Be partners in nation building, LGUs told
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday called on municipalities to join him in his mission of building a “transformational nation.”
“Municipalities are not the last outposts of the government. Rather, they form the frontlines of government service. You are the first responders to all our people, especially those in need. Municipalities are not mere implementers of national progress because you too can initiate your own programs. Municipalities should not be treated as passive receivers of projects from the national government. You must actively incubate your own initiatives, your own projects,” Marcos said in his speech during a meeting of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines in Pasay City.
Marcos said local chief executives bear the responsibility of ensuring that the 17 United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are realized. The ambitious targets, he said, serve as the dials on the global dashboard, which ensure that nations will keep generating shared growth.
The 17 SDGs are No poverty (SDG 1); Zero hunger (SDG 2); Good health and well-being (SDG 3); Quality education (SDG 4); Gender equality (SDG 5); Clean water and sanitation (SDG 6); Affordable and clean energy (SDG 7); Decent work and economic growth (SDG 8); Industry, innovation and infrastructure (SDG 9); Reduced inequalities (SDG 10); Sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11); Responsible consumption and production (SDG 12); Climate action (SDG 13); Life below water (SDG 14); Life on land (SDG 15); Peace, justice and strong institutions (SDG 16); and Partnerships for the goals (SDG 17).
He said each local government unit (LGU) must act in accordance with its capabilities and the needs of its people.
Marcos added each LGU has a unique vantage point in localizing the SDGs.
“The SDGs can only be achieved through unified action. Only by working together, one municipality at a time, can we build a better Philippines and bring the Bagong Pilipinas that we dream of to fruition. And this is where the localization of SDGs matters. The best practice is to learn from each other while adapting to context,” he said.