09 July 2024 – PSA HEADQUARTERS. As a way to convey its gratitude and appreciation to its friends and partners, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) organized the 2024 Philippine Statistical System (PSS) Fellowship.

The 2024 PSS Fellowship was attended by 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 event was highlighted by the presentation of the 2023 PSS Accomplishments, 2024 Major Activities of the PSA, Local Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through the Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS) and delivery of messages by PSS Fellows: 1) Former Department of Health (DOH) Undersecretary Enrique A. Tayag; 2) Senate Economic Planning Office (SEPO) Executive Director (ED) Merwin H. Salazar; 3) Former National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) Secretary General Romulo A. Virola; 4) Congressional Policy and Budget Research Department (CPBRD) ED Manuel P. Aquino; 5) Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA) ED Donald James D. Gawe; and 6) Former National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Director General Solita C. Monsod. Collectively, they emphasized the importance of statistics for development planning towards the improvement of the Philippines. They thanked the PSA for continuing the tradition of having a fellowship to celebrate the collective achievements of the PSS and that they are looking forward to more partnerships among PSS member agencies.

In his message, PSA Undersecretary Claire Dennis S. Mapa expressed gratitude to PSS members agencies for their unwavering support and commitment in making the statistical system more responsive to the needs of national development planning. He also hoped that this Fellowship will further strengthen collaboration among PSS member agencies and support for each other in making faster progress towards having a more effective statistical system.

Another highlight of the 2024 PSS Fellowship is the Fellows’ Choice Awards which were awarded for the first time this year. Former DOH Undersecretary Tayag got three awards namely: Best Dressed (Male), Mr. Congeniality, and Most Popular (Male). Meanwhile, Best Dressed (Female), Ms. Congeniality, and Most Popular (Female) were bagged by Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) ED Maria Kristine Josefina G. Balmes, PSA OIC-DNS Minerva Eloisa P. Esquivias, and Former NEDA DG Solita C. Monsod, respectively.

- Standards Service, Censuses and Technical Coordination Office