Natividad, Psalm C.

ABM 11- Provincia Bohemiae

Critique Paper:

Accomplishments of the Philippine Government based on Philippine Agenda 21

Agenda 21 is a framework to support the future interests of people here

on Earth. It was established in the 21st century and was adopted by 178 governments

around the world at the United Nations Conference on Environment and

Development (UNCED) held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 3 to 14 June 1992. This pertains

to the challenges facing our economy, our culture, and our climate, which have opened

up our people to the fact that our resources are limited. Through it, Agenda 21 notes

that, for wise use, individuals should control capital in order to achieve global

sustainable development. Philippine Agenda 21 is the country’s own perception of

Agenda 21, wherein strategies are being implemented for sustainable development. It is

a program of action to put the world towards a sustainable future in the 21st century

wherein it envisions improving a better life for people to live in. PA 21 contains 67

strategies among different sectors to attain an ecologically- and social-rational

economic growth path for the country, namely Economic (13), Political (14), Cultural

(5), Science & Technology (4), Ecological (7), Social (14) and Institutional (10).

The PA 21 adheres to principles of sustainable development which are: Primacy of

developing the full potential of the human being, Holistic science and appropriate

technology, Cultural, moral and spiritual sensitivity, self-determination, national

sovereignty, gender sensitivity, peace order and national unity, Social justice, Intra-

generational, and spatial equity, participatory democracy, Institutional viability, Viable,

sound and broad-based economic development, sustainable population, ecological

soundness, Biographical, and community-based resource management and lastly,

global cooperation. The current Philippine Development Plan is a plan rooted in the

Socioeconomic Agenda that is directed towards the goal in 2040 “Ambisyon Natin

2040” articulating the common vision of the Filipino people which are Matatag (strongly

rooted), Maginhawa (comfortable), and Panatag (secure). In addition, to assist the

progress of integrating the Agenda 21 Principles, the Philippine Council for Sustainable

Development has coordinated several priority actions into the country’s Medium-term

Development Plan for 199-1998. Moreover, a framework has been formulated for the

21st Century under the Long-Term Philippine Development Plan, 2000-2025 that

builds on the solid foundations created by the MTPDP. The Philippine Development

Plan is interrelated to the Philippine Agenda 21 since the commitments on the

Sustainable Development Goals are being incorporated in the plan.

In summary, The Philippine Agenda 21 is the country’s own perception of

Agenda 21 adopted by the nations at the UNCED that adheres to the principles of

sustainable development. Agenda 21 was established since our resources are limited,

the resources must be allocated properly to achieve global sustainable development.

The Philippine Development Plan is rooted in the socioeconomic agenda wherein the

government established 3 objectives in achieving full potential growth to achieve its first

world country status. The PA 21 is linked to the Philippine Development Plan as it

needs to be implemented in the plan as well.

Under the management of the current President, Rodrigo Duterte, the

highlights of the government’s major accomplishments are the war on drugs, tax
reform law, universal health care, free college education and, environmental

policies and fight against corruption.

The Duterte Government has lived up to the promise of a relentless anti-drugs

campaign, however, it has been re-organized thrice and it was ordered to kill the

suspect if they “fight back”. Human rights groups and international bodies have raised

an alarm over the lack of transparency from law enforcement agencies and the lack of

action over the strange murders of drug suspects outside of the police operations.

Second is the tax reform law, a revenue-generating measure that funded

the administration’s infrastructure program, health, education, and social services

programs. It allowed Filipinos to keep more of their salary while imposing higher taxes

on sweetened drinks, cars, and fuel which burdened the Filipinos.

Universal health care was beneficial to the Filipinos, especially the poorest

ones as access to hospitals and medicines were given, meaning Filipino citizens are

automatically enrolled in the National Health Insurance Program.

In the Duterte administration, the enactment of the free tertiary education law

which was against the advice of the economic manager was pushed through. The

consequence of this is the challenge of finding funding for this expensive law every

year yet it is a development for Filipino families everywhere.

Another accomplishment was the environmental policies which were one

of his most decisive policies. The world-famous Boracay was closed for rehabilitation.

Efforts in cleaning in the Manila Bay and Laguna Lake were made as well. The current

accomplishment of the cleaning of the Manila Bay was benefited by the Filipinos,
however, the dolomite sand that was relocated there may cause hazards to creatures

in and around the water, and the place the sand was retrieved from was damaged

already. Mangroves may be placed there instead, which will be more of an aid than the

dolomite for the ecosystem in the area. Environmental policies should be prioritized over

aesthetics, the strategies must be sustainable. Mining companies and local

governments who did not follow environmental regulations were threatened.

Though there were several announcements that Duterte has fired top

officials due to corruption, he has not been transparent with his decisions. Most of the

officials being fired claimed that they were fighting corruption themselves. It is

suspicious as well that officials who were accused of misdeeds were reappointed.

The current accomplishments under the Duterte Administration mostly

contained the implementation of the environmental policies which included policies that

were supposed to aid the Filipino people, however, some of these have violated the

commitment in the Agenda 21. The strategy of the current government lacks

sustainable tactics and transparency which may have hindered the over-all

development of plans and the implementation of the policies.

 References:

Agenda 21 - Philippines. (2020). Retrieved 5 October 2020, from

https://www.un.org/esa/agenda21/natlinfo/countr/philipi/inst.htm

(2020). Retrieved 5 October 2020, from

https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/1033philippines.pdf

(2020). Retrieved 5 October 2020, from http://www.neda.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/SER-Chap-

04_as-of-March-21.pdf

(2020). Retrieved 5 October 2020, from

https://www.asienhaus.de/public/archiv/paper_Philippines.pdf

(2020). Retrieved 5 October 2020, from http://2040.neda.gov.ph/wp-

content/uploads/2016/10/AmbisyonFAQsBrochure-rev2.pdf

Kabiling, G. (2020). Gov’t highlights Duterte’s legacy achievements. Retrieved 5 October 2020, from
https://mb.com.ph/2020/01/17/govt-highlights-dutertes-legacy-achievements/