Region 1 cities will accelerate lagging local Millennium Development Goals to help achieve the national targets. City mayors and their MDG focal persons recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding to implement the 'Accelerating MDG Localization Anchored on the Eight Cities of Region 1' project last March 23, 2011 in Alaminos City.
Dagupan City Mayor Benjie Lim and Urdaneta City Mayor Amadeo Gregorio Perez IV also graced the occassion.Witnessing the event were representatives from the regional offices.
During the MOU signing, LCP Secretary-General and Alaminos City Mayor Hernani Braganza said the project is an innovative undertaking as regional cities become synchronized in identifying lagging local MDGs, in implementing programs and in securing budgets that will address state of MDGs in each city. He added that LCP will encourage other cities to replicate the same.
As next steps, the cities will enact local ordinances to support MDG-based initiatives. They will also conduct several learning discussions with their stakeholders to identify priority projects for possible MDG financing to national governments and development partners.
Region 1 cities are Alaminos, Candon, Dagupan, Laoag, San Carlos, San Fernando, Urdaneta, and Vigan.
The National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) reports that the country is lagging behind the MDGs 2, which is Universal Primary Education, and the MDGs 5, Maternal Mortality Health. The MDGs are universally-agreed goals along areas of education, health, environment, among others.