NEDA National Steering Committee of the UNICEF-assisted Country Program

for Children.
A December 7, 2010 press release prepared by the National Economic and Development Authority

The Philippine government and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) are currently developing the
7th Country Programme for Children (CPC 7) that will be aligned with the Medium-Term Philippine
Development Plan (MTPDP) 2010-2016.

The CPC is an integrated program of cooperation between the Philippine government and UNICEF that
aims to improve the well-being of children in the country.

CPC National Steering Committee Chair Augusto B. Santos said that CPC 7 will focus on the priorities of
the MTPDP 2010-2016, which will be unveiled in the next few weeks.

“We shall focus on the MTPDP’s broad directions of attaining high and sustained economic growth,
equalizing access to development opportunities, and formulating effective social safety nets for vulnerable
sectors, particularly the poor,” said Santos, who is also Deputy Director-General of the National Economic
and Development Authority (NEDA).

The NEDA coordinates the formulation of the MTPDP for 2010- 2016.

Santos noted that the allocation of the 2011 budget to social services sector, such as basic education,
health and nutrition, is expected to greatly impact on Filipino children.

“The amount of expenditure that will be made next year demonstrates the Philippine government’s
commitment to increase spending on programs that are meant to reduce poverty and enhance the
provision of basic needs of poor families,” said Santos during the recently concluded UNICEF Partnership
Round Table Presentation.

During the said forum, Santos enjoined UNICEF partners in the private sector to invest in the
government’s priority areas of concern, including the attainment of the eight Millennium Development
Goals by 2015 and the CPC 7.

Santos said that the CPC has evolved from being an area-based program to one that
implements sectoral programs for child survival, development, protection and participation.

The government and UNICEF currently implement the 6th CPC or CPC 6. It was originally planned for a
five-year period from 2005 to 2009, but was extended until 2011.

Among components of CPC 6 are health and nutrition, water sanitation and hygiene, education, child
protection, HIV and AIDS prevention, communication, and social policy.

To realize this goal, CPC supports national efforts to reduce infant and under-five child mortality; improve
maternal and reduce maternal mortality; reduce infant, young child and maternal malnutrition; strengthen
capacities to promote, protect and fulfill children’s right to education and expand opportunities to ensure
they reach their full potential; provide children with the skills, knowledge and confidence to manage life’s
challenges and fully participate in the nation’s development.