Country Profiles

Philippine Council for Sustainable Development

Contact

Name: Mercedita Sombilla

Position: Director

Phone: +632-631-3745, 6310945-56 

Address:   Philippine Council for Sustainable Development 

3/F, NEDA sa Pasig Building,

12 Escriva Drive 1605 Ortigas Center,

Pasig City, Philippines

Website: http://pcsd.neda.gov.ph/index.asp

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Mission Statement

The Council shall focus on issues that deal with the interplay of social, economic, and environmental concerns rather than solely sectoral matters that are already performed by the existing departments and agencies of the government. In particular, the Council is mandated to do the following: 

  • To review and ensure the implementation of the commitments made by the Philippines in the light of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) and its follow-up process;
  • To act as the coordinating mechanism witht he UNCSD and the governning Bodies or Secretaries of other multilateral conventions, through the Department of Foreign Affairs (DOF);
  • To establish guidelines and mechanisms that will ensure that the Sustainable Development principles embodies in the Rio Declaration and Agenda 21 are integrated in the formulation of national, regional, and local development policies, plans, and programmes;
  • To formulate policies and recommend new actions to appropriate bodies on sustainable development issues focusing on the environment dimensions of social and economic interventions in the social and economic dimensions of environmental interventions;
  • To review and monitor plans, policies, programme and legislation on sustainable development to promote efficiency and timeliness of their execution and ensure consistency and coordination among the Legislative and Executive branches of government, local government units, civil society, business, labour and other concerned entities/sectors, and existing multi-stakeholder governance mechanisms;
  • Provide policy advice to appropriate bodies on Environment and sustainable development issues of national interest;
  • To call on any and all government agencies, resource persons as necessary in the performance of its roles and functions;
  • To catalyze the formation and institutionalisation of LCSDs in close coordination with local authorities;
  • To establish a networking mechanism to link the Council with local and international organisations involved in the sustainable development;
  • To create, reorganise or abolish committees of the Council, ad-hoc or permanent, and to define their structure, functions and limitations;
  • To submit its annual work programme with actionable and time-bounded targets and regularly report to the President the status of implementation and achievement of specific targets thereof; and
  • To perform such acts which are necessary to carry out its mandated functions and responsibilities.

Composition and Membership

Head of the Council: Sheila Marie M. Encabo.

A multi-stakeholder body composed of representatives from various government and non-government departments, groups, and organisations (e.g., civil society, labor group, and business sector) geared toward promoting SD. Council representation should not be lower than a rank of Director or its equivalent in NGOs to facilitate decision-making and solicit concrete commitments during Council meetings. Participation of wider government and non-government representatives is allowed in Council meetings, depending on the agenda/issues. 

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)-Agriculture Staff is the secretariat.

The Civil Society Counterpart Council for Sustainable Development (CSCCSD) 

The CSCCSD is a body of representatives from civil society, acting as a major partner of the PCSD to coordinate civil society participation/engagement in Council business/es. The CSCCSD Secretariat liaise with the government Secretariat (NEDA-Agriculture Staff) on PCSD related endeavours.

 

Role and Functions

    • advising on government policy or making policy recommendations, including NSDS;
    • scrutinising government policy; and
    • stakeholder engagement.

 

Resources

The Philippines' Rio+20 Report (November 2011)