President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has directed concerned agencies to develop strategies to attain commitments under the Millennium Development Goals (MDG). The President issued the directive as she welcomed Dr. Jacqueline Badcock, the new United Nations Resident Coordinator and Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the Philippines. At their meeting in Malacañang’s Music Room, President Arroyo and Badcock discussed the progress of six of the eight MDG goals and the challenges facing the Philippines and many other countries with regard to universal basic education and maternal mortality rate.

As one of the signatories of the UN Millennium Declaration of 2000, the Philippines, along with other 189 states are committed to achieve MDG goals. MDGs is a set of clearly defined, measurable goals and targets to reduce poverty and ensure that the benefits of globalization reach everybody.

In an interview, Badcock said that President Arroyo is quite determined to make the attainment of the goals the top priority of her government. President Arroyo, she noted, talked about developing more health facilities and building more schools. Badcock said that these are the positive signals that the Philippine government is serious in attaining the MDG targets. The UN, according to her, works closely with the Philippine government.

MDG aims to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger; achieve universal primary education; promote gender equality and empower women, reduce child mortality, and improve maternal health; combat Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), malaria and other diseases; ensure environmental sustainability; and develop a global partnership for development.

Badcock, previously held the position of UN Resident Coordinator for Papua New Guinea.