I Vote for MDG, Dapat Ikaw Din -- Pinoy Artists on Millennium Development Goals

Action & Event-ure:

Sixteen days ago, Tatak Digitista shared with you the "I Vote for MDG" campaign which revisited the eight Millennium Development Goals or MDGs adopted by 189 world leaders from rich and poor countries, as part of the Millennium Declaration signed in 2000. These leaders agreed to achieve the Goals by 2015.

I hope Tatak Digitista, through its own little way, was able to help you craft the best decisions in choosing our future leaders.  Capping the "I Vote for MDG" series is an all-star video featuring the artists and celebrities who supported the campaign.

 Various artists on Millennium Development Goals

They are:

KC Concepcion on MDG no. 1 - Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger.
Gary Valenciano on MDG no. 2 - Achieve universal primary education.
Miriam Quiambao on MDG no. 3 - Promote gender equality and empower women.
Zaijian Jaranilla on MDG no. 4 - Reduce child mortality.
Lea Salonga on MDG no. 5 - Improve maternal health.
Wango Gallaga on MDG no. 6 - Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases.
Chinchin Gutierrez on MDG no. 7 - Ensure environmental sustainability.
Various artists on MDG no. 8 - Develop a global partnership for development.

If these 8 MDGs are achieved in 2015, what will be the face of the world?

 It will be a world of more harmony, a world that respects cultural and religious diversity and a world that has dramatically decreased the number of extremely poor.

The MDGs strike at the heart of what needs to be changed in the present. They are about a better future and what is possible, a future that we have chosen to take because we all believe in change and transformation into a better world – a world where no one can say that he is deprived of three square full meals a day; where each one of us had many choices; where every child can be properly nurtures, educated with life skills for a good future; where women are treated equally and enjoy equal opportunities; where we can breathe clean air, drink clean and safe water, enjoy the leisures that a clean environment provides and maintain food supply from a productive environment – a world that adheres to peace and security, respects human rights, practices good governance and protects the poor and vulnerable.

Human development is at the heart of the MDGs. In the final analysis, what should really drive all of us to attain the MDGs is the human development goal. The MDGs are all about creating an environment in which people can develop their full potential and lead productive and creative lives in accord with their needs and interests. These cannot be achieved if poverty persists, if access to education, knowledge, health and proper nutrition is denied and if developed countries remain oblivious to the inequitable conditions in the rest of the world.

The MDGs are feasible, but action is needed. The MDGs can be achieved, and they must be achieved because they are our future.

So, again, Let's Stand United, Fight Poverty.  

Vote Wisely!  Vote for MDG!

Develop a global partnership for development -- MDG no. 8

The last in the "I Vote for MDG" series is Millennium Development Goal no. 8 which aims to develop a global partnership for development.

MDG no. 8 specifically aims to attain the following:

• Develop further an open, rule-based, predictable, non-discriminatory trading and financial system. Includes a commitment to good governance, development and poverty reduction – both nationally and internationally.

• Address the special needs of the least developed countries. Includes tariff and quota-free access to the least developed countries’ exports; enhanced programme of debt relief for heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) and cancellation of official bilateral debt; and more generous ODA for countries committed to poverty reduction.

• Address the special needs of landlocked developed countries and small island developing States and the outcome of the twenty-second special session of the General Assembly.

• Deal comprehensively with the debt problems of developing countries through national and international measures in order to make debt sustainable in the long term.

• In cooperation with pharmaceutical companies, provide access to affordable essential drugs in developing countries.

• In cooperation with the private sector, make available the benefits of new technologies, especially information and communications.

Kung mahalaga sa 'yo ang iyong kinabukasan, piliin ang leader na may pagpapahalaga sa kalikasan -- Chinchin Gutierrez on MDG no. 7

Super typhoons.  Hurricanes.  Excessive rainfall.  Rising sea levels.  Deadly heat and drought.  Death of many living creatures, including coral reefs.  The signs are clear.  We are now experiencing the effects of Climate Change. We are now suffering from Global Warming.  Before it's too late, let's do something to save our home planet.

This coming election, Movie actress / Environmentalist Chinchin Gutierrez summons the public to choose a leader who genuinely gives importance to Millennium Development Goal no. 7 that aims to ensure environmental sustainability for the country.

Chinchin Gutierrez on MDG no. 7

Millennium Development Goal no. 6 aims to:

• Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes and reverse the loss of environmental resources.

• Reduce biodiversity loss, achieving, by 2010, a significant reduction in the rate of loss.

• Halve, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation.

• By 2020, to have achieved a significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers.

Vote for the candidate who supports the battle against HIV/AIDS and other diseases -- Wango Gallaga on MDG no. 6

Action & Event-ure:

Everyday, almost 7,500 people around the world are infected with HIV and the number is still growing in an alarming rate, especially here in the Philippines.  Writer Wango Gallaga urges everyone to vote for a candidate who supports MDG no. 6 which is to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases.

Wango Gallaga on MDG no. 6

Backgrounder:

Since the first official report of HIV and AIDS case in 1984, the Department of Health (DOH) through the National Epidemiology Center has been tracking HIV and AIDS cases in the country. Based on the DOH’s AIDS Registry, the total number of reported HIV Antibody seropositive and AIDS cases from January 1984 to December 2006 was 2,719. Of this number, 72 percent were asymptomatic, while the remaining 28 percent were full-blown AIDS cases. From 2004 to 2006, the DOH noted an increase in the number of reported cases ranging from 200 to 300 annually. This is a 20 percent increase that has raised concerns, as it suggests spreading, rather than a reversal of the number of seropositive cases. In addition, the cumulative death toll from AIDS had already reached 298.

There seems to be an underreporting of HIV and AIDS cases in the country; the DOH estimated the HIV and AIDS cases to be about 11,200 as of 2005. The social stigma of disclosing to the public one’s infection in a predominantly Catholic population may be one of the reasons for the underreporting. While the numbers had not caused much alarm in the past, what is worrisome is the increasing number of new reported HIV cases. In 2006, for instance, six Filipinos were reported infected with HIV every week. One in every three cases was an OFW, mostly seafarers and domestic workers who reportedly had unprotected sexual contact. Cases among OFWs are easily detected because they are mandated to undergo HIV-testing by their prospective employers.

Recent figures on HIV and AIDS cases suggest the infection has spread, not reversed. However, in spite of these new cases, the national target of keeping the prevalence rate at less than one percent of the population remains within target.

Sexual transmission continues to be the main cause of HIV infection. However, injection by drug users, which is the strongest driver of HIV infection in Asia, may raise cases of HIV and AIDS given the observed increase in the level of needle sharing among drug users. The high prevalence of risky behavior such as unprotected sex and having multiple sex-partners among high-risk groups, combined with the rise in needle sharing among drug users is a cause for concern. HIV and AIDS awareness level across population groups, especially, among the youth, leaves much room for improvement. Misconceptions on basic facts about the disease must be dispelled. Preventive measures, on the other hand, must be advocated.

Malaria is the eighth leading cause of morbidity in the Philippines. Based on program data, malaria morbidity rate indicated a decrease from 72 cases per 100,000 population in 1998 to 47 cases in 2002. However, there was an increase in the rate to 55 cases in 2005. The mortality rate due to malaria, likewise, decreased from 0.8 deaths per 100,000 population in 1998 to 0.1 death in 2002. This slightly went up to 0.17 deaths in 2005. The geographical distribution of malaria cases based on a five-year average (2001-2005) is as follows: Luzon (55%); Visayas (1%); and Mindanao (44%). In 2005, the top ten (10) provinces in terms of the number of malaria cases were: Palawan, Tawi-tawi, Sulo, Sarangani, Isabela, Cagayan, Sultan Kudarat, Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Sur and Zambales.

Similarly, tuberculosis (TB) remains a major public health problem in the country, being the sixth leading cause of morbidity and the sixth leading cause of mortality in 2003. Data indicate that the mortality rate due to TB decreased from 38.7 deaths per 100,000 population in 1999 to 33 in 2003. In 2005, the case detection rate was posted at 71 percent while the cure rate was 82 percent.

Source: www.undp.org.ph

Dapat wala nang babaeng mamamatay, habang nagbibigay ng buhay -- Lea Salonga on MDG No. 5

Action & Event-ure:

Improve maternal health.  This is MDG No. 5, the next in the "I Vote for MDG" series.  Broadway actress and Philippine pride Lea Salonga advocates the promotion of Millennium Development Goal No. 5 so that no more mother will die while giving life (para wala nang babaeng mamamatay, habang nagbibigay ng buhay).

 Lea Salonga on MDG No. 5

MDG No. 5 targets to reduce by three quarters, between 1990 and 2015, the maternal mortality ratio.  By 2015, MDG No. 5 aims to achieve universal access to reproductive health.

I think the signs are clear. You know there are candidates who believe and support MDG No. 5, despite the objections of the influential blocks of our society, to ensure the delivery of maternal health services to Filipino women.  And you also know that there are those who do otherwise, to ensure their votes, and consequently their political triumph by May 2010.  But you know better.  You know who to vote for.

Backgrounder:

Out of three (3) million pregnancies that occur every year, half were unplanned and one-third of these end in abortions, according to a 2006 report of the Allan Guttmacher Institute conducted in the Philippines. Induced abortion was the fourth leading cause of maternal deaths. Young women accounted for 17 percent of induced abortions. Over half of births occurred at home and one-third of them were assisted by traditional birth attendants (TBAs). Around 75 percent of the poorest quintile did not have access to skilled birth attendants (SBAs) compared to only 20 percent of the richest quintile. There is, therefore, a need to improve prenatal and postnatal services and special competencies of SBAs to reduce neonatal mortality.

Universal access to sexual and reproductive health education, information, and services improves health, saves lives and reduces poverty. The slow decline in MMR may be traced to inadequate access to integrated reproductive health services by women, including poor adolescents and men.

The country’s total fertility rate (TFR) based on the 2006 FPS was 3.2 births per woman. This is a slight decline from the 2003 TFR of 3.5 children per woman. Among the regions, Region 4-B posted the highest TFR (4.1), while NCR, the lowest.

On the contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR), the percentage of currently married women
ages 15-49 years using contraceptives slightly changed from 49 percent in 2001 to 50.6 percent in 2006 based on the FPS for the same years. Among the regions, Central Luzon had the highest CPR at 58.9 percent, followed by Cagayan Valley (58.6%) and Southern Mindanao (57.2%). The lowest CPR was in ARMM (20%).

The unmet need for family planning was 15.7 percent in 2006, representing a decline from the 1998 figure of 19.8 percent. The ARMM showed the highest unmet need (29.7%) while Cagayan Valley, the lowest at 9.7 percent.

These trends indicate the need to actively promote family planning and responsible parenthood most especially, for low-income households. Without access to FP techniques, the actual number of children of poor families generally exceeds desired family size.

Survey findings, however, revealed that Filipino women across all socio-economic classes desire fewer children and would like to use modern contraceptives. Yet only about half of women of reproductive age practice family planning (FP). Even when FP services are available, it has been observed that the decision to seek health services is often determined by gender norms in the family and community, as well as cultural and religious beliefs and practices.

Concerning the young, data from the Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality Survey (YAFSS) for the period 1994-2002 indicated that the overall prevalence of pre-marital sexual activity increased from 18 percent to 23 percent. It is likewise observed that twice as many females than males experienced reproductive health (RH) problems. The higher levels of RH problems observed in females can be attributed to their higher experience of less serious RH problems. It is however noted that there was an increase in serious RH problems among females as compared to males due to the increasing proportion of females engaging in sexual risk behaviors and the low level of contraceptive use. The 2006 FPS results also showed that 6.3 percent of women 15-19 years old had begun childbearing and majority of them were poor and from the rural areas. Other studies show that teenage pregnancies accounted for 17 percent of induced abortion cases.

Source www.undp.org.ph

Dapat masarap maging bata diba? -- Zaijian Jaranilla on MDG no. 4

Child actor Zaijian Jaranilla who portrayed the role of miraculous boy "Santino" from the hit series May Bukas Pa of ABS-CBN pleads to everyone, candidates and voters alike, to support MDG No. 4 which is to reduce child mortality.

Zaijian Jaranilla on MDG No. 4

Millennium Development Goal No. 4 aims to reduce by two-thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the mortality rate of children, under-five years old.

Backgrounder:

Based on data from the Technical Working Group on Maternal and Child Mortality, under-five mortality rate (U5MR) was 80 deaths per 1,000 live births for 1990. This rate declined to 48 in 1998 and to 42 in 2003. In 2006, using results of the Family Planning Survey (FPS) of NSO, the rate fell down further to 32 deaths per 1,000 live births. For the period 1990-2006, the decline was about 60 percent. This suggests a high likelihood of meeting the target of 26.7 deaths per 1,000 live births by 2015.

Infant mortality rate (IMR) has also been decreasing from 57 deaths per 1,000 live births in 1990, to 35 in 1998, to 30 in 2003 (see Figure 6) and in 2006, it declined further to 24 deaths. The decline from 1990 to 2006 in infant mortality rate was about 58 percent. Similarly, the likelihood of attaining the MDG target for IMR is high. It should be further noted that the MTPDP 2004-2010 aims to reduce the IMR to 17 per 1,000 live births by 2010, a much greater decline than the 2015 MDG target.

Still, there were regions that in 2006 had infant mortality rates exceeding the national average of 24 deaths per 1,000 live births. These were Cordillera (29), MIMAROPA (32), Bicol (26), Eastern Visayas (29), Zamboanga (38), Davao (28), CARAGA (28), and the ARMM (31).

Source: www.undp.org.ph

Choose a leader who promotes gender equality and women empowerment -- Miriam Quiambao on MDG No. 3

Action & Event-ure:

Promote gender equality and empower women. This is the Millennium Development Goal No.3 advocated by beauty queen / TV host Miriam Quiambao.

Miriam Quiambao on MDG No. 3

I believe that in a society where oppressive social standards put our women at a disadvantage, candidates this coming election should be serious and committed in putting MDG No. 3 in their priority goals.

Backgrounder:

A recent national survey estimated that around 2.2 million Filipino women or nine percent of all women ages 18 years and above, experienced violence inflicted by their partners. In the past two years, around 70 percent of child-abuse victims were girls and about 40 percent of cases were sexual abuse and exploitation.

The Philippines is also recognized as a source, transit, and destination country for cross-border trafficking of women and children for sexual exploitation and forced labor. It is estimated that between 60,000 to 100,000 children and over 100,000 women are trafficked (internally and externally) annually. Since the passage of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, the number of cases filed for investigation and prosecution by the Department of Justice (DOJ) had steadily increased from 12 in 2003 to 114 cases in 2005. There had been eight (8) convictions since 2003.

On access to income and productive resources, the last decade had seen an increase in the number of women in the labor force with 50 percent of all women working compared to 80 percent of men. In terms of quality of work, 64 percent of those in higher wage-and-salary jobs and 67 percent of own-account workers were men. Among the employed women, 50 percent were wage-and-salary workers, 33 percent were own-account workers and 17 percent, unpaid family workers.

Women had a large presence in the growing informal economy and had limited benefits and protection, such as social security and health care. Moreover, their economic contribution was largely invisible. As a country with the highest number of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) worldwide, women and men were almost equal in number. The national economy and a quarter of the country’s families were highly dependent on OFW remittances.

However, the average cash remittances of women were only 60 percent that of men. This is indicative of the status of women OFWs in lesser skilled and often unprotected lower paying jobs. This renders women vulnerable to exploitation, trafficking and abuse. Of particular concern is that 72 percent of newly-hired OFWs in 2005 were women, indicating lack of opportunities locally for decent work and livelihood to provide for themselves and their families.

On civil and political rights of women, the Philippine Constitution upholds the right of women to sectoral participation in national and local legislative bodies. The Philippines is one of the few countries with a woman President. Four out of 24 senators are women. Women dominate the civil service at the technical level (74%) but are still largely outnumbered by men in decision-making positions (35%). Women account for only 20 percent of total positions in the judiciary. In the 2004 elections, mean participation rate of women was 18.2 percent at the national and local levels of both executive and legislative bodies.

Source: www.undp.org.ph

Choose a leader who puts education in his priority goals -- Gary Valenciano on MDG No. 2

This is the second part of the "I Vote for MDG" campaign. Millennium Development Goal No. 2 is to Achieve universal primary education and is advocated by no less than premiere singer / concert performer and UNICEF Ambassador Gary Valenciano.

Gary V on MDG No. 2

In the Philippines, about 5.2 million children are not in school., 61% of young children are not ready for school and 53% are not enrolled in Grade 1. Majority of children drop out after Grades 1 and 2 and the national average of cohort survival is 63.6%. Boys are twice likelier to repeat or drop out of school

Sulu Province in Mindanao has the smallest percentage of children enrolled in public primary schools at 62% compared to the national average of 81.7%

With this, MDG No. 2 aims to ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling.

This coming election, please choose the candidate who puts education as a priority goal in his or her platform.

Challenge our leaders to prioritize the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger -- KC Concepcion on MDG No. 1

First of the eight part series of the "I Vote for MDG" campaign is the Millennium Development Goal No. 1 which is to Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger as advocated by movie actress and World Food Programme Ambassador KC Concepcion.

KC Concepcion on MDG No. 1

The specific goals are:

• Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people whose income is less than one dollar a day.

• Achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all, including women and young people.
• Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people who suffer from hunger.

Watch out for Millennium Development Goal no. 2 in the next post of Tatak Digitista (www.digitista.blogspot.com).

Still undecided (or blinded) on who to vote for? -- Revisiting the Millennium Development Goals

Action & Event-ure:

Eighteen days before the Philippine 2010 Election, I believe there are many people out there who are still undecided (or blinded) on who to vote for.

And to help us make a better decision, let me share with you the the full "I Vote for MDG" campaign which encourages voters to know their candidates in this coming election and support those who will have the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as their platform of government.

The UN Millennium Campaign was established by the UN Secretary General in 2002. The Campaign supports citizens' efforts to hold their governments to account for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. The MDGs were adopted by 189 world leaders from rich and poor countries as part of the Millennium Declaration which was signed in 2000. These leaders agreed to achieve the Goals by 2015.

How was the Millennium Development Goals conceived and started?

Former United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Kofi Annan convened world leaders in September 2000 for the Millennium Summit in New York. At this historic international gathering at the beginning of the new millennium, 189 member-states of the UN reached a consensus that rich and poor countries alike should work together to achieve peace and security, respect human rights, promote good governance and strive for development, with attention to the needs of the poor, the vulnerable and the children of the world, to whom the future belongs. This was encapsulated in the Millennium Declaration of 2000.

 Through the Millennium Declaration, the UN member-states, which included the Philippines, committed themselves to achieve a set of time-bound development goals and targets called the Millennium Development Goals or MDGs. The MDGs are clear, quantifiable goals and targets for global human development, which are anchored on eradicating extreme poverty by 2015.