The Sustainable Development Goals 9 of the United Nations aims to help build resilient infrastructure and promote sustainable industrialization, and toward that end, various countries are implementing targeted policies and projects designed to achieve sustainable, more ecologically responsible practices in industries and infrastructure, as well as promoting continuous innovation in those fields.
In the case of the Philippines, it faces significant challenges in relation to SDG 9, as although the UN’s Sustainable Development Report shows some progress, some indicators, such as the average ranking of the top three universities in the Times Higher Education ranking, mobile broadband subscriptions, and the population using the internet, continue to face challenges.
Meanwhile, the International Institute for Management Development’s World Competitiveness Ranking, a comprehensive report and reference point on global economies released every year, ranked the country’s infrastructure 61st out of 67 countries in 2024.
The Philippines placed mostly at the bottom of the rankings: 55th in technological infrastructure, 63rd in education, 60th in health and environment and scientific infrastructure, and 62nd in basic infrastructure.
Several infrastructure projects have been put in place in an attempt to improve the country’s situation. According the National Economic and Development Authority website, the number of flagship projects has hit 186, with an indicative total cost of around P9.6 billion, along with the P16.1 Philippine Digital Infrastructure Project financed by the World Bank, aimed at boosting broadband connectivity across the country, particularly in remote areas, and strengthening cybersecurity.
The trouble with building resilient infrastructure that promotes sustainable industrialization is that it often goes beyond concrete structures, which is one thing our public officials have been busy building and repairing so far. For infrastructure such as roads and buildings to be sustainable, there must be a master plan in mind, so that the end result actually has long term benefits for people, instead of just adding structures to our towns and cities. Education, connectivity, technology, and competitiveness all need infrastructure so it can be truly useful and contribute to sustainable progress and development.
That sort of sustainability is something that our leaders have to put more focus on when they think of infrastructure in this country.*
