DEVINFO: Monitoring Tool for the Millennium Development Goals

The Philippines, being a signatory to the Millennium Declaration signed by 189 countries during the Millennium Summit held in September 2000, is committed to work for the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and targets by 2015. Thus, the MDGs, which is consisted of 8 goals, 18 targets and 48 indicators, are reflected and/or considered in the Medium Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP), 2004-2010.

In October 2004, the UN system in the Philippines officially adopted the DevInfo System as a database tool to monitor the country’s attainment of the MDGs. DevInfo, a standardized but user-friendly software, was patterned after UNICEF’s ChildInfo software. It allows the archiving of data on various indicators and presents users with analytical and presentation tools.

DevInfo Modules

DevInfo is made up of separate modules. DevInfo User is for people who constantly need data for their development work. The DevInfo Template and Data Entry modules are for database administrators who control the encoding of data. The DevInfo Customize module allows users to re-design the interface of the software. Hence, a Local Government Unit may adopt DevInfo and make it look like its own homegrown software.

The UNICEF is offering the DevInfo software to interested government agencies, LGUs, and other institutions for free. In coordination with NEDA Regional Offices, the UNICEF offers free technical assistance in setting up the DevInfo system.

DevInfo Adoption/Operationalization in Region XII

In Region XII, the Regional Development Council (RDC) XII, in support of the mainstreaming of MDGs in development planning and programming in the region, passed RDC XII Resolution No. 23, series of 2004, “A Resolution Adopting the Devinfo as a Monitoring Tool for Attaining the Millennium Declaration Commitments in Region XII and Requesting the UNICEF for Support in its Operationalization” during its 9th Regular Meeting in December 2004.

At present, the Regional ChildInfo/DevInfo Database, which is being managed/maintained by NEDA Regional Office XII, contains at least 120 indicators with data series from 2000 to 2004. The said system has been utilized in the preparation of the annual Regional State of the Children Reports (RSCRs, 2003 & 2004) which were presented by the RDC XII Chair during RDC XII meetings.
In June 2005, a series of workshops for DevInfo trainers and users from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao were held. Organized by the UNICEF and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), these workshops equipped participants with the skills to conduct DevInfo training sessions in their respective localities.
 

-top-

What are the Millennium Development Goals?

        www.un.org/millenniumgoals

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is a set of time-bound and measurable goals and targets for combating poverty, hunger, diseases, illiteracy, environmental degradation and discrimination against women which were adopted by 189 UN member states including the Philippines during the Millennium Summit in September 2000. It is consist of 8 goals, 18 target and 48 indicators and covers the period, 1990 - 2015.

 

The Eight Goals

 1 - Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
 2 - Achieve universal primary education
 3 - Promote gender equality
 4 - Reduce child mortality
 5 - Improve maternal health
 6 - Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria & other diseases
 7 - Ensure environmental sustainability
 8 - Develop a global partnership for development

Preparation of Progress Reports on MDGs

National level

At the national level, in order to present the assessment results on the nation’s progress on MDGs, the Philippine Progress Reports on MDGs have been prepared annually starting in 2003, through close collaboration among the Social Development Committee (SDC) of the National Economic and Development Authority Board, the Multisectoral Committee on International Human Development Commitments (MCIHDC), and the United Nations Country Team.

The First Philippine Progress Report on MDGs was launched in January 2003 while the Second Country Report was launched in June 2005.


Region XII’s Initiatives in the Formulation of Regional Progress Report on MDGs

Status Report on MDG Attainment in Region XII

In view of Region XII’s commitment to monitor its progress towards the attainment of the MDGs, the Regional Statistical Coordination Committee (RSCC) XII initiated the preparation of a status report on MDG achievement in Region XII in 2004. However, it was only an assessment of the status of various MDG indicators using available data at the National Statistical Coordination Board XII.

The said report (a Powerpoint presentation) was presented during the opening ceremonies of the National Statistics Month celebration in Region XII in 2004, as well as, during the workshop on MDGs and the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) goals and their linkages as benchmarks for regional and local partners in Region XII held on 23-24 September 2004 in Koronadal City.

Training on MDG Data Analysis and Writeshop for the Formulation of the Regional Progress Report on MDGs

Aside from the status report on MDG attainment in Region XII prepared by RSCC XII, it was felt that a more comprehensive and popular type of a report was necessary. It was also recognized that there is a need to involve program partners from various regional line agencies and enhance their capacities on data analysis and technical/popular report preparation. Hence, the conduct of a Training on MDG Data Analysis and Technical/Popular Report Preparation on June 14-15, 2005 in Cotabato City.

The activity was supported by UNICEF and was participated in by about 25 representatives and/or MDG focal persons from various line agencies of the government and sectoral divisions of NEDA XII. Ms. Dinna Louise Dayao, a UNICEF Consultant, served as the main resource person for the said training.

In order to have benchmark data in the preparation of the regional progress report on MDGs, the NSCB XII presented an updated Assessment of MDG Data Availability and Region XII Progress Report on MDG Attainment.

One of the outputs of the said workshop was the draft sections of the Regional Progress Report on MDGs. An Action Plan to guide the completion of the report was also formulated during the training and was provided to all concerned agencies, for their reference and guidance.

Per agreement during the training, the progress is hoped to be finished before the year ends.
 

Regional Statistical Coordination Committee (RSCC) XII to lead in the Formulation of the Regional Progress Report on MDGs

The RSCC XII is mandated by RDC XII through RDC XII Resoltion No.l to spearhead in the preparation of the Regional Progress Report on MDGs