The Philippine delegation, led by Undersecretary Claire Dennis S. Mapa, PhD, National Statistician and Civil Registrar General, made significant contributions to the Nineteenth Session of the UNSIAP Governing Council from 13 to 14 December 2023, shaping key decisions on the Institute's future direction. The meeting discussed the Director's report on the achievements in 2023, the proposed work plan for 2024, and the formulation of the strategic plan for 2025 to 2029.

The UNSIAP Governing Council comprises a representative designated by the Government of Japan and eight elected members from Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), chosen by the Commission, to guide the Institute's strategic direction. Its main function is to review the administration and financial status of the Institute and the implementation of its program of work by endorsing annual and long-term work plans. The Philippines, through the PSA, was re-elected last year to the Governing Council and will serve its term until 2025.

For the 2024 work plan of UNSIAP, the PSA is pushing for Leadership Training for Middle Managers in National Statistical Offices (NSOs). The PSA also recommends that the Institute provide a platform to expand the e-learning training courses for NSOs to replicate, particularly on Gender Statistics and Data Visualization. The focus is on individual and long-term training plans for the working statisticians in the Asia-Pacific region.

The delegation also contributed its expertise to the Eighteenth Management Seminar for Heads of NSOs in Asia and the Pacific from 14 to 15 December 2023. The seminar aimed to enhance leadership and management capabilities in data stewardship and governance and it involved interactive methods of discussion which mainly focused on the UN Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics (UNFPOS), the challenges encountered by countries in  implementing these principles, and how can these be applied in a devolved system of governance. The UNFPOS received this crucial recognition at the highest political level, underscoring the vital role of reliable and objective data in effective decision-making after its adoption in 2014. Usec. Mapa played a key role as one of the lead discussants in sessions on implementing the UNFPOS.

The active engagement of the Philippine delegation at UNSIAP serves as a reminder of the critical role of strong statistical systems in building a better future. As we move forward, let us all continue to invest in data capacity building, embrace data governance principles, and work together to harness the power of data for positive change.

- Office of the National Statistician-International Cooperation Unit