Natural disasters in the Philippines, effects on meeting the MDGs

From the Inquirer, comes this analysis of the natural disasters in the Philippines. Each time bad weather strikes the nation, it sets it further back from meeting the Millennium Development Goals.

Barely six years before the deadline for achieving its Millennium Development Goals (MDG), the Philippines continues to lag behind on its MDG targets.

Worse, the series of natural disasters that hit the country have further set back government's efforts to reduce, if not eradicate, extreme poverty by 2015.

With the Arroyo administration “on its last mile," it would be great if they could focus hard on the achievement of the country's MDG goals and meeting the needs of the poorest people of this country and leave a great legacy,” said Salil Shetty, director of the United Nations Millennium Campaign.

Shetty was in the country to “remind your leaders of the promises they made” on the country's MDGs.

According to Shetty, the MDGs must be brought to the local level where their achievement will either be won or lost.

When interviewed, Shetty stressed the need for “disaster-proofing” the MDGs, or integrating disaster risk reduction into government's development planning and policies so it could contribute to the achievement of the country's MDGs.