The Philippines is showing stronger progress on its efforts related to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), even as the broader Asia-Pacific region is projected to miss most of these targets by 2030, according to the United Nations.
According to data from the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), more than 75 percent of measured targets are on a positive trajectory in four goals: No Poverty, Affordable and Clean Energy, Reduced Inequalities, and Responsible Consumption and Production.
Among those, Affordable and Clean Energy emerged with the country’s best results for SDGs. On the other hand, the country registered the weakest performance in terms of Partnership for the Goals.
Meanwhile, 10 SDGs recorded progress in between 50 percent and 75 percent of their measured targets.
Two SDGs – gender equality and sustainable cities and communities – fell within the 25 percent to 50 percent range.
Out of 234 indicators, the Philippines is performing well in 96, with improving trends since 2015.
Regionally, however, the picture is more sobering as ESCAP warned that the Asia-Pacific is expected to miss 103 out of 117 measurable SDG targets by 2030.
“Its economic dynamism, demographic weight, and innovation potential position it as a global leader. Yet this promise is overshadowed by persistent challenges, including rapid urbanization, climate vulnerability, widening inequalities, and demographic shifts,” it added.
According to ESCAP, most setbacks are seen in ensuring equal access to education, and compliance with labor rights.
The UN Sustainable Development Goals can be ambitious, especially for developing countries like the Philippines that are already struggling with their own problems such as rampant corruption and a learning crisis, so when data shows that our country is at least making progress, there is reason to celebrate.
Hopefully we can sustain such progress and maybe even hit some of those UN SDGs that are ultimately good for the Filipino people in the process.*
