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I. ON ESCAP AGENDA ITEMS
This report presents the developments
in the Philippines on several statistical concerns
included in the Provisional Agenda for the Tenth
Session of the ESCAP Committee on Statistics
as follows:
(1) Agenda No. 7 - Issues
relating to development of statistics, including
those in support of the themes of the Commission:
- Gender Statistics
- Efforts undertaken to improve the availability
of statistics on and sensitivity to gender
issues in the national statistical system
to include among others, the publications
of user friendly national booklet on the situation
of women and men; updating of the hand book
every 2 years etc.
- Poverty estimation
- Poverty estimates were updated using the
new methodology based on the latest 1993 Family
Income and Expenditure Survey.
- Science and Technology
(S and T) - A more detailed classification
of S and T statistics is provided for in the
new 1994 Philippine Standard Industrial Classification.
- Environment Statistics
- Two current projects being undertaken by
NSCB are discussed: (1) Framework for the
Development of Environment Statistics and
(a) Environment and National Resources Accounting
Project.
(2) Agenda No. 10 - Issues
relating to information technology applications.
Significant developments have taken place in
the Philippine Statistical System (PSS) in terms
of computerization. LAN, EBBS and E-mail are
now common among the statistical agencies as
means for data dissemination. Data sharing and
IT sustainability however, needs to be further
improved.
II. MAJOR INNOVATIONS
IN THE PSS
Despite limitations in the
resources of the PSS as a result of the Attrition
Law and streamlining of employees, the government's
statistical service still managed to undertake
new activities and improvements in the systems,
making use of domestic resources supplemented
by funds from international organizations. These
major innovations are classified into five (5)
areas as follows: (a) generation of new data
sets, frameworks and systems; (b) statistical
research; (c) statistical coordination; (d)
data dissemination, (e) others.
A. Generation of
a New Data Sets, Frameworks and systems -
In the area of data generation,
major improvements have been done in terms of
adequacy, reliability and timeliness and the
development of data systems. These include the
following: (1) Conduct of the 1995 Mid-Decade
Census of Population, (2) Development of the
New Master Sample for household surveys in the
Philippines, (3) Development of the National
Health Accounts; (4) Construction of the Philippine
Social Accounting Matrix, (5) Generation of
Seasonally adjusted Philippine time series of
quarterly GNP and GDP, monetary aggregates and
palay production and prices; (6) Development
of the Leading Indicator System; (7) Development
of the Foreign Investments Information System;
(8) Establishment of Small and Medium Enterprises
Data Banks; (9) Establishment of a National
Crime Information System, (10) Institutionalization
of the generation of Human Development Index;
(11) Minimum Basic Needs Approach Monitoring
System; and (12) 1994 Inventory of Ports.
B.
Statistical Researches- In implementing
desired improvements in the PSS, several researches
were undertaken that deals with the study of
processes in producing statistical information.
Among others, these include the following: (1)
Development of Geographic Price Indices; (2)
Development of sampling design for intercensal
surveys on agriculture and fisheries; (3) Development
of an integrated program for establishment inquiries;
(4) Study on an alternative scheme of measuring
agricultural development level; and (5) Case
study of an alternative electoral system.
C.
Statistical Coordination- The need to
establish closer linkages between data producers
and the users to rationalize the conduct of
statistical activities continue to be a main
concern of the PSS. Along this line, the following
developments have emerged: (1) Designation of
the most important data sets of statistics;
(2) Nationwide celebration of the National Statistics
Month; (3) Conduct of the Philippine Statistics
Quiz and Career Motivation Program; and (3)
Re-entry Plan for Local Statistical Trainees.
D. Data Dissemination- Wider dissemination
and utilization of data generated by the PSS
contributes well to the recognition and importance
of the system to the data-using public and policy-makers.
Efforts to enhance this were undertaken to include:
(1) Establishment of National Statistical Information
Center; (2) Production of the Quarterly Regional
Economic Situationer; (3) Regional Publications
of the NSCB such as the: Regional Social and
Economic Trends, Region in Figures, etc.
E.
Others- Conduct of the 1996 Survey on
Statistical Practices of Asia Pacific Countries.
REPORT ON THE FOLLOWING
AGENDA ITEMS OF THE ESCAP TENTH SESSION OF THE
COMMITTEE ON STATISTICS:
1. Issues relating to the
development of statistics, including those in
support of the themes of the Commission:
- Gender statistics
- Poverty estimation
- Science and technology
indicators
- Environment statistics
2. Issues relating to information
technology applications and information resources
management
REPORT ON MAJOR INNOVATIONS
IN THE PHILIPPINE STATISTICAL SYSTEM ALONG THE
FOLLOWING AREAS:
- Generation/Improvement
of new data sets, frameworks and systems
- Statistical researches
- Statistical coordination
- Data dissemination
REPORT ON ESCAP AGENDA
ITEMS
INTRODUCTION
This report presents
the developments in the Philippines on several
statistical concerns included in the Provisional
Agenda for the Tenth Session of the ESCAP Committee
on Statistics to be held on 25-29 November 1996
in Bangkok, Thailand. The agenda items are as
follows:
Agenda No. Topic
7 Issues relating to the development
of statistics, including those in support of
the themes of the Commission
- gender statistics
- Poverty estimation
- Science and technology
- Environment statistics
10 Issues relating to information
technology applications and information resource
management and review of public sector computerization
activities in the region
AGENDA ITEM 7:
ISSUES RELATING TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF STATISTICS,
INCLUDING THOSE IN SUPPORT OF THE THEMES OF
THE COMMISSION
GENDER STATISTICS:
GENDER RESPONSIVE DATA
BASE SYSTEM
Under the Philippine
Development Plan for Women (PDPW), various programs
were implemented aimed at the development of
a gender-responsive database system. Efforts
were made to obtain sex-disaggregated data to
support planning and target-setting activities
for the improvement of the status of women and
men.
The data system is an analytical
framework that adequately addresses the specific
needs of women. The framework was based on the
goals and targets of the Philippine Plan for
Gender Responsive Development (PPGD) 1996-2025
and the Beijing Platform of Action. A list of
sectoral indicator was prioritized, an assessment
of available data including unprocessed /raw
data was conducted. A user manual entitled "National
Gender-Disaggregated Indicator System" was developed.
These activities have strengthened the networking
of the women/gender data users with the major
data producers.
At the subnational levels,
work is directed at influencing the Regional
Statistical Coordinating Committees (RSCCs)
to come up with plans to develop gender-responsive
statistical and indicator systems. Initially,
activities were focused on ensuring that data
generated by the various agencies would have
the desired sex-disaggregation particularly
in sectors where gender issues are evident.
Alongside these developments,
the National Statistical Coordination Board
(NSCB), in collaboration with the government
machinery for women, other statistical agencies
as well as the non governmental organizations
(NGOs) active in women concerns, has embarked
on a two-year project with assistance from the
United Nations Economic and Social Commission
for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP). The Project,
"Improving Statistics on Gender Issues"
which was implemented in six (6) countries
in the ESCAP region seeks to improve the availability
of statistics on gender issues in selected ESCAP
developing countries.
Efforts undertaken to improve
the availability of statistics on and sensitivity
to gender issues in the national statistical
system are the following: (1) Publication of
a user-friendly national booklet on the situation
of women and men in the Philippines in English
and National language versions; (2) A National
Plan of Action was formulated to address the
weaknesses and deficiencies of gender-responsive
data base system; (3) Initiated efforts to institutionalize
gender-responsive data base system in the major
statistical agencies; (4) Updating of Statistical
Handbook on Women and Men in the Philippines
every two (2) years; (5) Monitoring the implementation
of NSCB Resolution No. 8-94 "Enjoining Different
Agencies to Promote Gender Concerns in the Generation
of Statistics; and (6) Participation in the
development of a gender based statistical information
system in Region VIII.
The development of gender
-responsive data system is a long process. Gender
statistics cannot be produced and improved in
isolation. The work that should be integrated
into the Philippine Statistical System (PSS)
requires continued cooperation between users
and producers of gender statistics.
POVERTY ESTIMATION: UPDATED
POVERTY MEASURES
Official poverty measures
are released by the NSCB through the Technical
Working Group on Income Statistics (formerly
TWG on Poverty Determination). Said TWG is composed
of representatives from the NSCB, National Economic
and Development Authority, National Statistics
Office, Bureau of Agricultural Statistics, Food
and Nutrition Research Institute and the Bureau
of Labor and Employment Statistics. In 1987,
the 1985 poverty measures were released based
on the preliminary results of the Family Income
and Expenditures Survey (FIES) of the NSO. This
was the first time the government adopted an
official poverty line, despite earlier studies
made.
The methodology adopted attempted
to measure poverty by determining the individual's/household's
ability to meet its basic food and non-food
requirements. These requirements, when valued,
are estimated as the subsistence and poverty
lines/thresholds. Families are then classified
by comparing their per capita incomes with the
estimated poverty threshold to determine poverty
incidence.
In 1992, new sets of poverty
measures based on the revised methodology were
released for the years 1985, 1988 and 1991.
The major features of the new methodology include
a revision in the estimation of total basic
expenditures. Total basic expenditures, under
the new methodology, does not include expenditures
for alcoholic beverages, tobacco, recreation,
durable furniture and equipment, miscellaneous
and other expenditures. Moreover, the raising
factor used in deriving the poverty threshold
from the estimated food threshold is derived
from the consumption pattern of families from
the upper and lower percentile of the food threshold,
instead of those families of size six (6) which
was adopted in the old methodology.
Under the system of
designated statistics, poverty measures are
to be generated at the national and regional
levels, with urban/rural disaggregation, at
least every three years. The latest poverty
estimates available in the country is based
on the 1993 FIES.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(S & T)
A More Detailed
Classification of S and T Statistics
In the 1994 Philippine
Standard Industrial Classification (PSIC), research
and experimental development activities which
were previously included under different industry
groups in the 1977 PSIC have been consolidated
into one division. Thus, all these activities,
except research associated with teaching (classified
under education services) and market research
(classifies under Miscellaneous business activities),
now fall under Division 73 (Research and Development).
In order to satisfy the need
for a more detailed statistics on science and
technology (S and T), research and development
was further subclassified into different fields
of study at the four digit level, e.g. research
and experimental development in natural sciences.
Due to its growing importance, research and
development in information technology is now
highlighted and provided with separate three-digit
code.
ENVIRONMENT STATISTICS
Framework for the
Development of Environment Statistics
With the current thrust on
environmental concerns, the dearth of environment
statistics becomes more evident. Presently,
several agencies collect subsets of environment-related
data as part of their mandates. A conceptual
framework is necessary in order to have a more
systematic compilation and organization of environment
statistics as well as for the development of
appropriate methodology for data collection.
To address this concern, the
Asian Development Bank (ADB) has initiated efforts
towards helping developing member countries
develop and collect environment statistics on
a continuing basis. A project, with the NSCB
as the implementing agency, was undertaken with
the primary objective of developing a Philippine
Framework for the Development of Environment
Statistics. Frameworks for the various components
are now being prepared.
Environment and
Natural Resources Accounting Project
The Philippines is in
the process of developing and institutionalizing
environment and natural resource (ENR) accounting
at the National Statistical Coordination Board
(NSCB) The NSCB has been piloting the operationalization
of the UN System of Integrated Environment and
Economic Accounting (SEEA) since 1994, starting
with the Asset Accounts for the resources-fishery,
forest and mineral resources. At present, alongside
the improvement of the above Asset Accounts,
the NSCB is building up the rest of the accounts:
asset accounts for land/soil and water resources;
the supply-use accounts showing the integration
of the use of the environment by starting with
the Assets Accounts for the three resources-fishery,
forest and mineral resources; and the disaggregation
of environment protection costs. This will soon
be followed by the compilation of a pilot regional
and provincial Philippine SEEA.
The initial study made use
of available data which were mostly administrative
and research data since the regular censuses
and surveys has yet to cover this new concern.
The administrative data was processed and validated
to conform to the requirements of the PSEEA.
ENR accounting, needs multidisciplinary knowledge
on among others national accounts, resource
economics, marine biology economics, and statistics
Hence, the pilot study was undertaken as an
inter-agency activity. As recommended, the PSEEA
was developed as a satellite account to maintain
intact the conventional accounts. Another related
activity on environment is being undertaken
by the Philippines through the Environmental
and Natural Resource Accounting Project (ENRAP)
which is funded by the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) and ESCAP. The project addresses
the need for information for integrated socio-economic
and environmental development planning.
AGENDA ITEM
10: Issues relating to information technology
applications and information resource management
and review of public sector computerization
activities in the region
Information
Technology (IT) applications, information resource
management and review of the public sector computerization
activities
The President's support
on the accelerated use of IT in the government
is reflected in various Executive Orders on
the Philippine IT Plan, highlighted by the declaration
of 1996 as the Philippine IT Year. Another Presidential
initiative is the Office of the President Management
Information Network Project or TOPWEB. This
project aims to electronically link the government
creating an "instant information everywhere"
environment of the bureaucracy.
In the Philippine Statistical
System, significant developments have taken
place in terms of computerization. Local Area
Network, Electronic Bulletin Board Systems and
E-Mail are now common among the statistical
agencies as means for data dissemination. Data
processing has been decentralized due to the
provision of more computers in the regional
and provincial offices of the NSO and BAS. The
respondents on the establishment surveys of
NSO are now submitting their accomplished questionnaires
in diskettes or via E-Mail. Data presentations
and publications have also been enhanced thru
the use of new softwares and hardware/facilities.
In the process of monitoring
the statistical system, the NSCB has observed
that there are computer systems being developed
but which could not yet deliver the needed output
because of the lack or inadequacy in the system
of generating the input. Some agencies also
overlook the issues of cost effectiveness and
sustainability of the technology whether the
information system is capable of providing the
information at the least cost and time and in
the most accurate way or is the institution
ready to maintain the system given its existing
resources. With the limited resources of the
government and the fast changing technology,
another issue to tackle is to what extent should
facilities be declared obsolete and therefore
need to be replaced. In the Philippine Statistical
System, one reason why data sharing and dissemination
is not yet efficient is that each agency has
a system which primarily caters to its own needs.
REPORT ON MAJOR INNOVATIONS IN THE PHILIPPINE
STATISTICAL SYSTEM
MAJOR INNOVATIONS
IN THE PHILIPPINE STATISTICAL SYSTEM
For the past several years,
the implementation of the Attrition Law which
prohibits hiring of new employees and the streamlining
of the bureaucracy which reduces the number
of positions in the government has had adverse
impact on the delivery of government services,
including statistical services. Working under
this administrative climate, the Philippine
Statistical System (PSS) still managed to undertake
new activities and improvements in the System,
making use of domestic resources, supplemented
with funds from international donors. The major
innovations undertaken for the past years are
classified into: generation of new data sets,
frameworks and systems; statistical research;
coordination; and data dissemination.
A. GENERATION/IMPROVEMENT
OF NEW DATA SETS, FRAMEWORKS & SYSTEMS
A.1 Mid-Decade Census
of Population
In line with the administration's
policy of decentralizing national powers to
local government units, the need for the conduct
of a mid-decade population census has become
imperative. Whereas population projections can
provide relatively reliable population parameters
at higher levels of geographic disaggregation,
the same cannot be said for small areas since
these are much more affected by migration trends.
Moreover, the 1991 Local Government Code set
population census count as a benchmark for Internal
Revenue Allocation and for creation of local
government units. The NSCB Executive Board approved
the conduct of a mid-decade population census
through NSCB Resolution No. 6-93.
The Mid-Decade Census of Population
was designed to take an inventory of all residents,
both Filipinos and foreigners, in the Philippines,
as of September 1, 1995. It covered the household
population and institutional population, including
the overseas Filipino workers. The following
characteristics were gathered: relation to household
head, sex, age, civil, disability, ethnicity,
educational attainment, trade skills, and economic
activity. Results of the Mid-decade census which
shows a national population and the population
counts by region, province, city, municipality
and barangay were declared official by the President
through Proclamation No. 849 dated August 14,
1996.
A.2 Development
of the New Master Sample for Household Surveys
in the Philippines
Over the years, household
surveys in the Philippines have expanded in
scope and coverage. These surveys adopted the
sampling design of the Labor Force Survey (LFS).
The sample households or a subset of the sample
for the LFS has been used in twelve other household
surveys conducted regularly by the NSO. A major
step toward the improvement of household surveys
in the Philippines is the development of a master
sample.
The development of the master
sample has been envisioned to meet the demand
for an expanded scope and coverage of household
surveys, to address the need for more reliable
estimates at more detailed levels of data disaggregation,
and to maximize the use of limited resources
that are available for the conduct of surveys.
Considering the availability
of the results of the 1995 Census of Population
as sampling frame, budgetary constraints, timing
for the adoption of a new sample, and other
problems and issues that require more in-depth
evaluation and analysis, the development of
a master sample has been planned to be conducted
in two phases. The first phase involved the
development of sampling frame and selection
of sample barangays/EAs and sample households
from the sample barangays/EAs. The second phase
will involve the formation of primary sampling
units (PSUs) with a prescribed minimum measure
of size, segmentation of PSUs, selection of
sample segments, and selection of sample households
from the sample segments, and updating of maps
of the sample barangays.
A.3 National Health
Accounts
The development of the
National Health Accounts (NHA) is part of the
government's broader initiative to enhance research-based
policy-making. The objectives of the NHA are
to: (a) estimate the national health care expenditures
and sources of financing; (2) help assess the
efficiency and equity impacts of current and
prospective resource allocation in the health
sector; and (3) assist in the institutionalization
of the development and maintenance of data systems
in support of objectives (1) and (2).
The NHA matrix shows the total
health care expenditures and sources of financing
in a given year for the country as a whole.
This information forms part of a larger set
of information about the health sector needed
for policy analysis. These include information
on health outcomes, health care utilization,
health facilities and human resources, and investment
in health-related activities such as water and
sanitation.
Since the NHA is a satellite
account of the System of National Accounts that
measures national consumption and expenditure
for a subset of goods and services, the Philippine
System of National Accounts was considered in
the conceptualization and estimation of said
accounts. In line with the NSCB's mandate to
develop, prescribe and maintain appropriate
frameworks for the improvement of statistical
coordination; the institutionalization of said
accounts was proposed to be lodged at the NSCB.
To facilitate the institutionalization process,
an inter-agency committee for the purpose was
created under NSCB Resolution No. 8, Series
of 1995 as an interim arrangement prior to institutionalization.
Identified problems in the
construction of the accounts include timeliness
and level of disaggregation of requisite data.
Also new data sources have to be explored in
the construction of the accounts.
A.4 Philippine Social
Accounting Matrix
The Social Accounting
Matrix (SAM) is a matrix presentation of the
System of National Accounts in which the linkages
between the traditional input-output tables
and the institutional accounts are elaborated.
It was developed primarily to provide a set
of accounts that do not center mainly on the
basic industrial structure and commodity balances.
The SAM integrates existing economic accounts
in the country such as the National Accounts,
the Input-Output Accounts, the Balance of Payments,
and the Flow of Funds Accounts. It therefore
provides a comprehensive and detailed quantified
description of the main macro-economic links
and financial interrelationships within the
country and serves as a useful tool for formulating
alternative developments policies.
The latest SAM for the country
is for 1990, updating the 1974 and 1979 SAMs.
The 1990 SAM is based on the 1993 System of
National Accounts adapted to local needs. It
consists of 155 rows and columns which are grouped
into the following accounts, namely: Wants Account,
Goods and Services Account; Production Account;
Generation of Income Account; Allocation of
Primary Income Account; Secondary Distribution
of Income Account; Use of Income Account; Capital
Account; Financial Account; Rest of the World
Current Discount and Rest of the World Capital
Account.
In mid-1996, the NSCB Executive
Board approved Resolution No. 6, designating
the construction of the SAM every five (5) years.
A. 5 Seasonally Adjusted
Philippine Time Series
The PSS, in its continuing
efforts to aid planners and analysts in tracking
short-term developments in the economy, has
been releasing seasonally adjusted data on some
important variables being monitored in the country,
such as the: (a) quarterly gross national product
(GNP) and the gross domestic product (GDP);
(b) monetary aggregates (M1, M2, M3); (c) palay
production and prices. Another statistical series
that has been recently included in the study
is the consumer price index (CPI).
The generation and release
of seasonally adjusted Philippine Time Series
started in 1994 as a result of a technical assistance
program from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
Under the guidance of foreign and local time
series experts, technical staff members of the
National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB),
the National Statistics Office (NSO), the Bureau
of Labor and Employment Statistics (BLES), the
Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) of the
Department of Agriculture, the Bangko Sentral
ng Pilipinas (BSP), and the National Economic
and Development Authority (NEDA) trained and
studied various techniques of seasonal adjustment.
Through the ADB, the NSCB acquired the XII ARIMA
software for seasonal adjustment developed by
statistics Canada as a modification of the XII-Method
II Variant of the US Bureau of Census.
An Inter-agency Technical
Committee on the Seasonal Adjustment of Philippine
Time Series (TCSAPTS) was created to provide
technical supervision, direction and expert
advice on the generation and release of seasonally
adjusted series. The technical staffs from the
different agencies were drawn in as members
of the Technical Working Group (TWG) under the
Technical Committee in order to facilitate the
deseasonalization of the various time series.
In the same year, NSCB Resolution No. 6 was
issued by the NSCB Executive Board, designating
the generation of the following deseasonalized
series: rice production and prices by the BAS;
national accounts by the NSCB; and money supply
by the BSP. Two years later, another resolution
(NSCB Resolution No. 9) was issued designating
the release of deseasonalized Consumer Price
Index (CPI) five (5) days after release of the
regular CPI.
A. 6 Leading Indicators
System The leading indicators
system aims to provide, on a regular basis,
short-term forecasts on the direction and level
of economic activity. A project was initiated
in 1992, wherein seven indicators, namely :
money supply, imports, building permits, stock
price index, number of new business incorporation,
inventory of consumer durable raw materials,
and electric energy consumption, were found
to be leading.
In 1995, the initial output
/activity was expanded to include other indicators.
The 1995 study yielded thirteen (13) leading
indicators. Using the identified leading indicators,
three composite leading indices were constructed,
i.e., composite leading index with one quarter
lead, composite leading index with two quarters
lead, and composite leading index with 4 to
5 quarters lead.
A consultative meeting was
held to inform concerned data producers on the
significance of their data in the institutionalization
of the leading indicators system. With the updating
of the indicators, release of composite indices
for public dissemination is scheduled in January
1997.
A.7 Foreign Investments
Information System
The Foreign Investments Information
System (FIIS) project which was initiated in
1990 to provide consistent and updated data
on foreign direct investments in the country
has come up with a system of compiling foreign
direct investments data based on financial statements
of relevant firms. The project was funded by
the United States Assistance for International
Development (USAID), with the U.S. Bureau of
the Census providing technical assistance. Cooperating
agencies in the undertaking were the Securities
and Exchange Commission (SEC), Bangko Sentral
ng Pilipinas (BSP), Board of Investments (BOI),
Bureau of Trade Regulation and Consumer Protection
(BTRCP), with the National Statistical Coordination
Board (NSCB) as the lead agency.
The project conducted a baseline
survey of firms with foreign direct investments,
with 1991-1992 as reference period. Survey results
were supplemented with data processed from financial
statements submitted to the SEC. The current
FIIS database contains data from 508 corporations
with 10% or more foreign equity. Of the 508
firms, 354 belong to the top 5000 corporations
in the country (as of 1992). Together with the
1992 baseline data, a preliminary 1994 Register
of firms with foreign direct investments from
the country's 1994 top 5000 corporations was
prepared. The database is currently being updated
to 1995.
Recently, an Inter-Agency
Committee on Foreign Direct Investments Statistics
(IACFDIS) was created to provide direction and
institutionalize measures in the maintenance
of the FIIS. Through the IAC the FIIS database
will be updated regularly and data on foreign
direct investments will be generated on a regular
basis. Coverage of the FIIS will also be expanded
to cover the top 10,000 corporations and to
include other relevant data, sourced from investments
promotion agencies.
A.8 Establishment of Small
and Medium Enterprises DataBanks
Small and medium enterprises
(SMEs) comprise the majority of the country's
total number of enterprises, and are considered
agents of economic development and growth. With
the need to further enhance the SME's capability
through the provision of sustained government's
institutional, funding and policy support, the
establishment of databanks on SME's to provide
relevant information needed for policy/program
formulation implementation, monitoring and evaluation
was found imperative.
In July 1995, Memorandum Order
No. 294 was issued by the President mandating
the establishment of databanks on SME's nationwide,
both in the national and provincial levels,
by the National Statistical Coordination Board,
through the National Statistics Office. The
Order provides, among others, that the databanks
be made "accessible to both the public and private
sectors, including policy-making government
bodies, LGUs, academic and research institutions,
business entities and NGOs".
In this regard, the NSCB subsequently
prepared the necessary guidelines for the smooth
implementation of the Order, through NSCB Resolution
No. 3 - 96. As of June 1996, the NSO has developed
and installed a 1994 Directory of SME in Regions
1 and 11. The directory contains the following
information: name and address of establishment,
kind of economic activity, legal organization,
year of start in operation and employment category.
For purposes of the Memorandum Order, employment
size is used to classify establishments accordingly.
Establishments with less than 100 workers are
considered small, while those with 100 but less
than 200 are considered medium.
To ensure the relevance and
wide use of the databanks, consultative meetings
are held by the NSO, with participants from
the national government agencies, local government
units, academe and the private sector.
Databanks in all regions are
scheduled to be in operation by July 1997.
A. 9 Establishment of
A National Crime Information System (NCIS)
Proper law enforcement,
improved public safety and effective administration
of justice require comprehensive, adequate and
timely information on crimes, criminals and
the operations of the criminal justice system
(CJS) . Thus, Executive Order No. 386 was signed
by then President Corazon C. Aquino for the
"Establishment of a National Crime Information
System (NCIS), Providing Mechanisms Therefore
and for Other Similar Purposes". It aims to
develop an integrated computer-based system
involving the cooperation of the five (5) pillars
of the criminal justice system, namely: law
enforcement, prosecution, courts, connections
and community. It is also targetted to foster
closer coordination and cooperation in criminal
justice management.
Now on Phase I called
the Metro Manila Network (which has spanned
since 1995 up to 1997), the system is focused
on establishing linkages among the national
offices of major agencies of the CJS such as
the Philippine National Police (PNP), National
Bureau of Investigation, National Police Commission,
the offices of the Department of Justice (National
Prosecution Service, Board of Pardons and Parole,
and Parole and Probation Administration), the
Supreme Court and the Bureau of Jail Management
and Penology. For the PNP, the network shall
extend to the police stations in the National
Capital Region. This networking includes the
following components: (1) Planning and Framework
Development, (2) Implementation of the Systems
Plan (Hardware Configuration, database conversion
and site preparation), and (3) Organization
and Development of NCIS Manpower.
Phase II (Nationwide Expansion)
will cover implementation on a nationwide scale.
It is envisioned that the system will extend
to the municipal level and be expanded horizontally
to include all other agencies in the criminal
justice system.
Each of the pillar will have
its own data capture forms which will be the
source document for crime data.
A.10 Human Development
Index (HDI)
The National Statistical Coordination
Board (NSCB) will now take the responsibility
of producing the human development index (HDI)
for the country. The HDI used to be generated
by the Human Development Network (HDN), a non
government organization (NGO), and the United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP). In accordance
with the instruction of President Fidel V. Ramos,
the HDI will be part of the designated statistics
to be released by the government on a regular
basis. The human development index combines
indicators of national income, life expectancy,
and educational attainment to give a composite
measure of human progress. It is a composite
index of achievements in basic human capabilities
in three fundamental dimensions - a long and
healthy life, knowledge and decent standard
of living.
An action plan for the generation
of the HDI and related measures to incorporate
the children dimensions has been prepared by
the NSCB Technical Staff and presented to the
NSCB Executive Board. The NSCB Technical staff
is working closely with the HDN to facilitate
the transfer of the activity to the NSCB. The
United Nation's Children Fund (UNICEF) is currently
collaborating with the NSCB Technical Staff
on this pioneering initiative to measure and
report the performance of the economy alongside
progress in human and child development.
A.11 The Minimum Basic
Needs (MBN) Approach
The Minimum Basic Needs (MBN)
approach is a strategy of prioritizing primary
requirements for survival, security from physical
harm, and enabling needs of the individual/family/community
over other needs. It is also a way of using
basic needs as focal point for situation analysis,
planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation
(SAPIME).
The MBNs are the primary needs
of the individuals/family. These include: (1)
survival needs which ensure life sustenance
like health, food and nutrition, potable water,
sanitary toilet facilities and clothing; (2)
security through sufficient income and productive
employment, adequate shelter, and protection
of the individual/family against crime and physical
harm, and other disasters; and (3) enabling
activities like basic education and literacy,
community participation and psychosocial/family
care needs.
The MBN approach is being
implemented by the Department of Social Welfare
and Development (DSWD), and other organizations,
including NGOs in the priority provinces.
A.12 1994 Inventory
of Ports The NSCB Task Force on Inventory
of Ports completed the 1994 Inventory of Ports
in the country. This Inventory can serve as
a vital input in formulating development programs
to enhance not only the trade sector but also
the transport sector. Information on the regional
pattern of production and consumption of commodities
between ports provides a basis for programming
the transport network and regional industrial
development programs of the government. The
Inventory was made in collaboration with agencies
concerned with port planning, regulation and
operations, i.e., Philippine Ports Authority
(PPA), Philippine Fisheries Development Authority
(PFDA), Project Monitoring Office-Ports Project
of the Department of Public Works and Highways
(PMO-PP/DPWH), and the National Statistics Office
(NSO).
Covered in the Inventory are
ports catering to water-borne commerce. Ports
are listed by region and by province, with each
port classified according to general purpose:
commercial, fishing or feeder. A total of 1,312
ports are listed, with 717 commercial ports,
427 fishing ports, and 168 feeder ports.
B. STATISTICAL RESEARCHES
B.1 Development of Geographic
Price Indices
The study dealt on the generation
of the Geographic Consumer Price Index (CPI)
as a tool for measuring price changes over a
period of time and area of a fixed basket of
goods and services commonly consumed by the
population. The National Capital Region (NCR)
and 1985 were taken as the base region and year,
respectively. The market basket and the commodity
weights were extracted from the 1985 Family
Income and Expenditures Survey of the National
Statistics Office. Four methods were followed
from Laspeyres and Paasche formulae, with further
derivations of the indexes as expressed in price
relatives and expenditure weights, The resulting
indexes could be interpreted as differences
between the current prices in the region with
NCR base year prices or with NCR current prices,
for the quantity of commodities consumed in
1985 for NCR or for the region. Generation of
the indices using the four methods was applied
on the May 1990 price data. A system operations
manual was provided to guide in the production
of the GPI series following the suggested methods.
B.2 Development
of Sampling Design for Intercensal Surveys on
Agriculture and Fisheries
The project was aimed at developing
a methodology for utilizing the results of the
Census of Agriculture and Fisheries (CAF) conducted
by the National Statistics Office for generating
sampling frames for agricultural surveys mostly
undertaken by the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics.
Outputs of the study for the pilot provinces
of Bukidnon and Marinduque can be used for other
provinces. A demonstration of the user-friendly
software revealed that samples can be generated
for one province in less than 15 minutes. The
sampler menu comprised specifications for the
number of sampling stages, type of sampling
unit, number and method of partitioning of sampling
unit, partitioning parameter, value ranges for
each partition, method if drawing sample, method
of ordering parameter, sampling rate, and medium
for printing output. An interesting highlight
of the exercise was that on partitioning the
barangays into clusters of operators whose aggregate
holding was about 100 hectares, which could
be a promising option for reducing cost of field
operations. A problem encountered, however,
was the poor quality of barangay maps and difficulties
in consolidating the various Enumeration Area
Maps into one whole barangay map.
B.3 Development of an
Integrated Program for Establishment Inquiries
An integrated program of establishment
inquiries was initiated to address major issues
and problems resulting from the National Statistics
Office undertakings on the Census of Establishments
(CE), Annual Survey of Establishments (ASF),
Quarterly Survey of Establishments (QSE) and
Monthly Survey of Establishments (MSE). The
study was limited to the manufacturing and trade
sectors. The construction and system of updating
of the sampling frame was presented to cover
only duly licensed establishments and/or enterprises.
Making the enterprise also as a statistical
unit, there was a proposed Census of Enterprises
and Establishments (CEE), where its linkage
with the ASE would be firmly established. Improvements
on the ASE sampling design were introduced for
appropriate industry coverage and selection
criteria. Modules of the QSE and MSE were developed
to estimate distribution patterns rather than
levels for generation of indices for monitoring
the country's economic performance. A Special
Industry Survey (SIS) was also designed to provide
statistics on costs and returns for particular
industrial concerns.
B. 4 A Study on an Alternative
Scheme of Measuring Agricultural Development
Level
The study addressed the problem
on absence of quantitative indicators for categorizing
barangays as sampling units, with the end in
view of improving agricultural survey designs.
The initial list of indicators included 18 variables
pertaining to agriculture particularly on the
farm household, land area utilization, cropping
pattern, livestock and poultry, support facilities
and related institutional support, as well as
24 variables dealing on education, public utility,
media, livelihood projects, marketing, and sports
and recreation facilities. Multivariate data
analysis techniques were used, and results revealed
that average farm size was the most significant
variable in determining barangay agricultural
development level. This funding strengthened
the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics' practice
of using farm area as stratification variable
or criterion for grouping or designing a sample
survey. On the overall, the statistical model
and indicator system could be used for classifying
barangays as to level of agricultural development.
B.5 Case Study of an Alternative
Electoral System
The present electoral
system of the Philippines declares a winning
candidate based on total population votes. It
would be interesting to find out the results
of an electoral system as followed by other
countries, where the winning candidate was determined
from the total number of election district votes.
Using the Commission on Election records for
the 1992 elections in Quezon City (as pilot
area), the winning candidates for representatives,
mayor and vice-mayor based on the present system
were consistent with those when the "one-barangay-one-vote"
scheme was followed. It was only for the third
district representative wherein another candidate
got total barangay votes quite close to that
of the winning candidate. However, for councilors,
the set of winning candidates for the first
and third districts using the "one-barangay-one-vote"
scheme was different. Because of the heterogeneity
of the voting population, economic characteristics
had no apparent effect on the electability of
candidates. In cognizance of the simplicity
of reporting election results from the "one-barangay-one-vote"
scheme, this case study could serve as groundwork
for affirming the present or proposing an alternative
electoral system.
C. STATISTICAL COORDINATION
C.1 Designated Statistics
Under Executive Order No.
121, one of the powers and functions of the
National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB)
is to "designated statistics that should
be collected, compiled, processed and disseminated
by agencies in accordance with the statistical
calendar approved by the NSCB." This system
is implemented to accomplish the following objectives:
(a) to set priorities in statistical data production;
(b) to minimize duplication of statistical activities;
(c) to ensure the regularity and timeliness
of priority statistics; (d) to fill important
data gaps in the various sectors; and (e) to
gain better cooperation from the private sector
and the public in responding to statistical
inquiries.
On the basis of said mandate,
the NSCB evaluated existing statistical series
following established criteria : essential in
the formulation, implementation and monitoring
of major government policies and programs, especially
those embodied in the Philippine Development
Plan; provide information to resolve emerging
policy issues of public interest; produce widely
recognized key socio-economic data series; and
address legislative requirements such as in
the implementation of the Local Government Code.
An initial list of designated
statistics/activities was recommended, identifying
the responsible agency, the geographic disaggregation,
frequency of data collection, and schedule of
data release. Based on the NSCB endorsement,
the President issued Executive Order 352 (EO
352) in 1996 approving the System and the initial
list of Designated Statistics. For smooth implementation
of the Order, the NSCB is currently preparing
the Implementing Rules and Regulation (IRR)
to the EO.
C.2 Nationwide
Celebration of the National Statistics Month
The National Statistics Month
(NSM) was first observed in 1990 pursuant to
Presidential Proclamation No. 647 signed by
then President Corazon C. Aquino on September
20, 1990, Declaring the Month of October
of Every Year as the National Statistics Month.
The move accords the needed recognition
of the importance of statistics in development
and makes a statement of support for the promotion,
enhancement, and instilling of nationwide awareness
and appreciation of the value of statistics
in the different sectors of Philippine society.
It also calls for the participation and cooperation
of the general public in improving and enhancing
the quality and standard of statistics in the
country.
Since the initial celebration
of the NSM in 1990, the event now in its seventh
year has progressively become a showcase of
unity and cooperation among the members of the
Philippine Statistical System (PSS) and a forum
for tackling issues and developments affecting
the system. The celebration of the NSM has likewise
been made relevant to current thrusts and priorities
by highlighting a thematic focus in the activities
undertaken each year. The themes adopted in
1995 and 1996 were on environment and education
statistics respectively. The programs and activities
for the celebration are drawn up by the different
government departments, agencies, offices, bureaus,
and instrumentalities, academic and research
institutions, and private sector groups and
organizations from the national down to the
local levels.
The observance of the NSM
features exhibits, statistical contests, and
conduct of trainings, seminars, workshops, symposia,
conferences, and other activities highlighting
the various products and services of the statistical
system and bringing to the fore the need for
more relevant, reliable, and timely statistics.
C.3 The Philippine Statistics
Quiz and Career Motivation Program
The Philippine Statistics Quiz
(PSQ) is an annual contest on statistics among
freshmen college students. It was launched in
1992 by the Philippine Statistical Association
(PSA). The assistance of the other major statistical
agencies, were also tapped in the annual conduct
of the PSQ.
The main objectives of the
PSQ are to instill the value of statistics among
students and measure the effectiveness of the
current statistics curriculum in high school.
C.4 Re-entry Plan for
Local Statistical Trainees
The activity was initiated
by the NSCB in Region I in 1993 to institutionalize
the post-training evaluation scheme conducted
in previous years. The re-entry plan requires
the trainees of various training programs sponsored
by the Regional Statistical Coordination Committees
(RSCCs) and conducted by the Statistical Research
and Training Center (SRTC), the training arm
of the Philippine Statistical System, to apply
what they have learned in their work and the
monitoring/evaluation of skills learned through
the submission of outputs.
During the National Statistics
Month celebration in October of each year, the
best re-entry plan is selected and given recognition.
The award aims to motivate the trainees to prepare
and implement quality re-entry plans.
D. DATA DISSEMINATION
D.1 National Statistical
Information Centern
The decentralized structure
of the Philippine Statistical System has provided
advantage to each of the departments of the
government by having their own infrastructure
for data collection to satisfy their data requirements.
On the other hand, this structure has somehow
posed difficulties to researches of multi-sectoral
concerns due to the scattered location of data
sources. The Establishment of a One-Stop
Statistical Information Center Project
was therefore conceptualized by the National
Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB).
The basic objective of the
Project is to provide fast, useful and relevant
service to the public in accessing and synthesizing
statistical information. The unifying strategy
is to minimize barriers, widen the choice and
promote convenience in statistical data research
and analysis.
Through this project, the
National Statistical Information Center (NSIC)
was established in October, 1993 at the NSCB
Main Office in Makati, To date, the Center is
serving data users from all walks of life, 9
hours a day, providing access to the data produced
by different government, private and international
institutions. These data are being accessed
under a single venue in print and electronic
form, thru the Center's library, databases,
electronic data communication facilities and
bookshoppe.
With its vision to reach out
to all sectors of the society, the Project has
already established four (4) regional branches
of the NSIC, and will launch three (3) more
this year. These branches will offer the same
services as provided in the NSIC Main office.
D.2 The Quarterly
Regional Economic Situationer (QRES)
The QRES aims to evaluate
the economic performance of the region using
hard and soft data. The hard data or variables
include the following: (a) price/inflation;
(b) agricultural production; (c) non-agricultural
production; (d) employment/underemployment/unemployment;
e) tourism arrivals/receipts; and (f) major
private sector investments/new business. The
soft data, on the other hand, are generated
thru the Rapid Appraisal of Regional Economy
(RARE) which adopts the Delphi method. It involves
the interview of key informants which include,
among others, businessmen and traders, industry
leaders and heads of business groups, e.g. bankers
association, business councils. The RARE is
designed to: (a) identify causality factors
underlying the performance of the economy which
cannot be determined just by examining the hard
data; (b) fill-in data gaps ; and (c) validate
existing hard data.
The QRES report consists of
three main sections, namely: (a) economic performance;
(b) policy/recommendations; and (c) development
outlook.
Several issues and concerns,
however, are being encountered in the preparation
of QRES: delays in the release of needed data,
especially the core indicators on production,
investments and exports; incomplete data at
the regional level; and lack or weak logistic/financial
support.
D.3 Regional Publications
of the NSCB
The NSCB through its Regional Units (RUs)
have endeavored to introduce new series of publications
useful in the planning, decision making, monitoring
and assessment functions of data users at the
subnational level. This move also addresses
the increased demand for information by data
users at that level due to the decentralized
regime of governance and the adoption of strategies
aimed at promoting countryside developments.
The data series are presented to the data users
in published form. These include the following:
- Regional Social
and Economic Trends (RSET) which contains
a compilation of data series on at least 15
sectors and more than 170 tables on the socio-economic
aspects of the region and its provinces, cities
and, where available, municipalities;
- Region in Figures
which presents relevant information about
the region and its provinces that are useful
in investment promotions and economic missions
abroad and is basically intended for use of
potential investors, corporate and government
planners, researchers, and the general public
and packaged as a handy/pocket size materials
that can be carried conveniently;
- Statwatch
which presents the indicators, reference period,
the data and source and aims to inform the
public on the latest updates of major economic
and social indicators in the region which
serve as early warning device for instituting
necessary shifts in policies or improving
outputs/operations;
- Fact Sheets
which present relevant data/indicators including
the highlights of the data/trends, graph and/or
definition of the concept used and is especially
useful to government and business planners
and researchers as it gives a new dimension
to their analyses and plans; and
- Stat Trivia
whose form facilities the comprehension of
the data/indicator presented wherein the analysis
is made using the "Do you know...?" format
to catch attention of the reader easily.
E. 1996 Survey on
Statistical Practices of Asia Pacific Countries
An inquiry is being undertaken by the NSCB
to find out a few information on the statistical
practices of countries in the Asia-Pacific Region
with regards to some key indicators such as
GNP, CPI, etc. The questionnaire was sent to
55 countries in the region. Initial results
based on 22 respondent countries are provided
as annex to this country paper. |
