Organized by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), as host of the 33rd National Statistics Month (NSM), the 15th National Convention on Statistics (NCS) was held at the Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria on 03 to 05 October 2022.

The 15th NCS shared the 33rd NSM theme “Boosting the Country’s Recovery with Informed Decisions, Better Policies,” which emphasizes the critical role of statistics in crafting the most appropriate decisions and policies that are needed to boost efforts for recovery.

The three-day Convention featured 67 simultaneous sessions with 173 paper presentations, two plenary sessions, and three poster presentations.  It was attended by 1,107 participants from various government agencies, local government units, private sector, media practitioners, development partners, and members of the academe.

One of the highlights of the 15th NCS is the ribbon cutting of the Statistical Information and Management Exhibit (SIMEX) which was led by PSA Undersecretary Claire Dennis S. Mapa, with Officer-in-Charge-Deputy National Statistician (OIC-DNS) Minerva Eloisa P. Esquivias, OIC-DNS Divina Gracia L. del Prado, and OIC-Assistant National Statistician Severa B. de Costo.

Coinciding with the opening of the 33rd NSM, the Convention was formally opened by PSA Undersecretary Mapa. In his welcome remarks, he emphasized that everyone has a significant role to play, particularly in the production of right data and in making informed decisions out of available relevant information, as the country’s recovery continues to accelerate.

Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), in his Inspirational Message, expressed hope that the statisticians and others in the government, private sector, and academe can collaborate and collectively identify instant significant progress and advances to mitigate the impact of the pandemic towards achieving a matatag, maginhawa at panatag na buhay.

As a staunch advocate of statistics, Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian graced the joint opening ceremonies as Keynote Speaker.  In his message, Senator Gatchalian underscored the importance of statistics in making the best decisions and policies to aid in the country’s recovery. He also expressed his unwavering support for the many undertakings of the Philippine Statistical System (PSS).

NEDA Undersecretary Rosemarie G. Edillon also joined the event as the presenter in the NCS Plenary Session 1 – Boosting the Country’s Recovery. In her presentation, she emphasized that there is a need for nuanced planning to effect economic transformation for a prosperous, inclusive, and resilient Philippines.

Winners of the 11th NSM Media Awards were also announced during the joint opening ceremonies. The NSM Media Awards system aims to recognize individuals and organizations in the media for their significant role in promoting and popularizing official statistics from the PSS through news and features.

Another highlight of the event was the announcement of the winners of the 33rd NSM Jingle Dance Contest, which was participated in by 19 groups from various parts of the country.

Meanwhile, the month-long celebration of the 33rd NSM this October 2022 continues with various interagency activities at the national and subnational levels.

On behalf of the PSS and the 33rd NSM/15th NCS Steering Committee, the PSA would like to express its gratitude to those who participated in the 15^th NCS.

- Censuses and Technical Coordination Office