ACSS COMMITTEE MEMBERS STAND UNITED. The Committee Members and their representatives pose for a photo, symbolizing their unity and commitment to the ASEAN community. (Photo by ASEANstats via The13th ASEAN Community Statistical System Committee (ACSS13) | ASEANstats Official Web Portal)

The Philippines, represented by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), played an active role in the 13th Session of the ASEAN Community Statistical System Committee (ACSS13), held in Jakarta, Indonesia, from 22 to 24 November 2023. The Session brought together delegations from all 10 ASEAN Member States to discuss and advance regional statistical cooperation.

The Philippine Delegation was led by Undersecretary Claire Dennis S. Mapa, PhD, National Statistician and Civil Registrar General. The delegation also included Deputy National Statistician (DNS) Divina Gracia L. Del Prado, PhD of the Sectoral Statistics Office, Assistant National Statistician (ANS) Kristine Joy S. Briones of the Community-Based Statistics Service, Regional Director Wilma A. Perante of Region VIII-Eastern Visayas, and Executive Assistant Chrisselle R. De Mesa of the Office of the National Statistician.

The ACSS13 commenced with a Closed Session exclusively for Committee members, followed by an Open Session that included participation from international organizations and development partners. The PSA delegation actively engaged in both sessions, contributing to discussions and approving various Committee documents.

During the Open Session, DNS Del Prado, Chair of the Working Group on International Merchandise Trade Statistics (WGIMTS), presented progress on data harmonization in key fields of statistics specifically on IMTS. On the last day of the session, ANS Briones shared insights on the PSA-led Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS) of the Philippines. She underscored the potential of the CBMS to support the theme of NSOs' Strategies and Responses to the Dynamic Change of Economy in ASEAN as the Epicenter of Growth.

The members of the Committee approved the final draft of the Joint Media Statement (JMS) of the ACSS13, which summarized the key outcomes of the Session.  The JMS included key accomplishments of the Philippines such as 1) engagement with the local government units for the implementation of the CBMS; 2) conduct of consultation for the Provincial Product Accounts estimates; 3) press launch for the 2022 Census of Agriculture and Fisheries;  4) launching of the enhanced PSA  website, data archive, data enclave at the regional offices, and digital library;  5) the development of the online SDG reporting platform; and 6) the finalization of the Philippine Statistical Development Program 2023-2029.

In addition to participating in the ACSS13, the Philippine Delegation also witnessed the launching of the United Nations Regional Hub on Big Data and Data Science in Indonesia and the opening of the International Conference on Data Science and Official Statistics (ICDSOS). These events provided valuable opportunities to exchange knowledge and best practices in the field of statistics.

The PSA’s active participation in the ACSS13 demonstrates its commitment to strengthening regional statistical cooperation and promoting the production, dissemination, and utilization of high-quality statistics in support of evidence-based policy and decision-making within ASEAN.

- International Cooperation Unit, Office of the National Statistician