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Also, the matters contained in the following were written in accordance with the law, rules, and jurisprudence prevailing at the time of writing and posting, and do not include any future developments on the subject matter under discussion.
AT A GLANCE
- Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity.
The Philippines shall adopt the generally accepted principles of international law as part of the law of the land and shall adhere to the policy of peace, equality, justice, freedom, cooperation, and amity with all nations. (Section 2, Article II, 1987 Constitution of the Philippines)
The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. The Sustainable Development Goals are the following:
- Goal 1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
- Goal 2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
- Goal 3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
- Goal 4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
- Goal 5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
- Goal 6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
- Goal 7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
- Goal 8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
- Goal 9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
- Goal 10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
- Goal 11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
- Goal 12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
- Goal 13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts*
- Goal 14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
- Goal 15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
- Goal 16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
- Goal 17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development
The Philippine government has passed laws that will help achieve these Sustainable Development Goals such as Magna Carta for the Poor, Universal Health Care Law, and the Free Tuition Law.
The Magna Carta for the Poor or Republic Act No. 11291 is aimed to uplift the standard of living and quality of life of the poor and provide them with sustained opportunities for growth and development. It is also aimed to adopt an area-based, sectoral, and focused intervention to poverty alleviation where every poor Filipino must be empowered to meet the minimum basic needs through the partnership of the government and the basic sectors. (Section 2, Republic Act No, 11291)
What is the scope of the fundamental rights of the poor? The law says:
- Right to Adequate Food is the right of individuals or families to have physical and economic access to adequate and healthy food or the means to procure it.
- Right to Decent Work is the right to the opportunity to obtain decent and productive employment, in conditions of freedom, equity, gender equality, security, and human dignity.
- Right to Relevant and Quality Education is the right to attain the full development of the human person.
- Right to Adequate Housing is the right to have a decent, affordable, safe and culturally appropriate place to live in.
- Right to the Highest Attainable Standard of Health is the right to have equitable access to a variety of facilities, goods, services, and conditions necessary for the realization of the highest attainable standard of health. (Section 4, R.A. No. 11291)
The Universal Health Care Act or Republic Act No. 11223 seeks to progressively realize universal health care in the country through a systemic approach and clear delineation of roles of key agencies and stakeholders towards better performance in the health system and ensure that all Filipinos are guaranteed equitable access to quality and affordable health care goods and services, and protected against financial risk. (Section 3, Republic Act No. 11223)
Essential health benefit package refers to a set of individual-based entitlements covered by the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP). What are the requirements to be entitled to the benefits under the NHIP? The law says:
Section 9. Entitlement to Benefits. – Every member shall be granted immediate eligibility for health benefit package under the Program: Provided, That PhilHealth Identification Card shall not be required in the availment of any health service: Provided, further, That no co-payment shall be charged for services rendered in basic or ward accommodation: Provided, furthermore, That co-payments and co-insurance for amenities in public hospitals shall be regulated by the DOH and PhilHealth: Provided, finally, That the current PhilHealth package for members shall not be reduced.
PhilHealth shall provide additional Program benefits for direct contributors, where applicable: Provided, That failure to pay premiums shall not prevent the enjoyment of any Program benefits: Provided, further, That employers and self-employed direct contributors shall be required to pay all missed contributions with an interest, compounded monthly, of at least three percent (3%) for employers and not exceeding one and one-half percent (1.5%) for self-earning, professional practitioners, and migrant workers. (Section 9, Republic Act. No. 11223)
Free Tuition Law or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (Republic Act No. 10931) recognizes that quality education is an inalienable right of all Filipinos. For these intents, the State shall:
(a) Provide adequate funding and such other mechanisms to increase the participation rate among all socioeconomic classes in tertiary education;
(b) Provide all Filipinos with equal opportunity to quality tertiary education in both the private and public educational institutions;
(c) Give priority to students who are academically able and who come from poor families;
(d) Ensure the optimized utilization of government resources in education;
(e) Provide adequate guidance and incentives in channeling young Filipinos in their career choices and towards the proper development and utilization of human resources; and
(f) Recognize the complementary roles of public and private institutions in tertiary educational system. (Section 2, Republic Act No. 10931)
These SDGs were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity. The United Nations is a partner of the Philippine Government in achieving national development goals.
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