covers the environment and natural resources, allowing for a continuing review and adjustment of the country’s development plan in terms of its consistency with environmental sustainability.

“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 and on our strategic transformation to a low-carbon economy.  Together we must insist to “green” the MTPDP, to make the MTPDP climate change responsive,” they said in a press statement.

The current MTPDP draft, they said, needs improvement particularly in the areas of food self sufficiency that should be based on sustainable, ecological and organic agriculture, disaster risk reduction and management, improved ecosystem, soil and water management, sustainable, off grid, decentralized, community based, efficient and new renewable energy systems.

Plans and programs around these areas, they said, will ensure that growth and poverty reduction strategies contained in the MTPDP are not just climate change-responsive but sustainable as well.

“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,” they argued.

In fact, they stressed that the previous MTPDP 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.  This situation must be reversed,” they said.

They appealed to Pres. Aquino to lead the path towards “greening” the MTPDP, by breaking free from the failed development track of the previous administration.

They said in recently effecting a national logging ban, Pres. Aquino has exercised political will.

“We hope you do not 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,” they said.

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.

Climate change necessitates reform in energy sector to reduce risks, vulnerabilities – La Liga Policy institute

Energy efficiency, or more broadly, energy sector reform is necessary considering the risks and vulnerabilities the country face because of climate change, Roland Cabigas, managing director of the La Liga Policy Institute (La Liga) said.

The challenge was issued by Cabigas during an energy forum called “Addressing Climate Change through Energy Efficiency Investments” jointly organized by the British Embassy in Manila, the local government of Makati in partnership La Liga at the Makati City Hall last week.

Stakeholders in the energy sector, particularly the government and the private sector that invests in it should rethink how energy should be viewed in relation to national development, Cabigas said

During the forum, experts talked about the profitability of energy efficiency investments for big businesses in thePhilippines, the issue of fossil fuel subsidies in Southeast Asia, including thePhilippines, the energy efficiency initiatives that are good for local government units (LGUs) and the benefits from sustainable construction.

La Liga, a development policy research and advocacy nongovernment organization, is pushing for public financing of green, renewable energy as part of its budget advocacy.

Cabigas said the forum came at a critical time, with the Aquino administration currently in the process of formulating its MTPDP.

The development path of the country for the next six years, he said, will be defined in the MTPDP, the main policy document being crafted by the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA.

“Contentious issues in the country’s energy plan in support of the country’s development path that shall be defined in the MTPDP.  On one hand, opportunities for investments in the energy sector may be clearly cutout. On the other hand, various stakeholders including citizens’ groups, businesses as well as local government units are expressing concern, not just on whether energy security will be achieved but also on the sources for the country’s energy mix,” he explained.

He asked: “Will the country’s energy mix take on a business-as-usual route? Or will the MTPDP process pave the way for a more climate-sensitive and climate-resilient approach for the energy sector?”

According to Cabigas, various studies such as those presented during the forum as well as the ensuing discussions can contribute to the continuing discourse on energy and energy efficiency with the view of providing broad perspectives.

He stressed that after the MTPDP process, the MTPIP or the financing part of the country’s medium term development plan comes next.

“Equal vigilance and participation must be given to this process, considering that this will chart the investment and financing twin of the MTPDP,” he said.

“Energy efficiency or more broadly, energy sector reform is necessary considering the risks and vulnerabilities that the country faces amidst the climate crisis. Clearly, a rethinking of how we view energy in relation to national development is an imperative. This, to my mind is the challenge we must all face,” he said.

Envi, SusAg advocates to P’Noy: Break free from GMA’s MTPDP

Environment and sustainable agriculture advocates are calling for a “clean break” from GMA’s Medium Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP) through the integration of climate change, sustainable agricultural and new and renewable energy programs in the 2011-2016 MTPDP, not only in the next six years but also beyond the term of Pres. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.

They said Pres. Aquino’s MTPDP should be a direct contrast of his predecessor’s “business as usual” MTPDP considering the urgent need for the country to prepare for the worst impacts of climate change and one that will truly reflect the new administration’s reform agenda, it being the main policy and development framework of the government.

The new MTPDP for 2011-2016 is currently being drafted led by the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA).

Believing that the formulation of the MTPDP is too important to be left to government alone, participants of a roundtable discussion dubbed “Greening the MTPDP” held at Panggo’s Grill and Restaurant in Quezon City vowed to work together and take part in the crafting of Pres. Aquino’s MTPDP.

Organized by the La Liga Policy Institute (La Liga), the meeting saw participants echoing calls that the next MTPDP should address climate change, focusing on adaptation for the defense of the vulnerable and resource-poor sectors – the farmers, fish folks, women, children, urban poor and Indigenous Peoples.

More importantly, La Liga Managing Director Roland Cabigas said the next MTPDP should be able to recognize the alarming conditions of the carrying capacity of our environment and natural resources across all ecosystems. It should also enable the existing “green policies” work for environment sustainability by ensuring program and financing follow-throughs reflected in the P-Noy’s MTPDP.

Such, he said, means making the shift to sustainable, organic and ecological agricultural production systems in the context of farm productivity, increased farmers’ income and food self-sufficiency.

Moreover, the next MTPDP should also lay the groundwork for new and renewable energy systems by maximizing the untapped potentials of wind, solar and ocean wave energy sources in our country.

It will be recalled that La Liga, a development policy research and advocacy nongovernment organization, earlier posed a challenge to Pres. Aquino to fulfill his promise of making the MTPDP “inclusive” and “participatory”.
Central to this, Cabigas said, is broad citizens’ participation – one that recognizes the diversity of Philippine NGOs.  This way, the participatory process will be able to capture the informed inputs of citizens groups and modernizing LGU leaders who are exerting efforts to engage the MTPDP processes that brings with them their grounded experiences, expertise and perspectives.

Through broad citizens’ participation, which inclusive growth must be anchored on, the traditional mode where only interest groups from big business and entrenched political groups are given participation priority will be broken, he said.

“Allowing participation of citizens’ groups mean bringing in the perspectives, interests, experience, alternatives and solutions from the marginalized sectors,” Cabigas said.

The participants initially agreed to mobilize their LGU allies, and LGU leagues such as the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP), to help “green” the MTPDP, by engaging NEDA, national line agencies and the Regional Development Councils.

Cabigas said this will help Pres. Aquino’s MTPDP to deliver on his promised reforms, lay the proper foundation for long-term reforms that will address the long-standing development challenges such as the effects of climate change.

La Liga, with the support of the British Embassy in Manila, is pushing for a climate-sensitive, low-carbon development that is reflected in the MTPDP and yearly budgets of the Aquino Administration.

Sharing the discussions were Pablito Villegas of One Organic Movement; Samantha Reyes of the Organic Producers Trade Association (OPTA); Michael Perocho, Jr. of NGOs for Fisheries Reform; Joseph Gloria of the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement; Red Constantino and Shyo Sayajon of Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities; Marie Madamba-Nuñez of Oxfam Philippines; Roslyn Arayata from the British Embassy; Edicio dela Torre, president of Education for Life Foundation and La Liga’s managing director Roland Cabigas and deputy managing director Rachael Morala.

To recover from ‘lost decade’ for MDG 7 – Gov’t urged to change to a ‘greener’ development path to ensure environmental sustainability by 2015

The past decade can be considered a lost decade for the Millennium Development Goals as far as ‘Environmental Sustainability’ is concerned, according to La Liga Policy Institute (La Liga) and calls on the administration of P’Noy to recover from the wasted time, effort and resources and initiate in decisive shift towards a “greener” development path particularly in wake of climate change.

La Liga, a development policy research and advocacy non-government organization said in its report entitled “Not Much Time, But Not Without Options – A review of the Philippines’ Progress on Achieving the MDG on Environmental Sustainability (MDG 7)” said that the Philippines, with barely five years left before the 2015 deadline for UN member-countries to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015 is badly missing its target, particularly on promoting environmental sustainability.

The report on MDG 7 is part of the “shadow report” entitled “Winning the Numbers, Loosing the War” which was the launched and turned over to House Speaker Sonny Belmonte and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile at the House of Representatives last Wednesday.

The shadow report is a parallel citizens’ review undertaken by member networks of Social Watch Philippines coinciding with the release of the country’s 4th Progress Report of the on the MDGs.

La Liga along with Social Watch Philippines and its other network members wants the “shadow report” integrated as an input to the new Medium Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP) currently being crafted the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA).

The La Liga paper, which identifies the problems that led to the “lost decade for MDG 7” during the past nine years under the Arroyo administration, has listed a number of recommendations that will help the country get back on track in achieving its goals, particularly on environmental sustainability.

According to the paper, the Philippine government is inclined to haphazardly concluding that it is well on track as far as achieving the MDGs based on various government indicators that seem to reflect improved performance.

“To be able to achieve environmental sustainability, the new administration must change its development path from one that disregards the carrying capacity of the environment to one that recognizes the need to address important environmental issues,” Jonathan Ronquillo, Environment Campaigner of La Liga said.

With the threats of global warming and climate change becoming “too hot” to handle, the new administration, is left with not much time, but definitely not without options.  He stressed the need to arrest the continued deterioration of the ecosystem as well as the increased pressure on its dwindling biodiversity.

The paper said while it was during the Arroyo administration that the Philippines became more active in climate talks, it was also during such period (2001-2010) that the country’s vulnerability to extreme weather events was exposed.

During the period, the Philippines experienced various natural disasters affecting more than 28 million people with damages amounting to more than US$1.7 billion, with “Ondoy”, “Frank” and “Pepeng” being identified as the three topmost devastating typhoons that hit the country in the last two decades, La Liga explained.

“Beyond numbers and statistics which paint a supposedly rosy picture for the country’s environment, there is a need for government and other stakeholders to more objectively assess the impacts of our development track along with the policies and programs that were instituted as well as public financing for the environment sector in the past MDG decade.  This way, both government and non-government development stakeholders will have a more objective basis in developing a low-carbon, climate-sensitive development path, a clearer path for environment sustainability,” Ronquillo said.

Moreover, Ronquillo said there’s a need to push for climate sensitive “3 Ps” or Policies, Programs and “Pondo” (fund) around five (5) critical arenas on the environment and climate change.  These include: disaster response and risk reduction; renewable/sustainable energy systems; biodiversity, sustainable agriculture, fisheries and forestry; clean and green industrial technology; and, ecological waste management.

“We must be able to effectively engage the incoming government in crafting a new MTPDP. For the next MTPDP to be climate sensitive, it must go beyond mere achievement of the MDGs. It must be able to recognize climate change as an urgent national development issue that needs to be integrated in the overall government “3 Ps”, La Liga stressed.

‘Inclusive growth’ needs ‘inclusive citizens’ participation – La Liga Policy Institute

The La Liga Policy Institute (La Liga) welcomes Malacanang’s policy pronouncement of promoting “inclusive growth” through citizens’ participation in the crafting of the next Medium Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP).’

La Liga believes that the MTPDP should be able to lead the country towards a low-carbon, climate-sensitive, development path in the face of the worst impacts of climate change.

Roland Cabigas, Managing Director of La Liga said the next MTPDP will define the administration’s priority programs and will directly affect millions of Filipinos in the next five years.

Cabigas was reacting to Memorandum Circular No. 3 issued by Malacanang and a recent pronouncement made by Socioeconomic Planning Secretary and National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Director General Cayetano W. Paderanga Jr. assuring citizens’ participation in the MTPDP process.

MC No. 3 signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. calls for formulation of the MTPDP and the Medium Term Public Investment Program for 2010-2016, assuring that “all sectors of society, public or private, shall be consulted to the fullest to obtain their opinions and positions.”

For his part, Paderanga said that “the MTPDP’s overall direction is anchored on an inclusive growth framework or growth that is shared by the poor and vulnerable” to create decent and adequate employment opportunities for more Filipinos in order to significantly reduce poverty.

As as such, Cabigas said there is a need for a broader citizens’ participation in the MTPDP process, to provide spaces that can draw insights and experiences from the perspectives of citizens and citizens organizations linked to the grassroots.

Through broad citizens’ participation, which inclusive growth must be anchored on, the traditional mode where only interest groups from big business and entrenched political groups are given participation priority will be broken, he said.

“Allowing participation of citizens’ groups means bringing in the perspectives, interests, experience, alternatives and solutions from the marginalized sectors.  After all, citizens are taxpayers too,” he stressed.

La Liga, a development policy research and advocacy nongovernment organization works in partnership with several national line agencies, local government units (LGUs), bilateral and multilateral agencies, citizens’ groups, consumers and basic sectors.

With the support of the British Embassy, La Liga is implementing the project “In Pursuit of Low Carbon Development Track and a Climate-Sensitive Budget.”

As part of the project, it is currently holding consultations with both government agencies and citizen’s groups on how to effectively push for meaningful citizens’ participation in the MTPDP and budget processes.

Cabigas said the next MTPDP will determine how government will spend for health, education, agriculture and environment to fight poverty and help improve the lives of over 90 million Filipinos, hence will require multi-sector and multi-stakeholder participation.

Now that the MTPDP process is underway with the issuance of Memorandum Circular No. 3 (MC3), Cabigas said that a more inclusive and meaningful citizens’ participation is needed. This is so that government intervention can respond more to the challenges of promoting quality education, effective health care system, and define more clearly the kind of employment and livelihood opportunities that will be made available to the people. “Mechanisms and spaces for participation must therefore be provided by government to concretize its reform commitment as contained in its Social Contract with the Filipino People”, Cabigas said.

Moreover, he said the next MTPDP should be able to prepare the country from the worst impacts of climate change, one anchored on disaster risk reduction in times of natural calamities.

“The Aquino administration should be able to realize and recognize the diversity of Philippine nongovernment organizations (NGOs) in effecting “inclusive growth.”  We want to know how inclusive citizens’ participation in the MTPDP process will be,” he stressed.

According to Cabigas, the MTPDP process should be transparent, the same way the 2011 budget deliberations should be conducted by the 15th Congress.

“As citizens and stakeholders to the new administration’s development agenda, there is a need for citizens groups to actively get involved in the formulation of the MTPDP,” he ended.