As the United Nations marks its 77^th founding anniversary today, it may be well for its member-countries to review and assess how well they are fulfilling the expectations of the UN Charter. In his anniversary message, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres noted that “our organization is being tested like never before” yet asserted that it was “made for moments like this.” “Our world is in peril and paralyzed. We are gridlocked in colossal global dysfunction. The United Nations charter and the ideals it represents are in jeopardy and we have a duty to act. We cannot go on like this.” As an organization born out of the crucible and conflict following World War II, its resiliency and adaptability is perennially under challenge. And the challenges now are much more formidable and daunting  than ever before with the raging war in Ukraine and burning conflicts in a dozen other areas, threat of global recession, climate change, and hunger in many parts of the world. Amid these challenges, the UN could only be as strong as each member-nation’s capacity to tackle problems, surmount obstacles and move to higher ground. The Philippines recently overcame a major hurdle with the formal ratification --- by popular vote in a plebiscite --- of the organic law that created the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao. That came after the short-lived insurgency and siege of Marawi City that was decisively ended by the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Tackling the perennial problem of poverty and inequality has been another major national concern. Raising millions of Filipinos from the depths of poverty is a priority endeavor arising from the country’s commitment to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The government has institutionalized the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, popularly known as 4Ps, including the systematic conveyance of regular cash allocations to beneficiary families. Such efforts have been set back partially, on account of the severe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on marginalized and disadvantaged families. Stemming the tide of global warming and climate change is another key concern. And this is where the UN is asserting its leadership. As an archipelagic country and owing to its location, the Philippines is highly vulnerable to these twin impacts. Ironically, too, the country bears the brunt of destructive typhoons and floods even while its contribution to greenhouse gas emissions that trigger global warming is minuscule. In 1945, representatives of 50 countries met in San Francisco at the United Nations Conference on International Organization to draw up the United Nations Charter. The United Nations officially came into existence on 24 October 1945, when the Charter had been ratified by a majority of signatories.