Three local government units in Negros Oriental have signed a memorandum of understanding with the La Liga Policy Institute for the implementation of a two-year project, which aims to achieve the Millenium Development Goals in the localities, a Philippine Information Agency press release said.

La Libertad Mayor Dodong Limkaichong, with Mary Magdalene Villegas representing the local government of Dauin, and Rosabelle Sanchez of Sibulan local government unit signed the memorandum with La Liga Policy Institute managing director Rolando Cabigas at the Silliman University Multimedia Center in Dumaguete City, Thursday.

The project called “Cementing Pathways to Financing the MDGs” costs €282,159, including €239,835 funding support from the European Union. He will be implemented by La Liga Policy Institute and Social Watch Philippines.

Cabigas said the project aims to improve governance towards achieving MDG targets on poverty and hunger, primary education, maternal and reproductive health and environmental sustainability in said municipalities in the province, the press release said.

“Under the MOU, we will set up a Technical Working Group wherein representatives from the three towns will come together and participate in a series of workshops we call knowledge sharing sessions,” Cabigas said.

The TWGs will be composed of local government officials and local citizens groups to lead the efforts in building capacities of local stakeholders in planning programs, and budgets for the MDGs, as well as monitoring the implementation of programs, the press release said.

By the end of the project, the partner LGUs are expected to have incorporated MDG-related programs in their development plans and mobilized resources to finance these.

Cabigas added that the project will bolster the delivery of basic social services to the 1.6 million people of the project’s target sites, especially to the marginalized sectors of fishers, farmers, women, school children and out of school youths.

The three LGUs in the province are three of the six beneficiaries of the project. The others are Alaminos City, Bani and Burgos in Pangasinan.

Limkaichong said that they will achieve all that’s been laid down under the MDGs and stressed, that his LGU will exert its utmost effort to achieve the MDG goals, the press release added.*

back to top