The Philippine Sustainable

Development Status

5 July 2012
Legend Hotel, Puerto Princesa City,
Palawan

Outline
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.

Historical Perspective of Sustainable

Development (SD)
Definition of SD
Strengthening Philippine Agenda 21
Implementation
Philippine Progress in SD
Challenges and Proposed Measures
Rio+20 Outcomes & PHL Proposed
Way Forward

A Historical Perspective
1972, UN Conference on the Human
1972 Environment, Stockholm, Sweden

1984

Increased global awareness on

environment issues

1984, Brundtland Commission

establishment

1987

1987, Publication of the

Brundtland Report

1992
1992 Philippine Strategy for
Sustainable Development

Analysis of environmentdevelopment link

Birth of SD

Launching of Agenda 21,

Establishment of UNCSD

Earth Summit,
Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil

1992, Creation of
PCSD, per EO 15

2002, World Summit on

Sustainable Devt.

2002
Rio+10

1997, Publication of
Philippine Agenda 21

2002, PHL
Rio+10 Report

Review of 10-yr
implementation of
Agenda 21

2012
Rio+20

A Historical Perspective
Philippine

response to the call of Earth Summit of 1992:

a. EO 15 (01 September 1992 )

- PCSD to provide mechanism for attaining principles
of SD & ensure integration in the Philippine national
policies, plans & programs that will involve all
sectors of the society
b. MO 288 (05 July 1995)
- Directing the formulation of PA 21

Historical Perspective
Philippine Agenda 21
The national translation of Agenda 21 and the
countrys blueprint for sustainable development.

Envisions a better life for all Filipinos and laid down

the principles for the action agenda across
ecosystems
Formulated through a consultative and consensus
building process between the government and the
civil society and business sector.
Stands as a collective expression of the nations
agenda for sustainable development

SD Definitions
Brundtland Report/Our Common Future, 1987
UN Commission on Environment and Development, 1992
(Rio Summit)

development that meets the needs of the present

without compromising the ability of future generations
to meet their own needs

Philippine Agenda
SD is the harmonious integration of a sound and viable
economy, responsible governance, social
cohesion/harmony and ecological integrity to ensure
that development is a life-enhancing process. The
ultimate aim of development is human development
now and future generations.

Strengthening PA 21 Implementation
1. Memorandum Order No 399 (s. 1996)

Directing the Operationalization of the

Philippine Agenda 21 and Monitoring its
Implementation

2. Memorandum Order No. 47 (s. 1999)

Strengthening the Operationalization and

Localization of Philippine Agenda 21 and
Monitoring its Implementation

Strengthening PA 21 Implementation
3. Operationalizing SD Principles

a. Integration of SD Principles in the Medium-term

Philippine Development Plan (2011-2016 and 20002004)

b. Alignment of PA21/SD strategies in local land use &

devt plans

c. Environmental Impact Assessment of the National

Development Plan, 1999-2004

d. Strengthening of the Environmental Impact System

(Executive Order 291)
e. Establishment of the PEENRA System (EO 406)

f. Identification of Sustainable Development Indicators

(SDIs) in the Philippines

Strengthening PA 21 Implementation
4. SD Localization
a) Governance for Philippine Agenda 21 (GOPA
21): sub-programme on localization
Establishment of Local Councils for SD in
9 project sites in the 2 major islands (i.e.,
Visayas and Mindanao)
Consensus-based formulation and
institutionalization of local Agenda 21
into the governance processes of nine (9)
LGUs

Strengthening PA 21 Implementation
b) Mainstreaming SD and PA 21 into National,
Regional and Local Levels of Governance
Establishment of LCSDs in Luzon to build
local government capacities in integrating SD
principles into development plans and
programmes
Project sites: 3 Provinces (Cagayan, Camarines
Norte, Aurora) and 3 local government units
(Boac, Marinduque, Tanay, Rizal, La Trinidad,
Benguet)

Strengthening PA 21 Implementation
Establishment of Local Councils for Sustainable Development
Abra PCSD

Ifugao PCSD

Region I CSD
Quirino CSD
Region 2 CSD

regions : 12
San Jose City CSD
Central Luzon CSD
inter-provinces: 2
Bulacan CSD
Quezon City CSD
provinces : 13
Marinduque CSD
city: 4
RCSD V
inter-municipalities: 2
municipalities: 7

Eastern Visayas RCSD

Western Visayas CSD

Central Visayas CSD
Bohol CSD

Palawan CSD
Region X TWG on SD

Caraga RCSD

Region IX CSD
RCSD XI
RCSD for C. Mindanao
Zamboanga City CSD

Strengthening PA 21 Implementation
5. Multilateral Environmental Agreements

UN Framework Convention on Biological Diversity

(1993)
UN Convention to Combat Desertification (2000)
UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
(2003)
Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic
Pollutants (2006)

Philippine Progress in SD
PA 21 Limitations

Absence of analytical baseline condition

All strategies & action agenda and targets do
not necessarily provide the possible
intervention activities
The strategies do not have OVIs and risks were
not assumed & identified
Cannot be monitored and assessed, nor
provide feedback for adjustments

Philippine Progress in SD
Adjusted Methodology
1.

Interventions were culled and a logframe

format was adopted (interventions become

the first critical entries, PPPP)

2. Linked the interventions to sustainability

criterion and define desirable criterion state:
a. natural resource & environmental stock &
quality;
b. efficiency of economic activity;
c. access to natural & environmental resources &
the distribution of benefits; and
d. poverty eradication

Desired Goals/ Possibilities for each Criterion

Areas of Concern

Forest Ecosystem

Resource stock and

quality (NK)

Zero rate of deforestation,

Reforestation/ aforestation of denuded forestlands,
Protection forest for biodiversity conservation, water
supply, flood or erosion control, protection from geohazards, forest fires
Tenure to forest-livelihood dependent households,
Equity in resource
community-based management;
access & benefits
(EQ) (as indicative of Sustainable forest resource management
inclusive growth)
Poverty alleviation/
eradication (PE)

Reduced poverty incidence among indigenous people and

upland migrants

Efficiency in
Production (EF)

Harvesting at sustained yield in the production forests;

Forest use for non-timber production; No biodiversity loss

Policy intervention,
economic
instruments

Examples: Provision of equitable tenure;

Forest use charges and the allocation of rents for forestwatershed protection and rehabilitation

Philippine Progress in SD
Adjusted Methodology

3. Determine the level of implementation &

adequacy of intervention (presence of

intervention gaps/omissions)

4. Assess the impact of interventions (movement

from an undesired baseline to an improved
state)
5. Determine ecosystem criterion scores
6. Validate assessment with experts

Rank Value

Implementation Effect

No intervention measure; No implementation of

proposed measure. Weak governance & environmental
management capacity

Implemented either on a pilot scale with potential

success, or on a larger scale with minimal effect due to
reduced policy gaps and implementation problems

Implemented more extensively, and attains the

outcomes specified across the four criteria

Implemented nationwide with significant

accomplishments as reflected in the four criteria

Full accomplishment of the desired outcome across the

four criteria.

Ecosystem

PA21
Intervent
Natural
Strategies
ion
Capital
Across
Stock &
Targets
All
Environme
Criteria
nt Quality

Equity
in Access
&
Distribution

Poverty
Eradication

Prodn
Efficiency

Indicator
s

106

19

12/19

Biodiversity

76

15

10

4/15

Coastal/
Marine

84

24

10

3/24

111

31

13

4/31

Freshwater

34

21

14

Mineral

64

13

1
2

Forest

Agricultur
e

Industry,
Cities

114

Waste,
transport,
energy
TOTAL

589

17

10

7
4
2

7
-

4
2

153

69

15

20

49

Resource
Stock,
Quality

Equity in
Access

Forest,
Biodiversity
Coastal,
marine

Freshwate
r, resource
Lowland
Agricultur
e
Mining

Ecosystem

Urban

Efficiency
Poverty Ecosystem
in
Alleviation
Score
Production
Activity

0.5

1.2

2.7

1.5

0-1

3.5-4.5

0.5

2.5

0-1

1.8

1.5

4.3-5.3

0-1

0-0.5

0-1

0-2.5

0-1

3-4

Philippine Progress in SD

All ecosystems have not reached even half of the

desired sustainability level
Forest, biodiversity, mining and freshwater most
unsustainable
Lowland agriculture and coastal & marine - least
unsustainable
Need to go back on track towards SD address
constraints in implementation

Challenges
1. Presence of intervention omissions & gaps

Slow implementation of the action agenda

Lack of local awareness
Local leadership
Cooperation and convergence of NGAs

2. Unfunded or limited funding

3. Governance or political will

Proposed measures
1.
2.
3.
4.

Restock, rebuild and restore the depleted natural

capital.
Implement a moratorium to decouple production and
consumption from the resource base.
Develop green technology and promote green
industries.
Establish and improve the governance framework.
Mechanisms for good governance

a. effective partnership
b. participatory decision making (bottom up)
c. accountability
d. resolution of conflicts

Proposed measures
5. Leadership Requirement:

National leadership with a passion for SD

and inclusive growth

Capacity to go beyond policy formulation

Find solutions to policy/ implementation

gaps and concrete problems

Enforce much needed policies in

collaboration with different partners.

Rio+20 Outcomes
1. Outcome Document The Future We Want

Global reaffirmation to SD
SD Goals
Guidelines on applying green economy policies as one
of the tools in advancing SD and addressing poverty
Strengthen the environmental pillar upgrade UNEP
High-level political forum
Strategy for mobilizing financial resources for SD
Options for accelerating technology transfer to
developing countries

2. Global Green Growth Institute

Philippines one of the founding member

Proposed Way Forward

1. SDGs should build on and complement MDGs
SDGs should include increasing resilience of
vulnerable groups from impacts of negative
externalities
Human development
Evidenced-based & quantitative
Include participation of stakeholders
2. IFSD
Integration in national-local development
planning
Capacity building for policy makers and
leaders

Proposed Way Forward

3. Technology cooperation
Broad access by strong cooperation and
linkages of countries
Assistance in developing indigenous and
economically viable technologies
4. Transition to GE
GE as important rallying point for better
integration of 3 pillars of SD
Transition to consider common but
differentiated responsibilities and respect
national development objectives and capacities

THANK YOU!