Philippines, UN start 7-year program
Philippine government and United Nations officials signed Wednesday the Joint Implementation Plan (JIP) that puts into operation the $370-million UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) 2012-2018.
UN Country Representative Jacqueline Badcock, who is also UN resident coordinator and UN Development Program resident representative in the Philippines, told reporters that the seven-year plan requires funding of about $370 million, as reported during the framework setting last year.
The UN has about $75 million in resources for the plan and the rest will come from such sources as partners and donors.
“Partners and donors are starting to mobilize [to fill] the gap,” Badcock said.
The JIP covers programs supporting disaster preparedness and poverty reduction efforts, among others, in Mindanao, Bicol, Cordillera Administrative Region, Central and Eastern Visayas, as well as Metro Manila, Metro Cebu and Metro Davao.
Special attention will be devoted to the Administration Region in Muslim Mindanao, which is far from meeting its Millennium Development Goals, Badcock said.
UNDAF 2012-2018 is focused on helping the country meet its millennium development goals, which touch on key issues such as maternal health and universal primary education.
