PH facing tough tasks in 2 critical UN goals

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ILOILO CITY — The Philippines is facing significant challenges in meeting two critical United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): building sustainable cities and improving public health.

UNDP Philippines SDG Specialist Aljo Quintans flagged Sustainable Development Goal 11 or sustainable cities and communities, as the country’s most urgent area of concern during a leadership summit in Iloilo City on Tuesday, June 24.

“That’s where our vulnerability to disaster comes from. [This is] where resilience is being reported and the efforts for us to ensure that our communities and cities are safe and that we have productive, livable cities,” Quintans explained.

“This is actually, unfortunately, the most challenging for the Philippines right now,” he added.

Quintans cited the Philippine Statistics Authority’s 2024 SDG progress report, which showed a regression of -2.0 points in SDG 11 since 2015.

Key problem areas include the goals’ targets on disaster-related casualties, poor air quality, and ineffective solid waste management.

SDG 3, or good health and well-being, has also shown a downward trend, regressing by -0.9 points.

Quintans noted that while health indicators were previously improving, the latest data reflect setbacks.

The 2024 report showed that the country is struggling to address both communicable and non-communicable diseases, mental health, substance abuse, road safety, and pollution-related health impacts.

“Since the time we started on the reporting of the SDGs, health has always been positively progressing or on an upward trend and in the recent report this is one of the goals that experience regression,” Quintans said.

Climate action or SDG 13 is also showing a steep decline at -3.8 points based on limited available data.

The country, however, has made gains in other areas, particularly in SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), which are all progressing.

Improvements were also noted in SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 4 (Quality Education), and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), though Quintans said some of these had previously been flagged for regression.

Addressing the financing gap for the SDGs, Quintans stressed that global wealth is not the issue.

“As of 2024, total global wealth is estimated at $477 trillion. The $4.2 trillion needed annually to achieve the SDGs accounts for less than 1 percent of that amount,” he said.

Quintans emphasized that financing the SDGs is not impossible, and it is just a matter of rethinking and refocusing how resources are allocated and utilized.

Quintans also highlighted the growing role of business in sustainable development, saying SDG-aligned investments are becoming increasingly attractive.

He pointed to opportunities in sectors such as food, agriculture, renewable energy, health and urban development as areas ripe for business engagement.