23 August 2024 - Pasay City, Philippines. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), represented by Undersecretary Claire Dennis S. Mapa, PhD, National Statistician and Civil Registrar General together with Community-Based Statistics Service (CBSS) Assistant National Statistician Kristine Joy S. Briones attended the Local Governance Summit 2024 at the Philippine International Convention Center – Pasay City organized by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP). The PSA reaffirmed its unwavering commitment and support to the DILG and the ULAP in advancing smart governance in the Philippines.

With the theme “LGUs sa Bagong Pilipinas: Smart. Resilient. Driven.”, the summit brought together more than 4,000 elective officials, policymakers, local functionaries, local leagues and federations, development partners, and other key stakeholders to strengthen ties between national and local governments and discuss ways to improve local-level delivery of public services.

Baguio City Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong showcased the city’s utilization of the Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS) data for Evidence-Based Planning and discussed that through the CBMS, Baguio City was able to develop an Urban Digital Twin—a digital innovation that involves conducting comprehensive audits of the existing land cover in the city and modeling it in a three-dimensional space. This technology enabled them to accurately determine building heights and monitor activities within these buildings. Furthermore, to support Baguio City’s goal of becoming a resilient city by 2026, the CBMS data was used to develop the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), a planning tool designed to identify and map socially vulnerable populations across various geographic areas and barangays. The tool ranks several variables on economics, population, housing, and exposure from highest to lowest social vulnerability to better formulate appropriate policies and interventions in each barangay.

"We're happy, because right now, napakalaki po ng nagagawa sa amin ng CBMS.” Mayor Magalong extends his gratitude to the PSA, with the help of the CBMS. “ ‘Pag pinagbayaran niyo ang pinaghirapan niyo, ibig sabihin may sustainability, maganda ang dulot noon.” He concluded his presentation by encouraging other Local Government Units (LGUs) to utilize the CBMS.

As Usec. Mapa rightly emphasized during his message of commitment in the plenary session, “This year we implemented the Census of Population and Community-Based Monitoring System or the POPCEN-CBMS; we will now be able to provide the needed information to our city and municipal governments, as they aim to create data-driven and evidence-based programs and policies.” Moreover, he highlighted that “The Community-Based Monitoring System will serve as an instrument of positive change across various sectors and will facilitate targeted programs to promote education, ensure health and safety, foster economic development, and advance social welfare initiatives.” Usec. Mapa also reiterated the PSA’s commitment to support LGUs through sharing of data on official statistics, civil registration, and national ID registration.

The involvement of the Philippine Statistics Authority at the Local Governance Summit 2024 is of significant importance as it facilitates the exchange of critical data and insights essential for local government planning and policy-making in promoting effective, data-driven, and inclusive governance across the Philippines.

-    Community-Based Statistics Service, Censuses and Technical Coordination Office