KEYNOTE SPEECH By ARSENIO M. BALISACAN Secretary of Socioeconomic Planning International Year of Statistics Launching Forum 6 February 2013 Century Park Hotel
I am delighted to be here with the leading statisticians of the Philippine Statistical System on this launching forum of the International Year of Statistics. Let me congratulate the NSO for sponsoring and organizing this important worldwide event for 2013.
The presence of the officials of other statistical agencies as well as members of the academe reflects our continued coordination to improve and further strengthen our statistical system. I expect that the discussions on the roles and responsibilities of statistical agencies in helping frame the broader picture of the country’s economic performance, as listed in this morning’s agenda, will be comprehensive and fruitful for everyone.
While the operational nature of our statistical system is such that each statistical agency responds to many different designated statistical activities, we have a shared network of collaboration and cooperation among these agencies as well as international organizations. We are connected by a common professional culture that adheres to the Principles of Official Statistics, and indeed this is one of the notable strengths of our statistical system. For certainly, all of us here live and breathe on statistics.
Our economy performed well in 2012, even beyond even our expectations. We look forward to maintaining the momentum toward inclusive development. I must give credit to the data providers for their continued support to the statistical system through reliable provision of relevant data to measure our economic performance. Our recent economic data show that the business sector had been performing well in the past year, and this reflects the renewed trust in the government’s governance and fiscal reforms. I understand that NSO will give recognition to the most cooperative establishments in NCR.
Given our reliance on statistical data to help inform our policy choices and programs toward inclusive growth and development, I urge the different statistical agencies to place greater value on further strengthening the management of the statistical system. We have already made strides in this regard, such as the cooperative efforts in putting the 2000 System of National Accounts, the compilation of previous Input-Output tables, the release of the results of the 2010 census of population and housing, the improved quality of agricultural production data, the improvements in the labor force statistics, the financial accounts of the Philippines, among others.
Everyone knows that majority of the currently existing statistical expertise lies with the national statistical agencies. With this, let me underscore the contribution of the statistical training institutions and the academe, and international statistical organizations, for your continued efforts to attract and support more young people to the statistics profession.
As we celebrate the International Year of Statistics, let us continue to learn from our past efforts and become not just professionally stronger but also more relevant and accountable to the needs of our times. Many activities will be organized by the statistical agencies and the academe for the celebration of this big event. As we all take part in these activities, let us not forget, as I earlier mentioned, that our strength lies in our shared network of collaboration and cooperation, and the challenge for the future will be to continue to find ways to maximize this strength.
I wish you all a meaningful celebration, and success in our future undertakings.
Maraming salamat po.
M.R. No. 2013-017
06 February 2013
