NSCB Resolution No. 8
Series of 1990

ROLE OF THE PHILIPPINE STATISTICAL SYSTEM AND THE ATTACHED STATISTICAL AGENCIES IN THE AUTONOMOUS REGION OF MUSLIM MINDANAO

WHEREAS, Executive Order 121 defines the Philippine Statistical System (PSS) to include all departments, bureaus, offices, agencies and instrumentalities of the national and local government and all government-owned or controlled corporations and their subsidiaries that are engaged in statistical activities either as their primary functions or as part of their administrative and regulatory functions;

WHEREAS, the definition of PSS cuts across all regional jurisdictions insofar as determining the overall picture of the country;

WHEREAS, R.A. 6734 created the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) which covers the provinces of Sulu, Tawi-tawi, Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur;

WHEREAS, Section 4 of Article XIX of RA 6734 provides that “Other National Government offices and agencies in the Autonomous Region which are not excluded under paragraph 9, Section 2, Article V of this Organic Act, together with their personnel, equipment, properties and budgets, shall be placed under the control and supervision of the Regional Government pursuant to a schedule prescribed by the Oversight Committee mentioned in Section 3, Article XIX of this Organic Act;”

WHEREAS, some policy issues were raised on the implication of RA 6734 to the PSS;

WHEREAS, the National Statistical Coordination Board is the highest policy making and coordinating body on statistical matters and has the mandate of promoting and maintaining an efficient statistical system;

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED AS IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED, that: 1) the Board adopt and endorse the attached position paper to the Oversight Committee; 2) the national government agencies which are members of the Board should provide the statistical requirements of the ARG subject to the availability of resources; 3) as soon as resources are available, all statistical reports should consider the existence of the ARMM as one of the country’s administrative regions; 4) the NSCB Technical Staff in collaboration with NSO is tasked to coordinate with the Oversight Committee and the Autonomous Regional Government to oversee smooth implementation of the Board’s policies and decisions.

Approved this 27th day of November 1990.

POSITION PAPER OF THE NATIONAL STATISTICAL COORDINATION BOARD ON THE ROLE OF THE PHILIPPINE STATISTICAL SYSTEM (PSS) AND THE STATISTICAL AGENCIES COMPRISING THE PSS IN THE NEWLY CREATED AUTONOMOUS REGION IN MUSLIM MINDANAO

The Philippine Statistical System (PSS), as defined by Executive Order 121 dated January 30, 1989, basically consists of a policy-making and coordinating body, a statistical research and training center, a general purpose statistical agency, and all departments, bureaus, offices, agencies and instrumentalities of the national and local government and all government owned and controlled corporations and their subsidiaries that are engaged in statistical activities either as their primary functions or as part of their administrative and regulatory functions.

By virtue of the same Executive Order, the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) is designated as the policy-making body on statistical matters and over-all coordinator of the PSS. As such, the NSCB has to promote and maintain an efficient statistical system to ensure the accuracy, relevance and timeliness of government statistics. In the pursuit of this mandate, and with the enactment of RA 6734 creating an Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and providing for a transitory provision to transfer national government offices as specified in Sections 4 and 5 of EO 425 within the four (4) provinces of ARMM, the National Statistical Coordination Board submits its stand on the following specific issues:

1. On the Generation of General Purpose Statistics

Statistics serves as vital input of the national government in planning, budgeting, monitoring and control. The reliability, credibility and comparability of data have significant bearing on the decisions taken by the government. Insofar as determining the overall picture of the country, its economy and social being of the population, there has to be one official source and one standard set of methodologies and concepts in the production of statistical data. Along this line, the NSCB posits that the generation of statistics such as population count and other demographic characteristics, labor, education, health, agriculture, and other general purpose data which are being used at the national level should be retained by the national agencies.

2. Creation of an NSO-Regional Office in the ARMM

To be more effective and relevant, the PSS should also provide for the statistical needs of the newly created ARMM. In this connection, it is recommended that an NSO Regional Office should be created. The NSO provincial complement in the ARMM areas should therefore be retained under NSO.

3. Generating Vital Statistics Out of Civil Registration

The NSCB recognizes the distinct customs and traditions of the Muslims in matters of births, deaths and marriages. However, the NSCB recommends that the function of generating vital statistics out of civil registration which is necessary in the projection of population data during intercensal years, must still be carried out by the NSO. To ensure consistency in generating national figures for vital statistics, the existing standard form for registration should also be the basis of the form to be used by the Local Registrars in the ARMM. The NSO through the Office of the Civil Registrar General will provide technical assistance in establishing the system.

4. Statistical Operations of Regional Offices already transferred to ARG

Since the PSS cuts across all regional jurisdictions of the country, the statistical operations of regional line agencies that have been absorbed by the ARMM including the local government units under it are still covered by the NSCB. Moreover, to ensure accuracy and consistency of data, it is necessary that the National Statistical Coordination Board will continue to exercise its functions of coordinating and reviewing the statistical activities that may be undertaken by the ARG.