Sugbo News - REGIONAL CHIEFS AGREE WITH GOV: PSA MUST REPORT MORE ACCURATE DATA

Gov. Gwen Garcia with various national line agency regional chiefs take a group selfie after a meeting on Tuesday, January 14.

REGIONAL CHIEFS AGREE WITH GOV: PSA MUST REPORT MORE ACCURATE DATA

Jan. 15, 2025

Regional directors from various national line agencies have expressed their support for revisiting methodologies in data collection and reporting of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) following Gov. Gwen Garcia’s call for the agency’s more accurate and up-to-date information.

Such PSA data are crucial because government policies and programs are crafted to address their implications, Gov. Gwen had said.

Among those backing the Governor’s appeal to the PSA were Department of Agriculture (DA 7) Regional Executive Director Angel Enriquez; Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD 7) Director Shalaine Lucero; Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG 7) Director Leocadio Trovela; Department of Trade and Industry (DTI 7) Director Ma. Elena Arbon; Department of Tourism (DOT 7) Director Judy Gabato; Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA 7) Director Gamaliel Vicente Jr.; and Department of Education (DepEd 7) Director Dr. Salustiano Jimenez.

“Kung ako lang, Gov, mas maayo nahitabo ni [meeting]. Perhaps, this is an eye opener to review the methodologies and now we could probably coordinate because data is very, very important,” DA 7 Director Enriquez said.

The agriculture director mentioned during the meeting that the DA is also encountering issues with the PSA’s statistics, as DA’s data does not align with those from the PSA.

“Sometimes ang among data, di mi kasabot nga dili gyod siya mag-reconcile. Mao na niingon ko nga discouraging nis among part because we expected that kind of production,” Enriquez added.

The PSA is the central statistical authority of the Philippine government that collects, compiles, analyzes, and publishes statistical information on economic, social, demographic, political affairs, and general affairs of the people of the Philippines. As such, it is an attached agency of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) for purposes of policy coordination.

Also present at the meeting at the Capitol Gallery were NEDA Regional Director Jennifer Bretaña and PSA Regional Director Ariel Florendo.

“When we were crafting the food stamp program to address the food poor in the country, DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian was surprised to see PSA statistics, and so he said immediately last year that we have to revisit the statistics,” Director Lucero said, adding that the surprise stemmed from an apparent disconnect between the statistics and prevailing reality.

In a meeting in December last year, Gov. Gwen emphasized the critical role of reliable data from the PSA in assessing the performance of local government units.

“The accuracy or inaccuracy of data will have the attendant consequences,” Gov. Gwen said, noting PSA’s important role in reporting accurate data that other agencies rely on in crafting their programs and in setting the general direction of their efforts.

NEDA Regional Director Beltran and PSA Regional Director Florendo assured the Governor that they would bring the valid concerns discussed at the meeting with the Central Office.

Other agencies that were in agreement and well-represented during the meeting included the Office of Civil Defense, the Department of Labor and Employment, the Commission on Higher Education, and the Department of Health. | BJR

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