Instructions

Research re Concrete Programs of the Government on

1. Agriculture

Food security is our overarching goal, second to the public health concerns. The
food security of our people during this pandemic has been and will always be the
paramount goal of the Philippine government.”

This was underscored by Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar during the

presentation of the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Covid-19 response and status of
agricultural innovation in the country during the e-conference of Sulong Pilipinas 2021:
Partners for Progress (A Pre-SONA Economic Development and Infrastructure Clusters
Forum) on April 26, 2021.

Secretary Dar shared that as the pandemic showed the weakness of Philippine
agriculture, it taught the government to confront the many challenges head-on. He said
increasing productivity to guarantee adequate food supply remains the primary goal of
the department and added that the agency focused on key commodities such as rice,
livestock, poultry, corn, vegetables, and coconut industry.

For rice, the DA was able to provide inbred seeds, credit facility, capacity-
building, and training program under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund
(RCEF). He said these measures help the rice industry to achieve its 19.4 million metric
tons (MMT) in 2020, and 7.2 percent (%) increase in its production in the first quarter of
2021. He said the country aims to hit 93% rice sufficiency in 2021.

For livestock, Secretary Dar presented the whole-of-nation approach of the DA

for hog industries which includes the repopulation of pigs to ASF-free provinces and
faster distribution of vaccines to hogs. He reported that ASF cases in the country have
decreased to 981 in the first quarter of 2021, compared to the more than 4,000 cases in
the third quarter of 2020.

The DA chief also shared other measures in line with the food security agenda of
the government such as strengthening the Urban Agriculture program and the
establishment of landing sites and more infrastructure development. According to him,
the agriculture and fishery hubs that will soon rise and operate will showcase modern
technology, processing centers, and know-how facility that will put greater effect to
stabilize prices of food.

Sec. Dar also said that pandemic has brought about more opportunities in
agriculture including the insertion of modernized technologies in boosting productivity,
more investment in agriculture, digital technology, greater coordination with the local
government units, and promotion of smart agriculture
 The “Sulong Pilipinas” is an annual consultative conference organized by the
Economic Development Cluster (EDC) led by the Department of Finance (DOF), which
aims to gather feedback and insights from its stakeholders on its socioeconomic
priorities.

Since its first conference in 2016, the “Sulong Pilipinas” has been able to conduct
17 workshops to aid the Duterte administration create policies such as the
Comprehensive Tax Reform Program, the National ID program, the Ease of Doing
Business Act, and the Build, Build, Build infrastructure program.

The national programs of Department of Agriculture on rice, corn, high value

crops, livestock , and organic agriculture are priority programs that aim to address food
security, poverty alleviation, and sustainable growth through increased farm income and
productivity. The programs are implemented nationwide and consist of six (6)
activities/components as follows: i) Production Support Services; ii) Market
Development Services; iii) Extension Support, Education, and Training Support
Services iv) Research and Development; v) Irrigation Network Services; and vi)
Provision of Agricultural Equipment and Facilities. These programs will directly
contribute to SDG 2.3 as they aim to address food security, poverty alleviation and
sustainable growth through increased farm income and productivity. In addition, the
project also contributes to SDG 2.4 in terms of ensuring sustainable food production
systems.

2. Tourism,

Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority

TIEZA brings development to areas with high cultural, historical, religious,

heritage and/or eco-tourism values, helping shape a deep sense of awareness and
pride for the Filipino’s traditions, natural bounties and uniqueness as a race.

TEZs attract private stakeholders to be shared-partners in tourism development.

TEZs enjoy fiscal and non-fiscal incentives issues by TIEZA. Their investments will
indubitably help create jobs and economic activities for local communities

On operation and management of assets, TIEZA operates and manages tourist

facilities from Luzon to Mindanao. These facilities offer services ranging from hotel and
restaurant to specialized sports such as golf and scuba diving.
 3. Education

The Philippine education system has evolved over hundreds of years of colonial
occupation, first by Spain and then by the US, through martial law and the people’s
power revolution that brought democracy to the sprawling archipelago. The education
sector’s development has mirrored the changes in the country’s administration. Today
the focus is on expanding access and ensuring more Filipinos receive a decent basic
education, as a means of reducing poverty and improving national competitiveness. The
World Bank notes that in other countries such initiatives have brought “large economic
benefits”. The K-12 reform was introduced in 2016 and funding was increased, easing
concerns that its implementation would be hindered by limited resources and winning
over new President Rodrigo Duterte, who was initially skeptical about the plan.

Despite these successes and President Duterte’s commitment to socio-economic

issues as his policy priorities, the education system continues to struggle with deep
inequalities. Quality also remains a concern. Addressing these problems will require a
continued commitment to increased funding for education, and an efficient mechanism
to ensure the money is spent in the most effective manner.

System

The Philippines has a vibrant and diverse education system, with the
government, assisted by the private sector, providing a wide range of education from
early years up to college and university across the archipelago. The Department of
Education (DepEd) oversees the provision of basic education. The private sector
includes kindergartens, international schools and religious schools. In 2015/16 there
were 14.9m children enrolled at primary school and 6.01m at secondary level.

History

Today’s system has been shaped by the Philippines’ colonial and post-war
history. Under the Spanish, education was largely provided by missionaries and the
study of religion was compulsory, but most Filipinos were not included. It was only in the
19th century that they were able to attend the universities that had been established two
centuries earlier, and it was only when the US took control of the Philippines in 1898
that consideration was given to non-religious education, English-language teaching and
free primary school education for all.

The country was ill-prepared for the sudden expansion of education and did not
have enough teachers to meet the new demand, so the colonial authorities established
a teacher-training school and brought in 1000 teachers from the US to provide training.
An emphasis on vocational and adult education was introduced in the early 20th
century, while bilingual teaching – with maths, science and literature taught in English –
was introduced under Ferdinand Marcos in 1974. The commitment to a bilingual
education and universal access was enshrined in the 1987 constitution.

K-12 Implementation

Three years since the Enhanced Basic Education Act (EBEA, known as the K-12
law) was signed, the Philippines has finally embarked on its most ground-breaking
change to the schooling system in decades, the K-12 reform.

K-12 extends compulsory schooling to grades 11 and 12, adding two years to
secondary school, and makes secondary education compulsory. Prior to its
implementation, the Philippines was the only country in Asia, and one of only a few in
the world, to have a basic education system of just 10 years. The EBEA also mandated
kindergarten as the start of compulsory formal education, while the Kindergarten Act of
2012 made pre-school free. In August 2016, 1.5m Filipino children attended 11th grade,
with senior school students choosing between four tracks through the system:
academic, technical-vocational, sports or the arts. Much of the opposition to the
initiative, which triggered five separate petitions to the Supreme Court, centred on
whether the country’s teachers, schools and administration were in a position to
implement the reform. President Duterte expressed scepticism about the programme
before he was elected, but changed his mind in May 2016 after a delegation from
DepEd told him that the change was necessary, as Filipino students were falling behind
their neighbours.

Indeed, increased spending on basic education – including an expanded

Alternative Learning System (ALS) – is a centrepiece of the new president’s 10-point
socio-economic agenda. President Duterte insists that the development of the
Philippines’ human capital is a priority of his administration. Building on existing
programmes, the education secretary, Leonor Briones, said that the Duterte
administration’s education policy intends to ensure that the country provides a quality
education that is accessible to all and relevant to the needs of the nation. Filipinos
should also find education “truly liberating” through the development of critical thinking
skills and an appreciation of culture and the arts.

10-Point Plan

The shift to K-12 began under President Duterte’s predecessor, Benigno Aquino III, who
approached education as an investment in Filipinos, and offered a 10-point plan for
improving education as part of his election campaign. As well as K-12, the 10 fixes
included pre-schooling for all, technical-vocational training as an alternative in senior
high school, working with local governments to build new schools, proficiency in science
and maths, and working with private schools as “essential partners” in basic education.
The plan is to expand the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private
Education, supporting as many as 1m students at private high schools through the
Education Service Contracting Scheme.
Education For All

In 2015 the Education for All (EFA) initiative included provisions to ensure all
Filipinos were able to achieve what UNESCO calls “functional literacy”, the ability to
read, write and do calculations at a level that is sufficient for the country in which a
particular person lives. Further supporting the K-12 reform, the government set four key
objectives for the EFA initiative: providing education options for all out-of-school adults
and young people; eliminating drop-outs and repetition during the first three years of
school; encouraging the completion of a full cycle of basic schooling to a satisfactory
level at every grade by all Filipino children; and committing to the attainment of basic
education competencies for everyone.

In fact, recognition of the need to move towards K-12 was evident much earlier.
In 2005 the government promised, under the Basic Education Reform Agenda, to
remove all hurdles limiting access to and delivery of basic education, whether
regulatory, structural, financial or institutional. The policy involved five key thrusts:
school-based management; the development of teacher education; national learning
strategies; quality assurance and accountability; and changes to the administration of
DepEd, using the latest technology to ensure more effective use of resources, whether
staff or funds.

World Bank Assessment

In June 2016 the World Bank published its assessment on the Philippines reform
of basic education, “Assessing Basic Education Service Delivery”, noting that reforms
were now backed with a substantial increase in funding, after years of underinvestment
exacerbated by average population growth in excess of 2%.

The World Bank estimates that public spending increased by 60% in real terms
between 2010 and 2015, helping finance infrastructure improvements and provide the
means to hire more teachers. As a result, between 2010 and 2013 the student-to-
teacher ratio in public high schools fell from 38:1 to 29:1, while the student-to-classroom
ratio dropped from 64:1 to 47:1. However, “despite impressive recent increases, the
Philippines still spends less on education than many neighbouring and middle-income
countries,” the study noted. “Recent analysis has confirmed the need for more spending
to meet national education norms and standards.”

The World Bank study was commissioned by DepEd to assess how the public
budget was being used, in order for funds to be allocated more efficiently and
effectively. It tracked 80% of the government’s national education budget, as well as
spending by local authorities, in the last quarter of 2014.

In a separate report looking at the EFA initiative, UNESCO noted that even
though the largest portion of the Philippine budget had consistently been devoted to
education, in percentage terms this fell short of international standards, with the state
spending only 2.6% of GDP on the sector in 2011.

That figure has risen over the past few years to an expected 3.5% in 2017, but
the Philippines continues to spend far less on education as a proportion of GDP than
many of its neighbours. Both Vietnam and South Korea, which have some of the world’s
best-performing schools according to international benchmarks, spend 5% of GDP on
education.

Early Encouragement

DepEd itself assessed the implementation of K-12 at a January 2017 conference

with stakeholders including government officials, school administrators and teachers.

Among the encouraging news, it found that the situation in kindergartens had
improved, with a more localised curriculum, the construction of clean, safe and child-
friendly classrooms, and closer cooperation with the community. Children were
developing a love of reading, while teachers’ skills had been enhanced via use of
technology and the adoption of more effective teaching strategies.

For grades one to six, best practice included a curriculum more suited to the
needs of Christian and Muslim pupils, closer cooperation with indigenous communities,
the provision of self-paced learning materials, catch-up programmes at all levels and the
introduction of Learning Action Cell sessions for teachers’ professional development.
DepEd noted that in schools that had adopted these practices enrolment rose and the
drop-out rate fell. Minority groups were also more confident, with Muslim children having
the opportunity to learn Arabic.

Junior high schools also focused on programmes to reduce the drop-out rate and
nurture continued learning, including the use of ALS through a virtual classroom, a basic
literacy programme for adults, and scholarships for adult learners and students with
special needs. Schools reported increased enrolment and participation, along with rising
community awareness. Teacher competency also improved with training in new learning
strategies focused on real-world application.

In senior high schools, where the full roll-out of grade 12 is now taking place,
DepEd said that the policy has been largely successful, noting the transfer of junior high
school teachers to fill vacancies, and improved cooperation both between local and
national government, and with the private sector on the provision of facilities, including
classrooms and dormitories for pupils living in remote areas. A large percentage of
those enrolled in private schools received vouchers, with scholarships also available.

Raising Standards

Much of the official discussion on K-12 centres on the need to raise standards,
improve teacher quality and encourage completion of basic schooling. The drop-out rate
has remained high, and data from the “Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media
Survey” produced by the Philippine Statistics Authority, shows that around 4m children
and young people were out of school in 2013, while as of April 2016, 16.6m Filipinos –
or 39% of the workforce – had not completed basic education. The World Bank noted
continuing problems with access and inequality. The report found that only 53% of the
poorest 20% of households sent their children to high school, while 81% of the
wealthiest families did so. To address the problem, the government aims to incentivise
attendance, extend school feeding programmes and expand programmes under the
ALS, a “second chance” designed to ensure more Filipinos complete their basic
education. President Duterte has indicated that an enhanced ALS – better targeted with
wider coverage, more partnerships and approaches that meet learners’ needs – will be
one of his administration’s major legacies.

Regional Inequalities

The World Bank also found differences in allocations to education in different

regions at the level of both national and local government. While both have
responsibility for funding education, the World Bank estimates the local contribution,
which is funded by property taxes, has been declining since 2006. Currently, more than
90% of school funding originates from the national government, with the proposed
allocation to DepEd at P569.1bn ($12bn) in 2017, compared with P431.5bn ($9.1bn) in
2016. Most goes towards teachers’ salaries, but a significant amount funds financial
assistance programmes for children from low-income families. Regional disparities in
funding levels do not necessarily correspond directly with outcomes. The report found
that although city schools received higher funding, their pupils tended to do less well in
national tests than their rural peers. The report cited insufficient infrastructure to cope
with the larger student bodies at urban schools and higher rates of teacher absences as
reasons for this.

“Many schools, particularly in urban areas, have insufficient and poor quality
facilities and a shortage of teachers,” the report said. “Operational funding still falls short
of the amounts that schools need to pay bills, undertake basic repairs, and provide the
day-to-day materials their students need. And there is rarely anything left over to fund
school-level initiatives to improve student learning achievement.”

Allocation Of Funds

More effective targeting of funds to the areas of greatest need is therefore a

priority alongside an overall increase in budget allocations. Briones told the Education
Summit in November 2016 there is “a need for a drastic improvement in absorptive
capacity”. The Duterte administration is planning to introduce a series of financial
management reforms to improve education outcomes, including: enhanced leadership
supervision and oversight over finance, administration and procurement; the creation of
an education programme delivery unit to monitor budget execution and intervene to
ensure funds move smoothly to where they are needed; a financial management
information system to track budget spending in real time; and a more proactive
approach to spending.

Teaching Standards

In recent years DepEd has introduced a number of measures to improve the

standard of teaching, revising professional benchmarks and providing more on-the-job
training. It has also made a concerted effort to attract the brightest and the best by
raising compensation and making the selection process more competitive. In the past,
teaching was poorly paid and often seen as the fall-back course for university applicants
who did not get onto their preferred course. Studies found teacher knowledge in both
elementary and high school was low, and that the professional development
programmes were insufficient.

Civil society is also helping. Non-profit organisation Philippine Business for

Education launched the Scholarships in Teacher Education Programme to Upgrade
Teacher Quality in the Philippines (STEPUP), which is funded by Australian Aid, in
2015. The idea is to encourage the country’s best-performing college graduates and
professionals to join the profession, with the aim of producing 1000 high-quality
teachers for the public school system by 2019. Accepting candidates up to the age of
45, STEPUP covers full tuition fees and offers a range of benefits for participants. In
return, successful applicants must work with DepEd for three years. The organisation
offers a similar scheme to encourage the best high school seniors to pursue degrees in
education, majoring in subjects including maths and English. The Philippines has not
participated in an international survey of school performance since a 2003 study
showed only one-third of children in elementary and secondary school were able to
reach the lowest international benchmark in maths. It also revealed stark differences in
performance between children from low-and high-income families. While that makes it
hard to get a sense of how well the country’s children are doing relative to their peers in
region, results in national tests remain patchy. At elementary school, the average score
rose to 69.97% in 2013/14, but slipped back to 69.1% in 2014/15. The government
targeted a score of 77% in 2016. A similar trend is evident at the secondary level, where
the average score edged up to 53.77% in 2013/14 before dropping back to 49.48% in
2014/15. In 2016 the target was 65%. National results also show that pupils in urban
schools do not perform as well as those in rural areas, according to the World Bank.
The average score in the 2014 grade six exam was 66% in city schools and 75% in
those outside urban areas, even though the former tended to have larger revenues.

Meeting National Needs

The government insists that the education system must be more appropriate to
the needs of the country, including its economy. The aim is to improve students’ abilities
in science and technology, and nurture critical thinking, creativity and entrepreneurial
spirit, as well as to encourage them to support the wider community, especially those on
the margins. Sex education, along with awareness of the issues surrounding teenage
pregnancy and the dangers of drugs (from grade four), will be strengthened, and there
will be a special emphasis on the environment, climate change and disaster
preparedness in a country that has frequently endured earthquakes, volcanic eruptions
and severe weather. To achieve these goals, the government is overhauling the
curriculum to establish a “spiral” approach, which is designed to challenge and stimulate
pupils so that they develop critical thinking skills. DepEd consulted industry during the
development of the new curriculum, although the final design was the work of DepEd
alone. Those learning science under the spiral approach, for example, learn general
science, biology, chemistry and physics on a per quarter basis. The basics are taught in
grade seven, with more complicated theories added as pupils progress through
subsequent grades.

Higher Education

The Philippines is one of the few countries where the number of private higher
education institutions and students enrolled there is greater than in the state sector.
Leading private universities, such as the University of Santo Tomas, were established
hundreds of years before their public sector counterparts – although Filipinos were not
allowed to attend until the 19th century – while the University of the Philippines, the
archipelago’s leading state university, was set up in 1908, when the country was under
US control.

National government spending on the tertiary education segment has risen in

recent years, but at 12.2% of the sector budget, spending remains below the
international benchmark of 15-20%. The 2017 allocation reflects a government decision
to scrap tuition fees at all state universities and colleges. However, students will still
need to pay their living expenses with grants and other forms of aid available to those
from low-income families.

“In the short term, this will incrementally improve enrolment rates, and will help
free up financial resources for other college expenses and needs of the students,”
Patricia Licuanan, chair of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), said in a
statement after the budget was passed in December. “From a wider perspective, this
amount will eventually increase the available income of families.”

The Philippine higher education system is managed by CHED and the Technical
Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). The country’s 228 state
universities and colleges, which had 1.88m students in the 2015/16 academic year, are
operated and subsidized by the government, with each university run by a board of
regents and a board of trustees supervised by the chair of CHED. Local government
units can also establish local universities. The state universities and colleges have a
total of 454 satellite campuses, according to CHED.

The 1706 private universities and colleges, which have a total of 2.22m students,
are generally much smaller, are governed under the Corporation Code and can be non-
profit religious institutions or for-profit secular colleges. The greatest density of higher
education institutions is in the south of the largest island of Luzon, including Manila. In
2015/16, 26% of students (1.07m) were enrolled in business-related courses, followed
by 19% (791,000) studying education and teaching, and 13% (517,000) on courses in
engineering and technology.

Quality Of Instruction

Despite the size of the higher education sector, the quality of instruction remains
low, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB). In professional board
examinations, for instance, median pass rates between 2005 and 2015 ranged from
34% to 43%. The ADB also noted a “worrisome preponderance” within both the state
and private sector of institutions with a pass rate of zero, “indicative of a large number of
low-quality higher education institutions.”

“CHED has instituted a vertical/horizontal typology approach to assess the

quality of higher educational institutions,” Caroline Marian Enriquez, president of Our
Lady of Fatima University, told OBG. “However, given that the current university
landscape is composed of over 2000 institutions of very uneven quality, some of the
standards may be too stringent or not applicable to the core competencies of certain
institutions.”

The government has been trying to rationalise the state sector by putting a halt to
the establishment of new course programmes by state universities and local colleges
that do not meet the standards set by CHED, by encouraging rationalisation and
hopefully reducing course duplication. It is also trying to raise standards through the
introduction of quality institutional sustainability assessment.

“For the government to truly improve the quality assurance system of education,
it should provide strong data on the performance of schools. Once analysis is provided
on the 10 best- or worst-performing schools, the market will be able to decide based on
this information,” Chito Salazar, president and CEO of Phinma Education, told OBG
PHILIPPINE QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORK: In addition, the government has
enhanced the Philippine Qualifications Framework (PQF) to put it in line with the
ASEAN Qualifications Reference Framework and ensure academic programmes meet
international standards. “The PQF can significantly reduce jobs-skills mismatch. It can
also boost international confidence among Filipino workers by making them more
competitive and employable,” Senator Joel Villanueva, a former TESDA director-
general, said in August 2016 (see analysis). The government is committed to creating a
system that is more aligned to 21st century needs, positioning higher education as an
accelerator for innovation and inclusive development. It is encouraging cooperation
between academia and industry, supporting the professional development of teaching
and research staff who want to complete their doctorate, and promoting research
cooperation between institutions and across borders. Already, courses in subjects
including meteorology, business analytics and naval architecture have been developed
with industry, and a degree in health informatics is under development.

Research Partnerships
 Research and development (R&D) has also been a focus in areas such as food
security, the environment and natural disasters, biodiversity and health systems in order
to support the Duterte administration’s socio-economic objectives. As part of the push
for reform, the government is keen to encourage increased private investment and
internationalisation in higher education.

Some institutions already partner with overseas universities on select courses,

while the Philippine-California Advanced Research Institute (PCARI) was initiated in
2013 by the scientific community and academics to boost the country’s research
capacity by supporting post-doctoral scholars and R&D proposals with the potential to
address the Philippines’ developmental issues.

The PCARI’s R&D projects involve 15 private institutions working with partners at
the University of California, and include work on traffic management in urban areas, the
development of affordable solar energy systems for remote areas, and improving local
capacity to design and develop medical devices.

Outlook

The Philippines has embarked on education reforms that it considers crucial to its
economic development, bringing its school system into line with international standards
and seeking to open up its higher education sector to more people, while supporting
R&D that will raise its academic profile and bring lasting benefits to the country.

The government had to overcome substantial opposition to introduce K-12, a sign of

its determination to bring lasting change, but sustained funding to support the increased
demand on resources will be crucial if these bold reforms are to be a success.

4. Environment,

GEO-HAZARD, GROUNDWATER ASSESSMENT AND RESPONSIBLE MINING

SECRETARY CIMATU’S MAIN PRIORITY IS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF

OUR ENVIRONMENT, PARTICULARLY OUR AIR, WATER AND ADDRESS SOLID
WASTE PROBLEMS. THUS, THE DENR WILL BE IMPLEMENTING
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS.

FOR GEO-HAZARD, GROUNDWATER ASSESSMENT AND RESPONSIBLE

MINING, OUR PRIORITY ACTIVITIES ARE THE FOLLOWING: (1)REHABILITATION
OF ABANDONED MINES; AND 2) ASSESSMENT OF COASTAL GEO-HAZARDS
AND GROUND WATER RESOURCES.
 This program intends to capacitate communities to their adaptation to geologic
hazards, as well as provide them critical data on groundwater resources. The program
has two (2) components, namely:

1. Geohazard Assessment

The National Geohazard Assessment Program was implemented to generate

information on susceptibility of areas to geologic hazards. The assessment is focused
on rain-induced landslides, floods, flashfloods, ground subsidence or sinking, and other
forms of slope instabilities that are not directly induced by earthquakes or volcanic
activities. A 1:50,000 scale geohazards assessment program was completed in 2010
while the detailed geohazard assessment in the 1:10,000 scale was completed in 2014.
Thus, the assessment of the 1,634 cities/municipalities of the entire country was already
completed.

Complementation activities are carried out with other national government

agencies to address other hazards that are also of critical importance in terms of
impact. For Y2015 and onwards, the Program will concentrate on the massive
campaign to disseminate the digitized geohazards map sheets (at 1:10,000 scale) to
42,029 (NSO 2014) barangays nationwide complemented with massive information and
awareness campaigns on geohazards mitigation and reduction. Hand in hand with the
intensified IEC effort, updating and re-assessment of the geohazard mapping would be
undertaken over municipalities/cities affected by recent or resurgent natural events. This
will be particularly important over regions located along the Eastern Seaboard of the
country which are traditionally prone to these events. To further optimize the usefulness
of the geohazards maps, Risk analysis and Vulnerability assessment would be
undertaken over highly critical and priority areas of the country. Starting with 35
municipalities/cities in Y2015, the program would cover 200 nationwide in 2016 to
provide the necessary technical inputs to LGUs for the updating and modification of the
Comprehensive Land Use Plans (CLUPs), project development and disaster
preparedness, management and mitigation programs. These shall integrate climate
change impact and establishment of community-based early warning systems.

The sub-surface assessment was also initiated in 2015 to determine subsidence

hazards and sinkhole in karst areas. It was done in response to the 7.2 intensity
earthquake that hit Bohol in 2013. Fifteen (15) cities/municipalities in the provinces of
Bohol, Cebu, Iloilo, Benguet and Davao del Norte have been prioritized in 2015.
Another 15 cities/municipalities is targeted annually starting 2016 and beyond.

Coastal geohazard assessment on areas which are highly and critically prone to
erosion and accretion of the country starts Y2015 with 166 coastal cities/municipalities.
Universe of 844 coastal cities/municipalities are expected to be completed by Y2019.
Inputs on these are relevant on the concerns relating to shoreline shift and relative sea
level changes due to impact of climate change.
2. Groundwater Resource Assessment

The National Groundwater Resources and Vulnerability Assessment is

conducted to determine the availability of groundwater resources and the threats to
contamination and depletion.

It covers two main aspects: the resource assessment component, and the
vulnerability component. Areas that are periodically affected by water shortages and
those whose water supplies that are under constant threat of depletion and water quality
deterioration shall be prioritized. It shall cover a regional assessment (per province for
Y2016-2019) and a local assessment (per municipality levels for Y2019 onwards). In
terms of the regional scale, the program shall generate a 1:250,000 scale hydrogeologic
and groundwater availability maps and update the existing ones. Field surveys and
mapping on the city/municipal scale shall be carried out on a 1:50,000 scale or better
depending on the needs of particular sites or areas. This will integrate climate change
impacts in some critical areas that will be identified during the assessment such as
changes in sea level which might affect groundwater resources in the coastal areas and
effect of the reduction in the recharge of the groundwater due to drought. Particular
emphasis will also be placed on characterizing the vulnerability of the groundwater
resource to human impact on the environment such as over-extraction, pollution from
industries and deterioration of viable aquifers or reservoirs due to land degradation and
surface development.

This ensures the implementation of responsible mining practices in the minerals

industry. It involves the monitoring of mining permits/contracts to determine their
compliance with the Safety and Health, Environment and Social (SHES) provisions of
the Mining Act of 1995, as well as the approved
exploration/development/construction/operating work programs. The audit of the SHES
and work program monitoring system is also a component of this strategy. To further
ensure the compliance of mining permits/contracts, the operationalization of Multipartite
Monitoring Teams is also undertaken. Illegal mining activities are addressed thru the
issuance of cease and desist orders, and the consequent filing of charges in the
Provincial/City Prosecutor’s Office. Lastly, complaints/cases/conflicts are likewise
addressed.

ENHANCED NATIONAL GREENING PROGRAM

SECRETARY CIMATU’S MAIN PRIORITY IS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF

OUR ENVIRONMENT, PARTICULARLY OUR AIR, WATER AND ADDRESS SOLID
WASTE PROBLEMS. THUS, THE DENR WILL BE IMPLEMENTING
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS.

FOR ENHANCED NATIONAL GREENING PROGRAM (E-NGP), OUR

PRIORITY ACTIVITIES ARE THE FOLLOWING: (1) REHABILITATION OF 1.2 M
HECTARES OF DENUDED FOREST LANDS BY 2022; AND 2) MAINTENANCE AND
PROTECTION OF EXISTING FORESTS.

The National Greening Program or the NGP as the DENR banner program is a
convergence initiative of DA-DAR-DENR where the DENR stands as the lead agency.
As a government priority pursuant to EO Nos. 23 and 26, both series of 2011, the NGP
aims to: 1) contribute in reducing poverty among upland and lowland poor households,
indigenous peoples, and in coastal and urban areas; 2) implement sustainable
management of natural resources through resource conservation, protection, and
productivity enhancement; 3) provide food, goods and services such as timber, fiber,
non-timber forest products, aesthetic values, air enhancement values, water regulation
values, and mitigate climate change by expanding forest cover that serve as carbon
sink; 4) promote public awareness as well as instill social and environmental
consciousness on the value of forests and watersheds; 5) enhance the formation of
positive values among the youth and other partners through shared responsibilities in
sustainable management of tree plantations and forest resources, and 6) consolidate
and harmonize all greening efforts of the government, civil society, and the private
sector.

Executive Order No. 26, series of 2011 was issued to plant 1.5 billion trees in 1.5
million hectares of lands of the public domain for a period of six (6) years from CY 2011
to CY 2028.

Executive Order No. 193 was signed on November 12, 2015, the Expanded NGP
will rehabilitate all the remaining unproductive, denuded and degraded forestlands
estimated at 7.1 million hectares from 2016 to 2028.

INTENSIFIED ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION: CLEAN AIR

SECRETARY CIMATU’S MAIN PRIORITY IS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF

OUR ENVIRONMENT, PARTICULARLY OUR AIR, WATER AND ADDRESS SOLID
WASTE PROBLEMS. THUS, THE DENR WILL BE IMPLEMENTING
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS.

FOR CLEAN AIR, OUR PRIORITY ACTIVITIES ARE THE FOLLOWING: (1)
MONITORING OF THE COMPLIANCE OF FIRMS/INDUSTRIES; (2)
OPERATIONALIZATION OF AIRSHED GOVERNING BOARDS; and (3)
CALIBRATION AND MAINTENANCE OF AIR QUALITY MONITORING STATIONS.

The program covers the full implementation of Clean Air Act. The objective of the
Clean Air Program is to come up with a comprehensive national program to achieve and
maintain air quality that meets the National Air Quality Guidelines for Criteria Pollutants
throughout the Philippines, while minimizing the possible associated negative impacts
on the country’s economy. Thus, in order to effectively monitor and regulate all sources
of air emissions, the Clean Air Program is divided into three sub programs: (1) Motor
Vehicle Emission Management Program, (2) Industrial Emission Management Program,
(3) Roadside ambient and general ambient air monitoring. This is to effectively manage
the three sources of air emission namely mobile, stationary, and area sources.

The monitoring of roadside and general ambient air quality is an essential activity
by the agency. This enables agencies and local government officers to assess the air
quality in their area of jurisdiction and formulate a comprehensive policy / regulation for
the betterment of their locality. As the monitoring stations are spread in Metro Manila
and other highly urbanized cities, this gives better representation of the air quality
nationwide. To deliver real time science based air quality monitoring data available to
everyone, the installation of Real Time Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring
Stations capable of monitoring complete criteria pollutants (SO2, NO2, O3, CO, BTX,
and PM10/2.5) and meteorological parameters are being implemented By making the
results available on the website, anybody can see the status of air quality in their
location and elsewhere. The website is also equipped with layman description relating
to the concentration of air pollutant which enables non-scientific person to appreciate
the information and apply it to their everyday lives. Partnership with host
institutions/agencies will be encouraged for the maintenance and security of the
equipment. Full operationalization of airshed nationwide and implementation of its
action plan will be undertaken.

INTENSIFIED FOREST PROTECTION AND ANTI-ILLEGAL LOGGING

PRIORITY ACTIVITIES ARE THE FOLLOWING: (1) NEUTRALIZE ILLEGAL

LOGGING HOTSPOTS; (2) FOREST FIRE PREVENTION; AND (3) CONTINUOUS
FOREST PATROLLING THRU LAWIN SYSTEM

MANILA BAY CLEAN UP PROGRAM

It aims to restore the water quality of Manila Bay in accordance with the Writ of
Continuing Mandamus of the Supreme Court. PRIORITY ACTIVITY IS THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF OPERATIONAL PLAN FOR THE MANILA BAY COASTAL
STRATEGY 2017-2022

On January 27, 2019, DENR Secretary Roy A. Cimatu officially declared the start
of the Manila Rehabilitation at the Baywalk in Manila. On hand to witness the
declaration, and also joined in the earlier event of Solidarity Walk from the Quirino
Grandstand to the staging area (Baywalk), were about 5,000 individuals, mostly
representing the 13 Mandamus agencies, local government units, and private sector.

Calling it the “Battle for Manila Bay,” Cimatu, a former Armed Forces chief, said:
“This is one battle that will be won not with force or arms, but with the firm resolve to
bring Manila Bay back to life.”
He added: “With the commitment and determination of every Filipino to do his share in
this rehabilitation effort, we have already won the battle for Manila Bay.”

IMPROVED LAND ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT

PRIORITY ACTIVITY IS THE ISSUANCE OF RESIDENTIAL AND

AGRICULTURAL FREE PATENTS

SCALING UP OF COASTAL AND MARINE ECOSYSTEM PROGRAM

PRIORITY ACTIVITIES ARE THE FOLLOWING: (1) DEVELOPMENT OF BIO-

DIVERSITY FRIENDLY ENTERPRISES; (2) MAINTENANCE AND PROTECTION OF
COASTAL AND MARINE ECOSYSTEMS; and (3) .CORAL REEF AND SEA GRASS
ASSESSMENT

ENHANCED BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION

PRIORITY ACTIVITIES ARE THE FOLLOWING: (1) ESTABLISHMENT OF

ECO-TOURISM AREAS; (2) ESTABLISHMENT OF CRITICAL HABITATS; AND (3)
ESTABLISHMENT AND DISESTABLISHMENT OF PROTECTED AREAS.

INTENSIFIED ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION: SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT

SECRETARY CIMATU’S MAIN PRIORITY IS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF

OUR ENVIRONMENT, PARTICULARLY OUR AIR, WATER AND ADDRESS SOLID
WASTE PROBLEMS. THUS, THE DENR WILL BE IMPLEMENTING
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS.

FOR SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT, OUR PRIORITY ACTIVITIES ARE THE

FOLLOWING: (1) CLOSURE OF DUMPSITES; AND (2) ESTABLISHMENT OF
MATERIAL RECOVERY FACILITIES (MRFS)

The Philippines has endeavored to improve its management of solid waste

through the passage of RA 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act that
provides for a systematic, comprehensive and ecological waste management program
to ensure the protection of public health and the environment. It mandates the bureau
to provide secretariat support to the National Solid Waste Management Commission in
the implementation of the solid waste management plans and prescribes policies to
achieve the objectives of the National Ecology Center that is in charge of information
dissemination, consultation, education and training of various local government units on
ecological waste management.

The ecological solid waste management program is expected to assist Local

Government Units in implementing RA 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management
Act particularly in the development of their 10 yr. SWM Plan, closure and rehabilitation
of dumpsites, establishment of Materials Recovery Facilities, and an environmentally
sound disposal system.

The issuance of Guidelines and provisions of technical support in the

establishment and operation of Waste To Energy facilities will enhance the sustainability
of disposal system for municipal residual wastes to all provinces and highly urbanized
areas. The significant contribution of this project is expected to enhance the economic
development of the country through formalizing the waste collection and recycling, and
promotion of job opportunities. It also helps the economy to reduce reliance on imported
oils and increased in power generation.

INTENSIFIED ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION: CLEAN WATER

SECRETARY CIMATU’S MAIN PRIORITY IS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF

OUR ENVIRONMENT, PARTICULARLY OUR AIR, WATER AND ADDRESS SOLID
WASTE PROBLEMS. THUS, THE DENR WILL BE IMPLEMENTING
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS.

FOR CLEAN WATER, OUR PRIORITY ACTIVITIES ARE THE FOLLOWING:

(1) MONITORING OF THE COMPLIANCE OF FIRMS/INDUSTRIES; (2) CONDUCT OF
CLASSIFICATION OF WATERBODIES; AND (3) DESIGNATION OF WQMAS

The program is implemented based on the established environmental laws

specifically RA 9275, the Philippine Clean Water Act (CWA) that provides for a
comprehensive strategy to address the degradation of our waterbodies. It mandates the
Bureau to formulate and implement policies and strengthen partnerships with
stakeholders to improve water quality in all parts of the country. It encourages pollution
prevention and waste minimization at source and provides for the use of economic
incentives and public disclosure to ensure compliance.

The program aims to improve water quality of Priority Rivers and other critical
water bodies including lakes and bays through continuous massive clean-up, monitoring
of industries and rehabilitation of esteros/rivers through partnership agreements such as
the Adopt-an-estero program. Water classification is a very important component of
water quality management since the application of effluent standards are dependent on
this classification. The classification of waterbodies helps water managers and planners
to develop proper water quality management programs and provide the standards to
protect aquatic life and human use of specific water bodies. Operationalization of water
quality management areas (WQMAs) will also be prioritized.

Disclosure programs such as beach watch and industrial and industrial Eco
watch will be pursued. Manila Bay, however, is still a serious concern because of its
high fecal coliform level. Hence, the Supreme Court issued a continuing mandamus to
the DENR, other concerned government agencies and LGUs to clean, rehabilitate and
restore Manila Bay and restore its water quality to Class “SB” level that is fit for
swimming, skin diving and other forms of contact recreation.

5. Aquatic Resources

Manila Bay Clean Up Program

On January 27, 2019, DENR Secretary Roy A. Cimatu officially declared the start
of the Manila Rehabilitation at the Baywalk in Manila.  On hand to witness the
declaration, and also joined in the earlier event of Solidarity Walk  from the Quirino
Grandstand to the staging area (Baywalk), were about 5,000 individuals, mostly
representing the 13 Mandamus agencies, local government units, and private sector.
MANILA BAY REHABILITATION 
 Phase 1- Cleanup/Water Quality Improvement
 Cleanup of designated esteros and waterways;
 Reduce fecal coliform level and toxic discharges from houses and
establishments by causing connection to existing STPs and requiring STPs for
gov’t, commercial, industrial, and educational establishments;
 Inspect and repair leaks in old sewer lines;
 Provide temporary sanitation facilities to informal settlers residing along esteros
and shorelines pending relocation;
 Implement solid waste management; and
 Start planning for the relocation of informal settlers
Phase 2 – Rehabilitation and Resettlement
 Rehabilitation of old sewer lines in NCR
 Relocation of informal settlers
 Ensure completion of 340 MLD of Maynilad and Manila Water by 2022
Phase 3 – Education and Sustainment
 Continuing education of citizens to protect the gains
 Sustained law enforcement and monitoring
 Fast tracking/ Earlier completion of the sewerage system in Metro Manila from
2037 to 2026
The Manila Bay Area:
 The Manila Bay area covers eight (8) provinces and 178 local government units
in three regions of the country, namely: National Capital Region (NCR), Region
 III, and Region IV-A.  Of the eight provinces, four are coastal (Bataan, Bulacan,
Cavite and Pampanga); four are non-coastal (Laguna, Nueva Ecija, Rizal and
Tarlac).
 Its drainage area covers 1,994 km2, or 199,400 hectares.
 Its coastline measures some 190 kilometers.
 There are 17 principal river systems draining to Manila Bay.

6. Health

The Department of Health (DOH) is currently implementing various public health

programs that would provide interventions on addressing the triple burden of diseases
in the country – morbidity caused by infectious diseases; mortality by non-
communicable diseases (NCDs); and emerging incidence of injuries, mental health, and
alcohol and drug abuse. These programs are: a) National Immunization Program, b)
Women, Men, and Children’s Health Development Programs, c) HIV/AIDS and STI
Prevention, Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Disease, Integrated Helminth
Control, Food and Waterborne Diseases Prevention and Control, and National Dengue
Prevention and Control Programs, d) Tuberculosis Control Program, e) Malaria Control,
Schistosomiasis Control, Leprosy Control, and Filariasis Elimination Programs, f)
Rabies Control Program, g) Lifestyle Related Diseases Prevention and Control, and
Essential NCDs Programs.

ADOLESCENT HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

The Adolescent Health and Development Program (AHDP) targets adolescents

aged 10-19 years. It is mainly guided by the Convention on the Rights of Children which
states that the program must be in the best interests of the child. Based on the
Department of Health (DOH) Administrative Order (AO) 2013-0013 or the National
Policy and Strategic Framework on Adolescent Health and Development Administrative
Order, the program primarily aims to provide adolescents access to quality healthcare
services This means increased accessibility of adolescent-friendly facilities, programs,
and health providers for the Filipino youth.

AEDES-BORNE VIRAL DISEASES PREVENTION AND CONTROL PROGRAM

The prevalence of aedes-borne viral diseases such as dengue is still a significant

problem that the country faces as it affects many Filipinos that can lead to severe
complications and even death. Aside from the dengue, other aedes-borne viral
diseases, such as zika and chikungunya, are also controlled to eradicate their
transmissions. Hence this program, aims to expand and integrate the existing program
to include the prevention and control interventions for various aedes-borne viral
diseases such as dengue, zika, and chikungunya, and other diseases with similar
vectors.

CANCER CONTROL PROGRAM

Pursuant to Rule II Section 4 of the IRR of RA No. 11215 or the National

Integrated Cancer Control Act (NICCA), the National Integrated Cancer Control
Program was established under the Cancer Control Division of the Disease Prevention
and Control Bureau (DPCB). It serves as the framework for all cancer-related activities
of the government that aims to decrease the incidence of preventable cancer, prevent
and manage its recurrence, and provide access to quality healthcare for its treatment.

CHRONIC-KIDNEY DISEASE PREVENTION AND CONTROL

Majority of the increases in total morbidity and mortality in the Philippines have
actually come from Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), specifically Chronic Kidney
Disease (CKD). If left untreated, CKD can progress to more severe complications such
as End-Stage Kidney Disease (ESKD) that now requires more immediate and regular
interventions. These interventions include renal replacement therapies ranging from
hemodialysis to renal transplant. The increasing numbers of CKDs have become an
urgent national concern due to the burden of the disease and high costs of care. Hence,
this program aims to reinforce strategies for the prevention and control of CKDs such as
lifestyle-related disease prevention, facilitation of early detection and evaluation, and
proper disease management for people with CKDs.

EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

Early childhood refers to the foundational stage of child development. It is

characterized by immense development in physical-motor, cognitive, language, and
socio-emotional realms from a mother’s pregnancy through to the age of 3 of the child.
These developmental effects last the rest of childhood, and on into adolescence and
adulthood. The Early Childhood Care Development (ECCD) system is a
comprehensive, integrated and multi-sectoral approach centered on providing children
with nurturing care. This program facilitates access to health services from pregnancy to
35 months old to promote the physical growth and development of the child. It also
includes providing responsive caregiving, opportunities for early learning, and child’s
safety and security to enhance holistic development of young children.

EMERGING AND RE-EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASE PROGRAM

The health crisis brought about by the COVID-19 has proved that there is still a
lack of preparedness and response from our country when it comes to combating large
scale epidemics and pandemics. Hence, this program aims to have an organized
system that focuses on planning, development, and management of outbreaks due to
infectious diseases that have the potential to become epidemics and pandemics.

FAMILY PLANNING PROGRAM

Maternal mortality, unplanned pregnancies, and unsafe abortions are among the
effects of poor family planning. Moreover, modern families are failing to sustain the
adequate needs of their growing number of children, which is also an outcome of poor
family planning and low use of contraception. Hence, the National Family Planning
Program aims to ensure every Filipino has a universal access to correct information,
medically safe, legal, non-abortifacient, effective, and culturally acceptable modern
family planning (FP) methods. Specifically, this program aims to to increase the modern
contraceptive prevalence rate (mCPR) to 30% from 25% in 2017.

HEALTHY AND PRODUCTIVE AGEING PROGRAM

As mandated by Republic Act 9257 (The Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2003)
and Republic Act 9994 (Expanded Senior Citizen Act of 2010), the Healthy and
Productive Ageing program focuses on promoting the health and wellness of senior
citizens and alleviating the conditions of older persons who are encountering
degenerative diseases. This program primarily aims to promote quality life among older
persons and contribute to nation building through providing equitable access to quality
healthcare.

HIV, AIDS AND STI PREVENTION AND CONTROL PROGRAM

The National HIV, AIDS and STI Prevention and Control Program (NASPCP)
envisions ZERO new infections, ZERO discrimination, and ZERO AIDS-related death.
Its mission is to improve access and utilization of preventive primary health care
services for HIV and STI while its goal is to reverse the trend of HIV epidemic by
reducing the estimated annual infections to less than 7,000 cases by 2022.

Resources:

https://www.da.gov.ph/gallery/sulong-pilipinas-2021-das-updates-on-agricultural-
programs-and-innovations-april-26-2021/

https://ncr.denr.gov.ph/index.php/priority-programs?start=5

https://doh.gov.ph/health-programs?page=7

https://oxfordbusinessgroup.com/overview/thorough-examination-substantial-reform-
has-brought-it-variety-challenges