Eastern visayas: The Department of Economy, Planning and Development (DEPDev) in Eastern Visayas is calling for immediate, data-driven action to accelerate progress on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) five years before its final year in 2030. Geselle Frances Zeta, chief economic development specialist of DEPDev regional office here, underscored the need to step up action to attain goals with only five years left before the deadline.

According to Philippines News Agency, Zeta noted a decline in the progress in five out of 17 goals under SDGs: Goals 5 (Gender Equality), 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), 10 (Reduced Inequalities), 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and 13 (Climate Action). She cited the Eastern Visayas Regional Development Plan 2023-2028 midterm update and the SDG regional stakeholders' chamber as key mechanisms for sharpening strategies and strengthening partnerships.

'We call on stakeholders to bring forward real, workable solutions that will keep our region on track toward the SDGs,' Zeta said in a press briefing on Wednesday. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) regional office earlier emphasized the use of the Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS) to monitor the region's progress in achieving the SDGs.

The CBMS is an ideal tool to determine which among the SDGs the region has achieved so far, it said. Signed in 2015 by members of the United Nations (UN), including the Philippines, the SDGs are a universal set of goals, targets, and indicators that member states are expected to use to guide national agendas and policies over the next 15 years.

The SDGs consist of 17 goals, 169 targets, and 232 unique indicators that serve as a framework for achieving a better and more sustainable future by addressing global challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace, and justice.