 The event was part of the initiatives undertaken by the Philippines as a signatory to the year 2000 Millennium Declaration, which seeks to address issues of uneven development through the achievement of its Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The Shell companies in the Philippines (SciP), represented by SciP Country Chairman Edgar Chua as Cluster Chair, champions the Health Cluster. The Millennium Development Goals (MDG) targets for health include reducing maternal-child morbidity and mortality, controlling diseases, promoting reproductive health for women, and responsible parenthood program for couples. A concrete business response to these MDG targets for health are programs on responsible parenthood, health in the workplace, and the Leaders for Health(LHP), which aims to strengthen capacities of local government and other stakeholders in implementing a comprehensive and systemic approach to health management, form the centerpiece of social investments on health. Mr. Chua stressed the need for adequate healthcare. "The challenge is to bring to the attention of all companies, not just those in the health sector, the importance of health and what each one of us can do to actually promote health - whether it is in the workplace which is the most basic thing or in communities where we do not operate business. We must work together to bring the issue of health at the forefront of the minds of the public," said Chua. In closing the forum, Chua exhorted business leaders to support the LHP program. "With LHP, if we are collectively engaged in this project, we can make a lot of difference in the communities." #
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