By Alexander Villafania
MAKATI CITY, METRO MANILA—The Philippines “remains slow” in achieving its targets under the Millennium Development Goals (MDG), according to a joint report by the United Nations (UN) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
Particular areas of concern in the Philippines are in the areas of reducing the number of underweight children under five years old, reducing maternal mortality, attendance of medical professionals during live births, antenatal (during pregnancy) care, and sanitation, according to the study “Accelerating Equitable Achievement of the MDGs: Closing the Gaps in Health and Nutrition in Asia.”
For example, the Philippines has yet to reduce mortality rate of children under five to less than 20 out of 1,000 live births. The country has a child mortality rate of 30 children per 1,000 live births.
Reduce maternal mortality to less than 20 out of 100,000 live births is still far from being achieved. The report showed that there are 30 material mortality out of 100,000 live births today.
The Philippines also has not reached 90 percent in expanding its prenatal care, “though it is close to achieving it.”
Health expenditure is also low with much of the budget used for health-related projects still coming from the private sector.
Targets that were achieved by the country include making safe drinking water available to nearly 90 percent of the marginalized population and expanding access to basic sanitation for 80 percent of the population.
The report also noted that the country was able to achieve its goal of enrolling 90 percent of children going to grade school.
Overall, the report stressed that Asia Pacific countries are gaining ground against poverty but is still slow in reducing hunger, as well as child and maternal deaths.
Many Asia Pacific countries still have huge population rates still living under $1.25 per day. The Philippines is among countries that just barely reached 20 percent of its population still living under $1.25 per day.
Redoubling efforts is needed to achieve all the MDGs by 2015, said UN undersecretary general Noeleen Heyzer.
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