In September 2015, the United Nations Member States adopted a new global plan of action entitled, “Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”  The 2030 Agenda, its 17 Goals and 169 targets are a universal set of goals and targets that aim to stimulate people-centered and planet-sensitive change. 

The 193 member states of the United Nations (UN) gathered to affirm commitments towards ending all forms of poverty, fighting inequalities and increasing country’s productive capacity, increasing social inclusion and curbing climate change and protecting the environment while ensuring that no one is left behind over the next fifteen years. 

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and targets are integrated and indivisible, global in nature and universally applicable, and take into account different national realities, capacities and levels of development and respecting national policies and priorities.  Each government are expected to take ownership and establish national frameworks, set nationally-owned targets guided by the global level of ambition but taking into account country-level circumstances for the achievement of the 17 goals.  Countries will also decide how these aspirational and global targets should be incorporated in national planning processes, policies and strategies.  

In monitoring the SDGs and its corresponding targets, the UN Statistical Commission established an Inter-Agency and Expert Group on SDG Indicators (IAEG-SDG), which developed the SDG global indicator framework consisting of 232 unique indicators. 

In line with the Philippines' commitment in achieving the SDGs, the PSA Board issued PSA Resolution No. 04 Series of 2016, Enjoining Government Agencies to Provide Data Support to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  In this Resolution, all concerned government agencies are enjoined to provide the necessary data support to monitor the country's performance vis-à-vis the SDGs based on the indicator framework that shall be determined by NEDA, PSA and other government agencies.  Further, the Resolution designated the PSA as the official repository of SDG indicators in the Philippines.