The overriding goal of social development is to improve the quality of life of all Filipinos. In pursuit of the MDGs, the social sector shall seek to reduce poverty and inequality, universalize elementary education and health care, achieve gender equality, ensure environmental sustainability, and foster a global partnership for development.
Universal Health Care shall be directed towards ensuring the achievement of better health outcomes, fair health financing and responsive health system that provide all Filipinos, especially the disadvantaged groups, with equitable access to quality health care.
The goals of education, training and cultural development are to: (a) make every Filipino functionally literate both through the schools and non-school learning modalities; (b) achieve a higher level of productivity, international competitiveness, industry relevance and social responsiveness in the development of both middle-level skills and the high-level professions; and (c) develop, promote and inculcate a strong sense of nationalism by utilizing the media, arts and sports in strengthening ownership of cultural heritage and tradition.
Housing and urban development envisions to provide families not just with the infrastructure of a house, but the framework of a home; to build not just a neighborhood, but a real harmonious community. The theme "Gaganda ang buhay kung may bahay at hanapbuhay" emphasizes the need for security of tenure and livelihood opportunities in human settlements. The promotion of local shelter development and strengthening of public-private partnerships (PPPs) are expected to help achieve sustainable communities, urban competitiveness, housing affordability, effective governance and poverty reduction. Moreover, the housing sector aims to achieve the MDG of significantly improving the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers worldwide by 2020. With the formulation of the National Slum Upgrading Strategy, a systematic focusing of programs and coordination of efforts is expected to be realized.
The goal of social protection is to empower and protect the poor, vulnerable and disadvantaged individuals, families and communities from individual life cycle, economic, environmental and social risks.
Finally, the goal of asset reform is to recognize, protect and empower ICCs/ IPs' rights and welfare, as well as to improve and guarantee the security of land tenure of ARBs.