The inter-ministerial Social Development Committee (SDC), chaired by the secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), expressed its commitment to the UN’s Global Accelerator initiative to facilitate just transitions towards the achievement of the sustainable development goals (SDGs).
The UN’s Global Accelerator initiative fosters a job-rich economic recovery and extends social protection, to which the Philippines is joining as one of 15 pathfinder countries.
The interest from the Philippines highlights the alignment of the Global Accelerator objectives with the country’s development frameworks, particularly the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) and the Philippine Labor and Employment Plan (PLEP) for 2023-2028, said Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma.
These frameworks have been reinforced by the Trabaho Para sa Bayan (TPB) Plan whose inter-agency council shall be the national steering committee in implementing the roadmap/s under the Global Accelerator.
“These underscore as a priority the creation of employment opportunities and that is where support from the new initiative will be crucial,” he said on behalf of the SDC.
The Global Accelerator will support pathfinder countries like the Philippines to align national policies, close gaps and channel investments for social impact.
It will help address coverage and financing gaps for universal social protection, create decent work, protect communities from climate change and other risks, and facilitate just transitions initially in the construction and transport sectors.
It will also enhance multilateral cooperation for joint implementation, said Gustavo Gonzalez, the United Nations Resident Coordinator for the Philippines.
“The Philippines’ participation as one of the Pathfinder Countries in the Global Accelerator will maximize UN support to bolster the country’s efforts to ensure full, decent and productive employment for every Filipino,” Gonzales said. “This global initiative has great potential to fast-track the realization of development objectives.”