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00. UNESCO - National Commission of the Philippines (UNACOM) Publications

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://repository.unesco.gov.ph/handle/123456789/93

The UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines, also referred to as UNACOM, was established in 1951 through Republic Act No. 621, amended by RA 892 in 1953 and RA 3849 in 1964 to honor the international commitment of the country to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). UNACOM is an attached agency of the Department of Foreign Affairs, working closely with the DFA - United Nations and Other International Organizations(UNIO) Office and the Philippine Permanent Delegate to UNESCO.

UNACOM’s original mandate is to serve as an advisory and liaison body bridging the work of relevant Philippine partners to UNESCO’s own work in educational, scientific and cultural matters and concerns. Over the years and in view of the ever-changing contexts of national, regional and international affairs, the role of UNACOM has expanded to meet new and increasingly complex needs and challenges.

Hence, beyond the advisory and liaison functions crafted in the 1950s, its tasks grew to include a more active role in the dissemination of public information on UNESCO’s work by the 1960s. By the 1970s, this further evolved to include a role in the formulation of policy feedback. Finally, the 1990s eventually saw UNESCO’s thrusts begin to decentralize altogether, so that national commissions became active organization partners, responsible for defining and expanding their roles in their respective countries.

Mission
To be the primary enabling agency in maximizing Philippine engagement in UNESCO and in advancing UNESCO programmes in the country.

Vision
To contribute to peace, nation-building, and sustainable development by promoting collaboration among nations or institutions through education, sciences, communication and information, and culture in pursuit of quality education, lifelong learning, heritage and biodiversity protection and conservation, and universal respect for social justice, human rights and the fundamental freedom of all peoples.

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    DOST policies and programs in information technology
    Posadas, Linda S. (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization National Commission of the Philippines, 1998)
    This chapter outlines the policies, programs, and strategic role of the Philippine Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in advancing information technology development as a key driver of national competitiveness and socioeconomic growth. It situates IT within the country’s broader science and technology planning frameworks and highlights government action as planner, catalyst, and user of information technology. The chapter discusses major initiatives in research and development, infrastructure building, human resource development, and policy coordination, including the National Information Technology Plan and the establishment of institutional networks such as PhNet. It also examines constraints to IT diffusion such as limited infrastructure, skills shortages, and regulatory gaps, and emphasizes the need for coherent, long-term strategies to maximize the developmental impact of information and communication technologies.
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    Bridging the gap between the information rich and the information poor
    Habito, Cielito (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization National Commission of the Philippines, 1998)
    This chapter examines the growing divide between the information-rich and the information-poor in the context of rapid advances in information and communication technologies (ICT). It discusses how inadequate infrastructure, limited investment, weak policy support, and regulatory constraints exacerbate information poverty in developing countries, with particular reference to the Philippine experience. Drawing on international examples, the chapter highlights key policy initiatives and strategic interventions—such as government support, infrastructure development, human resource training, and market-oriented reforms—needed to bridge the information gap and ensure that ICT contributes meaningfully to equitable development.
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    Information and communication technology: Policies and plans
    (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization National Commission of the Philippines, 1998)
    This chapter emphasizes the critical role of New Information and Communication Technologies (NICTs) in national development, specifically within the Philippines' strategy to achieve industrial status. It argues for a comprehensive communication policy framework to move beyond fragmented, sectoral approaches. The text highlights the need to balance regulation (for infrastructure and national security) with deregulation (to encourage investment and protect press freedom). Ultimately, the chapter advocates for a multisectoral approach to planning that integrates national values—such as the common good, democratization, and cultural diversity—to ensure technology serves as an integral component of social and economic progress.
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    UNESCO and an information society for all: An introduction
    (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization National Commission of the Philippines, 1998)
    This chapter explores the global transition from an industrial to an information society and outlines UNESCO’s mandate to ensure this shift benefits all of humanity. It examines how the rapid development of digital technologies offers transformative opportunities for education, scientific research, and cultural preservation, particularly for "reaching the unreached" in developing nations.
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    2022 Annual report
    (UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines (UNACOM), 2023)
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    2019 Annual report
    (UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines (UNACOM), 2020)
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    2021 Annual Report
    (UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines (UNACOM), 2022-06)
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    Momentum: 2024 UNACOM annual report
    (UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines (UNACOM), 2025)
    The Momentum: 2024 UNACOM Annual Report highlights the achievements of the UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines in 2024 across education, science, culture, and communication. Key milestones include the designation of Legazpi City as a UNESCO Learning City, recognition of the yApayaos Biosphere Reserve, new inscriptions in the Asia-Pacific Memory of the World Register, expanded heritage nominations, ocean conservation initiatives, and the Philippines’ ratification of the 2005 UNESCO Convention on Cultural Expressions.
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    Annual report 2016
    Agbisit, Joanne B. (Philippine National Commission for UNESCO (PH NatCom), 2017)
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    The culture of impunity: A political economy perspective
    Mendoza, Amado (Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication (AIJC), 2012)
    (EXTRACT) Introduction Over the past years, the murder of journalists and political activists in the Philippines has almost become routine given the huge number of victims. Parreno (2010) listed 305 incidents and 390 victims of extrajudicial killings from 2001 to 2010. He cautions, however, that the real number of extrajudicial killings in the country escapes exact determination. Of the reported total of 390 victims, 15 percent or 59, are journalists. Thus if one focuses just on journalists as victims, the Philippines reportedly earned the reputation of being the second most dangerous country in the world, after Iraq, for media persons. In 2006, the international press freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders (Reporters Sans Frontieres, RSF) ranked the Philippines at the bottom 20 of the World Press Freedom Index (WPFI) or at the 142nd place, the same rank as the Democratic Republic of Congo. The dismal rating for the Philippines is largely due to the unresolved spate of murders and harassment of journalists. Given the frequency, the alarming number of victims, and the apparent inability of government authorities not only to stop the murders, but also to resolve pending criminal cases, the notion of a “culture of impunity” was repeatedly raised.
    Disciplinary Papers The views expressed in this book are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of their affiliated institutions and publishers.