16 February 2023 – CROWNE PLAZA MANILA GALLERIA. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) organized the 2023 Philippine Statistical System (PSS) Fellowship to express its gratitude to its partners and friends.

The 2023 PSS Fellowship was attended by 145 participants from various agencies including members of the PSA Board, Interagency Committees (IACs)/Technical Committees (TCs)/Task Forces (TFs), former NEDA Directors General, former heads of major statistical agencies, past and present PSAI Presidents, partner institutions, friends from the media and the academe, other PSS fellows, and PSA officials and staff.

The highlights of the 2023 PSS Fellowship were the presentation of  the 2022 PSS Accomplishments and 2023 Major Statistical Activities of the PSA and the delivery of messages by: 1) Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian; 2) Representative Joey S. Salceda of Albay 2nd District; 3) Undersecretary Kenneth G. Ronquillo of the Department of Health;  and 4) Mr. Nicco A. de Jesus, Chairman of the Research Standard Committee of the Marketing and Opinion Research Society of the Philippines. Unanimously, they underscored the role of quality statistics as fundamental for evidence-based policy- and decision-making, and expressed hope that the PSS will continue to uphold its mission of providing timely and quality statistics necessary for nation-building.

Congressman Salceda emphasized the huge responsibility and contribution of the PSS to nation-building as well as to his entire political career which he described as being data-driven. He also mentioned that the future of nations will be determined by a culture of innovation, good governance, and statistics.

Meanwhile, Senator Gatchalian acknowledged that the PSS Fellowship is a venue which allows PSA and partners to look back to the collective progress over the years.  He also recognized the PSS’ contribution towards the improvement of the quality of lives of all Filipinos, particularly with the institutionalization of the CBMS Act, generation of updated and disaggregated data, conduct of comprehensive poverty analysis which leads to policies and interventions, among others.

PSA Undersecretary Dennis S. Mapa expressed appreciation to the PSS Fellows for ensuring the delivery of quality statistical products and services and for the unwavering support to the PSS-wide activities and various statistical activities/undertakings of the PSA. He is also thankful for their consistent and active participation in IACs/TCs/TFs, and other statistical forums which help further improve statistics and are very important platforms in resolving agency and sectoral issues and concerns raised by PSS stakeholders, as well as in identifying programs geared towards statistical development. He appealed for the PSS to continually bring quality statistics and statistical services closer to the people and to keep the collaborative partnership, cooperation, and friendship for a more relevant, effective, and responsive statistical system.

- Standards Service, Censuses and Technical Coordination Office