MDG Congress to be Held in Philippines

this is good news...full article below from the Facebook page of the UN Millenium Campaign. Websites below:
http://www.EndPoverty2015.org
http://www.standagainstpoverty.org


MDG Congress to be Held in Philippines
by United Nations Millennium Campaign on Tuesday, October 19, 2010 at 4:41am

MANILA, Philippines, October 18, 2010—In a bid to accelerate the achievement the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) before the 2015 deadline, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the United Nations (UN) System in the Philippines will lead a gathering of high-level representatives from national government agencies to give an overview of their respective breakthrough plans.

The MDG Congress follows results of the MDG Review Summit held on September 20-22 in New York. It serves to commemorate the October 17 International Day for the Eradication of Poverty and United Nations Day on Oct. 24. The Congress will be held at the Dusit Thani Hotel, Makati City on Monday, October 18.

UN Resident Coordinator Jacqueline Badcock, Socio-Economic Planning Secretary Cayetano Paderanga Jr. and DFA Secretary Alberto Romulo will lead the opening activities.

President Benigno Aquino III is expected to deliver the keynote address and join the other heads of departments to participate in a ceremony signifying commitment to the MDGs through their integration in the country’s Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP).

The Department of Health will report its Breakthrough Plan on Reducing Child Mortality, Improving Maternal Health and Combating HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Other Diseases (MDGs 4,5 & 6); the Department of Education on Achieving Universal Primary Education (MDG 2); the Department of Social Welfare and Development on Eradicating Extreme Poverty and Hunger (MDG 1); the Department of Environment and Natural Resources on Ensuring Environmental Sustainability (MDG 7); the Philippine Commission on Women on Promoting Gender Equality and Empowering Women (MDG 3); and the Department of Budget and Management on Financing the MDGs (MDG 8).

The closing remarks will be delivered by Sec. Jesse Robredo of the Department of Interior and Local Government to give emphasis to the importance of localizing the MDGs.

The UN Millennium Campaign success stories publication, “Accelerating MDG Achievement,” also the theme of this year’s MDG Congress, will be distributed during the MDG Congress. The publication features stories on how various stakeholders are contributing to achieve the MDGs through their own programs and activities. For the first time since the September 17-19 global mobilization against poverty, Stand Up, Take Action, video will be shown during the Congress to showcase partners’ activities calling for concerted efforts to make the MDGs a reality for every Filipino in the next five years.

In the afternoon, the annual wreath-laying ceremony for United Nations Day will be held at the tomb of Carlos P. Romulo, a Filipino diplomat who served eight Philippine Presidents as a representative to the UN, at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City. This will be followed by a UN Diplomatic Reception to celebrate the founding of the UN, hosted by the Secretary of Foreign Affairs. Representatives of the UN Country Team, the Philippine diplomatic corps, accredited international organizations and other representatives from the government will attend the reception.