#FlipTheScript at the first-ever SDG Summit in the Philippines
Connecting global to local action, hundreds of Filipinos convene in Pasig city to #FlipTheScript on the SDGs
The Philippines has shown its strong cooperation commitment towards the 2030 Agenda, working with the global SDG community to reduce inequalities, fight climate change, and promote sustainable societies. However, while substantive progress has been made, far more needs to be done to achieve the Goals and leave no one behind.
On 22–23 November 2022, the Government of the Philippines’ National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) SDG Secretariat hosted the first-ever SDG Summit to launch the 2022 Voluntary National Review of the Philippines and forge collaboration in a bid to #FlipTheScript and further expedite the Philippines’ achievement of the SDGs.
Held in one of the selected cities from the SDG Local Tales, Pasig City, the SDG Summit featured plenary sessions and interactive discussions on a wide array of SDG topics from financing to data and statistics, led by key government agencies working on the SDGs as well as a variety of stakeholders from the private sector, civil society, academia, and vulnerable groups. Members of the Stakeholder’s Chamber, the Philippine government’s institutionalised multi-stakeholder platform, had the opportunity to showcase their innovative approaches to SDG implementation.
The Summit also featured a #FlipTheScript hub, where participants from across the Philippines joined an activation led by the UN SDG Action Campaign, to #FlipTheScript and show their commitment to take action for the SDGs. Participants included UNDP Resident Representative Dr. Selva Ramachandran, NEDA Undersecretary Rosemarie Edillon, Convenor of the SDG Lab with the city of Manila Dr. Francisco Magno, and NEDA Supervising Economic Development Specialist, Sub-Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, Stephen Tan, who was part of team that organised the SDG Summit.
Stephen Tan shared how he was inspired by the 2018 edition of the UN SDG Action Campaign’s SDG Global Festival of Action, where he participated as a speaker for the CSO Partnership for Development Effectiveness.
“The final frontier for the global 2030 Agenda is making the SDGs meaningful on a local level. In order to turn this into reality, the Philippines needed to switch gears and flip the script. The SDG Summit of the Philippines, in the spirit of the Festival, outgrew jargon and, for the first time, socialised and made the SDGs fun, digestible, and most of all, accessible.” — Stephen Tan
With the success of the first-ever Summit, which garnered over 300 participants, the organisers hope to expand its reach further and build more opportunities to drive action for the SDGs across the Philippines.
The views and/or opinions expressed at the SDG Summit are those of the speakers and do not reflect in any way the Philippine government’s thoughts and ideas.
