The eight MDGs represent a unique global compact. The
MDGs benefit from international political support; as such, they reflect an
unprecedented commitment by the world's leaders to tackle the most basic forms
of injustice and inequality in our world: poverty, illiteracy and ill health.
According to Philippine Information
Agency, as the government beefs up its efforts to move closer towards hitting
the 2015 Millennium Development Goal (MDG) targets, the Department of Education
(DepEd) reaffirms its commitment to achieve universal primary education and the
Education for All (EFA) goals.
The press release said "With
the declaration of President Benigno S. Aquino III of Year 2011 as the 10th
Anniversary of the International Year of Volunteers (IYV + 10) in the
Philippines, DepEd vows to explore means to initiate appropriate programs in
keeping with the country's commitment to democratize access to quality
education as part of its EFA goals as well as the country's MDG targets by
2015. This year's celebration carries the global theme, Volunteering for the
MDGs."
"We believe that the theme
perfectly defines how EFA goal is attainable if Filipinos from all walks of
life are able to volunteer for the cause of education in the country. We keep
on saying that although DepEd is mandated to provide basic education to the
Filipino children, education is not DepEd's concern alone but everybody's
business. We are all accountable in the education of our people," said
Education Secretary Armin Luistro.
In support of the Presidential
Proclamation No. 92, the department issued DepEd Memo No. 32 series 2011 to
inform all concerned offices with the said theme as guide. Luistro added that the EFA goal,
more than a commitment, is a guiding principle to make basic education
accessible to as many learners that the Philippines can consider a solid
investment for the future.
On the other hand, "Campus
Journalism as a Catalyst for Change: Achieving the Millennium Development Goals
(MDGs) by 2015" is a challenge not only of every campus writer but also of every school paper
adviser as well as school administrator in the Philippines to have cognizance
about the MDGs. The executive consultant, school paper adviser and staff
writers of Guindaruhan National High School maintain support for MDGs in the
Philippines! According to the recent study, all eight MDGs are indeed
measurable, quantifiable and realistic. To support its claim, each of the eight
goals has a set of targets. These targets are quantified through indicators
that will be set as the benchmark for measuring each country's progress.
DepEd memorandum expresses its
journalistic stand and goes into raptures over the eight MDGs. The campus
journalists demonstrate understanding of the MDGs' importance to the masses by
expressing them through varied journalistic forms and approaches, demonstrate commitment
to support MDGs by advocating and integrating them in related school community
initiatives and enhance journalistic competence through healthy and friendly
competitions such as individual, group, as well as radio broadcasting and
scriptwriting contests.
MDGs and campus journalism go hand
in hand for the development and gradual progress to gauge the veracity of
societal needs, as far as global population is concerned. The student-writers
have responsibility and awareness about the dissemination campaign to cater to
the needs of the majority through sustention of the eight MDGs to become fully
operational without delays.
For the information of everybody,
Millennium Development Goals consist of the eight goals, and the acronym itself
MDG is a familiar buzzword. However, there is little or no awareness of this
global agenda agreed upon by 191 nations in 2000. In fact, a number of
journalists who attended the recent media forum said they had not heard of the
MDGs despite the fact that the Philippines has been an active participant in
the drafting of many protocols involving human rights.
