October 18, 2023
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos on Tuesday called for a “decisive action” from global public administrators and leaders during an international conference in Vietnam highlighting the critical role of public governance in attaining the United Nation’s (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“The 2030 deadline for the SDGs is fast approaching, and the time for decisive action is now. We have the power to create a more resilient, peaceful, and prosperous Asia. Let us unite in our determination to fulfill the promises of the SDGs and leave a legacy of progress and sustainability for generations to come,” Abalos said during the 2023 Eastern Regional Organization for Public Administration (EROPA) Conference in Hanoi.
The 17 SDGs were established in 2015 as an urgent call to action by all countries to tackle global challenges such as poverty and inequality, climate change, and environmental decline. All countries have agreed to work towards achieving them by 2030.
In his message, Abalos also highlighted the importance of cross-sector collaborations among stakeholders in attaining the SDGs.
“Attaining the SDGs is a formidable task that no single nation can achieve alone. Collaborative partnerships, both within our region and globally, are indispensable. Public administrators need to engage with civil society, the private sector, academe, and international organizations to leverage their expertise, resources, and networks,” he noted.
He also cited disaster resilience, peace and order, and economic development as critical areas, based on the Philippine experience, where public administrators can significantly impact the achievement of the SDGs in the region.
The commitment of the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. to the attainment of the UN’s SDGs is reflected in the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) for 2023 to 2028, the country’s second medium-term plan anchored on the government’s long-term vision “Ambisyon Natin 2040”.
PDP 2023-2028 sets in motion the government’s economic recovery program to return the country onto “a high-growth trajectory” towards an upper-middle-income nation by 2025.
Aside from Abalos, hundreds of delegates consisting of government officials, scholars, and managers from the EROPA member countries, including China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Nepal, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines also participated in the event hosted by the National Academy of Public Administration of Vietnam.
EROPA, an international organization of states, groups, and individuals in the region of Asia and the Pacific, was founded in 1960 in response to the common desire of developing and developed countries to promote regional cooperation in improving knowledge, systems, and practices of government administration to help accelerate economic and social development.
Original Article at: https://dilg.gov.ph/news/Abalos-bats-for-decisive-action-to-attain-Sustainable-Development-Goals-in-intl-confab-/NC-2023-1200