The Regional Development Council VIII – Executive Committee (RDC VIII-ExCom) approved the creation of the Special Committee on the Sustainable Development Goals (SC-SDG) under the RDC VIII during its Special Executive Committee Meeting on 29 October 2020.

The Committee was created to ensure the attainment of the SDGs in the region by monitoring its progress on the SDGs, review SDG-related programs and policies, and submit recommendations to the RDC VIII to address gaps in policies and programs needed to drive progress on SDGs.

Four (4) technical working groups (TWGs), lodged under the sectoral committees (SecComs) of the RDC VIII, support the SDGs Committee. They will oversee the progress of the SDGs at the sectoral level and propose measures to address gaps in their attainment.

Key agencies, local government units (LGUs), and civil society organizations (CSOs) compose the Committee with NEDA sitting as Chair and providing support as Secretariat.

The creation of the Special Committee comes as the country reaffirms its commitment to attain the SDGs by 2030. The inter-agency Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) approved the creation of Special Regional Sub-Committees on the SDGs during a meeting held on 11 December 2019.

Signed in 2015 by members of the United Nations, including the Philippines, the SDGs is a framework for achieving a better and more sustainable future for all by addressing global challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace, and justice.

Article by:  Knulp Aseo, NEDA VIII
Photos from: SDG website (https://www.globalgoals.org/resources)