WHERE ARE WE NOW?
The Current and Emerging Landscape for Sustainable Development
chieving sustainable development is a formidable
task. Hence, the journey towards sustainable development must
be grounded on a clear understanding of the challenges, trends
and opportunities that lie ahead.
Demographic Trends.
The
Philippines ranks as the 9th most populous country in Asia and
1 4th in the world. The country's population growth, if unabated,
will double to 128 million by 2025. Rapid population growth and
imbalances in spatial distribution will continue if policy decision-making
at all levels of governance does not recognize the relationships
among population, resources, environment and development. The
crucial role of the Filipino family in the dynamics of these relationships
should also be considered.
Cultural Trends.
The inherent strengths of the Filipino culture (e.g. openness, freedom of expression,
resilience, strong family orientation ) continue to reinforce
social cohesion within the Philippine society. These values are
also embodied in the growing tradition of local activism. However,
it has been observed that some erosion of Filipino cultural values
has taken place as manifested by, among others, the commodification
of indigenous culture, sexual tourism, consumerism and increasing
materialism.
Science and Technology Trends.
There have been many positive
developments in this area. These include the improved level of
contributions of highly skilled Filipino scientists and the growing
recognition of the value of indigenous science and technology
and holistic science. on the other hand, the sector has its share
of problems, such as: the a brain drain" phenomenon; unfair
monopoly of intellectual property rights; increasing use of technology
as a simplistic response to complex problems; poor quality of
science education due to inadequate funding and facilities; among others.
Economic Trends.
Positive economic growth rates (as measured
by GDP) have benefited certain sectors of Philippine society but
do not reflect social decline and inequity nor the deterioration
of the environment associated with economic growth. Despite continued
economic growth, challenges remain, which include, among others:
high level of public indebtedness; low level of savings; large
deficits; remaining distortions in the price and incentive system;
rampant casualization of labor; and indiscriminate land and ecosystem conversion.
Urbanization Trends.
Difficulties in the implementation
of agrarian and urban land reform and rural development programs
have contributed to unplanned and uncontrolled urbanization. Philippine
cities have deteriorated as human habitats, beset with intractable
and often interrelated problems like pollution, water shortage,
flooding, violence and other social ills.
Human Development Trends.
Existing measures of human development
indicate some improvement over time. However, these improvements
are uneven across geographical, income, gender and ethnic groups.
The development of human potential is being affected by continuing
challenges such as: rampant substance abuse, break-up of families,
economic exploitations and homelessness as evidenced by the growing
number of street children.
Environmental Trends.
Even with accelerating economic growth,
environmental quality is- fast deteriorating as dramatized by
the increased incidence of environmental disasters, problems associated
with mine tailings, deforestation, pollution, salt water intrusion
and a host of other destructive activities. The regenerative capacities
of fragmented areas in the biogeographic zones that nurture flora,
fauna and natural resources are severely threatened. While advances
have been made in the area of biodiversity conservation alongside
the growing awareness of the role of indigenous peoples in maintaining
the integrity of ecosystems, the Environmental Impact Assessment
system continues to be plagued with various enforcement and compliance
problems.
Institutional Trends.
The Philippines has strong institutional
building blocks for sustainable development, including a strong
civil society, socially and environmentally- conscious business
groups, community empowerment initiatives, devaluation and decentralization.
However, these are plagued by ineffective mechanisms for enforcement
and implementation, information inadequacies and continuing systemic graft and corruption.
Political Trends.
The current wave of globalization is
increasingly posing some threat to the country's national sovereignty.
Domestically, the rich continue to dominate political processes
as evidenced by deep-seated iniquitous structures and processes.
The challenge continues for meaningful electoral reforms. Meanwhile,
the Local Government Code has reinforced the role of LGUs in development
administration. Civil society, as a countervailing force, has been engaging government at all levels.
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