THE Philippines has jumped four notches in an index that measures human development across 189 economies, according to a report by the United Nations (UN).
The Human Development Report 2020, published by the UN Development Programme (UNDP), put the Philippines tied at 107th with Bolivia and Indonesia among 189 economies last year. The country’s score of 0.718 on a zero to 1 scale improved from last year’s 0.712, and its ranking went four spots higher from 111th.
However, the Philippine score was on the low end of the average score of countries listed in the high human development pillar, which the country is logged under, at 0.753.
Also, it was below the 0.747 average of economies in East Asia and the Pacific, and the 0.737 average of all the countries worldwide. The Human Development Index (HDI) measures the average achievement of economies across three dimensions, namely, a long and healthy life, knowledge, and a decent standard of living.
Among Southeast Asian nations, the Philippines and Indonesia tied, trailing the region’s leaders Singapore at 11th, Brunei Darussalam at 47th, Malaysia at 62nd and Thailand at 79th, while it stayed ahead of Vietnam, 117th; Lao PDR, 137th; Cambodia, 144th; and Myanmar, 147th.
The UNDP reported life expectancy in the Philippines in 2019 is at 71.2 years, while the expected years of schooling and mean years of schooling were at 13.1 years and 9.4 years, respectively. Further, GNI per capita was recorded at $9,778 based on 2017 figures.
For the decade the country’s average annual HDI growth was at 0.76, while from 1990 to 2019 it’s at 0.66.
UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner said world leaders have to decide on how to reduce carbon emissions on a large scale to reduce the pressure put on the environment. He said the Covid-19 pandemic may not be the last crisis to haunt the world if governments do not act fast on lessening carbon and consumption footprints.
“Humans wield more power over the planet than ever before. In the wake of Covid-19, record-breaking temperatures and spiraling inequality, it is time to use that power to redefine what we mean by progress, where our carbon and consumption footprints are no longer hidden,” Steiner said in a statement.
“As this report shows, no country has yet to achieve very high human development without putting immense strain on the planet. But we could be the first generation to right this wrong. That is the next frontier for human development,” he added.
Image credits: UNDP.ORG