The Foundation for a Sustainable Society Inc. (FSSI) joined the 7th General Assembly of the Zero Extreme Poverty PH 2023 (ZEP2030) movement on November 25, 2022.
The Zero Extreme Poverty Philippines 2030 (ZEP2030), of which FSSI is a member organization, is a movement and a coalition of non-government entities committed to contribute to the eradication of poverty in the Philippines by the year 2030. ZEP2030 aims to reach one million families from extreme poverty to self-sufficiency by the year 2030.
With the theme, “Innovations in Achieving Progress Towards the SDGs 2030,” the gathering served as a venue for stakeholders to renew their commitment to continue working together in the last eight (8) years of ensuring zero extreme poverty in the Philippines.
Elvin Ivan Uy , Executive Director of ZEP2030 lead convenor Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) cited that the pandemic pushed 2.3 million more Filipinos into poverty, from 17.6 million in 2018 to 19.9 million in 2021, and highlighted the need to innovate and accelerate efforts given the setbacks in poverty reduction. “Business as usual will not get us to 2030. We aim to highlight effective ways and strategies that were developed and adopted during the course of building our local convergences,” he said.
National Economic and Development Authority Policy and Planning Group Assistant Secretary Sarah Lynne S. Daway-Ducanes presented the status of the Philippines’ progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She reported that under Goal 1 “End poverty in all its forms everywhere,” 32 indicators are on track, 13 are lagging behind, and eleven are maintained. She also noted that significant challenges remain in ending poverty and that data was moderately improving but has regressed during the pandemic. She, however, reported that the Philippines is on track in decreasing poverty ratio at the USD1.9/day poverty line, although challenges remain in eliminating poverty at this threshold as well as those living at the higher USD3.2/day poverty line. The country is also on track in increasing access to basic services on basic education and water and sanitation.
In its seventh year, the coalition is now composed of 165 member organizations across the country, with six local convergences in Quezon City, Cebu, Bohol, Eastern Samar, Bukidnon, and Sarangani. In 2022, the local convergences and ZEP2030 members engaged in various projects and partnerships in nutrition, education, youth skills training, employment, and sustainable livelihood.
The recording of the assembly is available through this link.
