17 to 19 June 2024 – ULAANBAATAR, MONGOLIA. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), represented by Undersecretary Claire Dennis S. Mapa, PhD, National Statistician and Civil Registrar General, has participated in the 3-day regional meeting co-organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the National Statistics Office of Mongolia.

The regional meeting served as a forum for more than ten countries to present and discuss the collaborative work of ESCAP and the region to strengthen and continuously improve national statistical and civil registration and vital statistics systems. The regional meeting was divided into sessions; from improving business processes for national statistical systems to reviewing key successes and emerging focus areas for the future of statistics in Asia and the Pacific. The meeting further provided a unique opportunity to discuss the agile statistical systems fit for the future that will be fully presented and further discussed during the 9th Session of ESCAP Committee on Statistics from 11 to 13 December 2024.

On the discussion of the role of National Statistical Offices in improving and integrating administrative databases, Undersecretary Mapa shared that the Philippines is committed to digital transformation, which has implications for the production and dissemination of official statistics. Digital tools like Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) significantly expedite data processing workflows, reducing processing time compared to paper-based questionnaires. The PSA also disseminates official statistics through various digital channels, enhancing accessibility for a broader audience. Moreover, digital transformation promotes data interoperability, strengthening the Philippines' data governance framework. The Philippine Statistical Development Program 2023-2029 promotes data interoperability, covering data sharing, data collection, and integration among data-producing agencies.

In the final session of the meeting, Undersecretary Mapa highlighted five key areas of focus for the PSA: (1) Generation of local-level statistics for development, including reporting of local-level Sustainable Development Goals indicators; (2) Strengthening the generation, compilation, and reporting of environmental statistics to capture the social and economic impact of the climate change; (3) Completion of the end-to-end digitalization process for Civil Registration and Vital Statistics to report “real-time” vital events; (4) Enhancement of the use of administrative and non-traditional data sources for official statistics; and (5) Initiate the review of the Philippine Statistical System.

The PSA's participation in this regional meeting underscores its commitment to collaborating with international partners to develop innovative and adaptable statistical systems. The insights gained from these discussions will be crucial in shaping the future of Philippine statistics, ensuring the production of timely, reliable, and accessible data to inform sound decision-making and policy development.
 

- Office of the National Statistician, International Cooperation Unit