FIFTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
FIRST REGULAR SESSION )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez and
Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr.

3220

House Bill No.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Philippine Statistical System (PSS) is a government-wide system
providing statistical information and services to the public through a decentralized
structure involving various data stakeholders. It has a statistical organizational
structure made up of a policymaking and coordinating body [(National Statistical
Coordination Board (NSCB)]; data producers [National Statistics Office (NSO),
Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS), Bureau of Labor and Employment
Statistics (BLES), and other government agencies, local government units and
instrumentalities]; data providers who respond to survey instruments and the like
[individuals, households, business establishments, government and non
government organizations]; and, statistical training, education ad research
institutions [Statistical Research and Training Center (SRTC) and the academe]

While Executive Order 121, dated January 1987, which reorganized the
PSS sought for a statistical body that his independence, objectivity, integrity,
relevance, and responsiveness, it did not provide for the separation of the planning
and implementation from the statistical, monitoring and evaluation functions of the
National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) thereby failing to address the
structural and functional infirmity of the PSS that it sought to amend.

Official statistical data from the PSS contribute to the formulation of policies
and program addressing the social and economic development issues in the
country. However, there have been numerous concems in the past years that

directly affect the quality, reliability and timeliness of the statistical information from
the PSS.

While there is an on-going review of the PSS by a recently formed special
committee, the PSS still has vast potential resources and capabilities that need to
be tapped if it is to provide the Philippines with the information needed for national
development. Such may be achieved through a reorganization of the system.


The proposed reorganization of the Philippines Statistical System under this
bill includes.

a. Structural and functional reorganization through the integration of the
National Statistics Office, the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics, the Bureau of Labor
and Employment Statistics, and the National Statistical Coordination Board into an
agency called National Statistical Authority.

b. Independence of the Philippine Statistical System from the control of
NEDA by mandating that the Chairman of the National Statistics Authority be a
professional statistician called the Government Statistical, who will have the rank
of Secretary without portfolio.

c. Creation of National Civil Registration Office, which shall be attached to
the NSA.

This reorganization will effect a centralization of primary data collection,
negating unnecessary duplication of work by the different agencies concerned with

statistics. The problem of conflicting statistics and data gaps will also be
addressed

Given all the above merits of the reorganization of the Philippine Statistical
System, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

RUFUS B. RODRIGUEZ

womo hon JR.


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
FIRST REGULAR SESSION )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez and
Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr.

3220

House Bill No.

AN ACT
REORGANIZING THE PHILIPPINE STATISTICAL SYSTEM, REPEALING FOR
THE PURPOSE EXECUTIVE ORDER NUMBER ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-ONE
ENTITLED “REORGANIZING AND STRENGTHENING THE PHILIPPINE
STATISTICAL SYSTEM AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES”

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representative of the Philippines in
Congress assembled

SECTION 1. TITLE. This act shall be known and may be cited as the
Philippine Statistical System Reorganization Act of 2010.

SECTION 2. DECLARATION OF POLICY. It shall be the policy of the
State of effect the necessary and proper changes in the organizational and
functional structures of the Philippine Statistical System (PSS), its agencies and
instrumentalities, in order to promote rationality, efficiency and effectiveness in the
delivery of statistical services, to maintain an integrated statistical system
characterized by independence objectivity and integrity in order to enhance
responsiveness to the requirements of national development, to promote the
orderly development of a statistical system capable of providing timely, accurate
and useful data for the government and the public, and to support regionalization,
and decentralization through the establishment of the infrastructure necessary to
service the regional statistical needs of Filipinos.

SEC. 3. REORGANIZATION. The Philippine Statistical System, hereinafter
referred to as the PSS, shall be reorganized structurally and functionally, in
accordance with the provision of this Act.

SEC. 4. PHILIPPINE STATISTICAL SYSTEM. The PSS shall consist of
statistical organizations at all administrative levels, the personnel therein and the
national statistical program. This includes a policy-making body, a coordinating
body with primary data collection capability, a statistical research and training
center, and all executive departments, bureaus, offices, agencies and
instrumentalities of the national and local government and all government-owned
or controlled corporations and their subsidiaries that are engaged in statistical


activities either as their primary functions or as part of their administrative or
regulatory functions. The PSS shall remain decentralized with a strong
coordination feature to be achieved through a posting of trained personnel and
closer linkage between statistical programming and budgeting.

SEC. 5. NATIONAL STATISTICAL AUTHORITY. There shall be created a
National Statistics Authority hereinafter referred to as NSA-Board, and NSA
sectoral, regional and technical offices, agencies and bureaus.

The NSA-Board shall be the highest policy-making and coordinating body
on statistical matters. The data produced by the NSA shall be the official and
controlling statistics of the government.

SEC. 6. NSA POWERS AND FUNCTIONS. The NSA shall perform the
following powers and functions.

a. Serve as the statistical clearing house and liaison with international
organizations dealing with statistical matters;

b. Prepare and conduct periodic censuses on population, housing,
agriculture, fisheries, business, industry, and on other sectors of the
economy;

c. Prepare and conduct statistical surveys, researchers and studies on all
aspects of socio-economic life including agriculture, industry, education,

population, culture, social welfare, crime, health, labor and
employment, and price situations for the use of the government and
public;

d. Rationalize the collection and processing for statistical purposes, data
and records from the different departments, bureaus, office sand
agencies of the government, including the Civil Registration System;

e. Develop and maintain appropriate frameworks for the improvement of
statistical coordination;

f. Perform other functions as may be assigned by the NSA-Board and as
may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act.

SEC. 7. COMPOSITION OF THE NSA-BOARD. The NSA-Board shall be
composed of the following: the Government Statistician as Chairman; a
representative of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) and a
representative of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), as Vice-
Chairmen for Development Planning and Budget Control, respectively; one
representative each from the remaining Department in the national government; a
representative of the Bangko Sentral of Pilipinas; the Executive Director of the
Statistical Association; and a member from the private sector to be appointed by
the President of the Philippines for a term of three years, with reappointment, from
alist of nominees submitted by the other members of the Board as members.

In the absence or temporary incapacity of the government statistician, the
representative of NEDA shall be the acting Chairman. In the absence of both the


government statistician and the NEDA representative, the DBM representative
shall be the acting Chairman.

SEC. 8. MEETING AND COMPENSATION. The NSA-Board shall:

a

b.

Hold regular meetings as least once a month and may have as many
special meetings as may be necessary on call of the chairman or any
five (5) members thereof;

Be entitled to a per diem of One Thousand Pesos (P1,000.00) for actual
attendance in meetings which shall not exceed Two Thousand Pesos
(P2,000.00) a month.

SEC. 9. POWERS AND FUNCTIONS. The NSA-Board shall have the
following powers and functions:

a.

Promote and maintain an efficient and effective statistically system in
the governmer
Formulate policies on all matters relating to government statistical
operations;

Recommend executive and legislative measures to enhance the
development and efficiency of the system, including the internal
structure of statistical agencies;

Establish appropriate mechanisms for statistical coordination at the
regional, provincial and city levels;

Approve the Philippine Statistical Development Program;

Allocate statistical responsibilities among government agencies by
designating the statistics to be collected by them including their
periodicity, timeliness and conter
Review budgetary proposals involving statistical operations and
‘submit an integrated budget for the PSS to the DBM;

Establish appropriate mechanisms for the standardization of salaries
and positions within the NSA;

Review and clear, prior to release, all funds for statistical operations in
coordination with the DBM;

Prescribe appropriate frameworks for the improvement of statistical
coordination;

Prescribe uniform standards and classification systems in the
government statistics;

Provide technical assistance and exercise supervision over major
government statistical activities.

The NSA-Board shall act on and decide matters before it by a majority vote
of all its members.

SEC. 10. INTER-AGENCY COMMITTEE ON STATISTICS. The following
statistical committees shall be created within the NSA-Board, the members of


which are drawn from the membership of the Board: 1) Committee on Agriculture,
Trade and Industry Statistics; 2) Committee on Infrastructure and Financial
Statistics, 3) Committee on Social Statistics, and 4) Committee on PSS
Resources. The NSA-Board may create other inter-agency committees (IACs) to
assist it in the exercise of its functions.

SEC. 11. GOVERNMENT STATISTICIAN. The Government Statistician
shall be the Chairman of the NSA, with the rank of a Secretary without a portfolio,
who shall be appointed by the President with the consent of the Commission on
Appointments for a term of seven years without reappointment, and who must be
of proven integrity, probity, and competence and recognized stature in the
statistical profession. The Government Statistician shall be a natural born citizen
of the Philippines and, at the time of his appointment, at least thirty five (35) years
of age. As chief executive officer, the Government Statistician shall exercise
general supervision and control over its technical and administrative personnel
and prescribe such rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out the
decisions and policies of the NSA-Board and insure the proper and effective
discharge of the powers and functions of the NSA. He shall likewise have the
power to appoint all officials and employees of the Authority below the rank of
Assistant Government Statistician subject to civil rules and regulations

SEC. 12. DEPUTY GOVERNMENT STATISTICIAN. The Government
Statistician shall be assisted by three (3) Deputy Government Statisticians, with
the rank of Undersecretary, to be appointed by the President with the consent of
the Commission on Appointments: one to be responsible for the Sectoral
Statistics Office, one to be responsible for the Censuses and Regional Operations
Office and one to be responsible for the Technical Coordination and Central
‘Support Office.

SEC. 13. ASSISTANT GOVERNMENT STATISTICIAN. The Government
Statistician shall likewise be assisted by three (3) Assistant Government
Statistician, with the rank of Assistant Secretary, to be appointed by the President
with the consent of the Commission on Appointments who shall be assigned to
assist the Deputy Government Statisticians in their tasks of coordinating and
supervising their offices.

SEC. 14. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE. The NSA offices shall be
composed of the Sectoral Statistician Office, Censuses and Regional Operations
Office, Technical Coordination and Central Support Office, Regional Statistical
Servicesm and Provincial Statistician Offices.

SEC. 15. SECTORAL STATISTICIAN OFFICE. The Sectoral Statistics
Office shall provide technical staff support to the NSA in the areas of agriculture,
natural resources, agrarian, reform, mining and quarrying, manufacturing,
electricity, gas resources, agrarian reform, construction, foreign and domestic
trade services, science and technology, public and private finance, infrastructure,


public and private investment, monetary matters, population, health, nutrition,
education, labor and employment, social welfare, public order and justice, provide
technical assistance to and carry out the work program in the government offices
concerned to meet their statistical requirements for policy-making, planning and
programming; plan and conduct surveys @s may be required, in accordance with
the approves statistical calendar, and perform such other tasks as may be
assigned by the Government ‘Statistician. It shall be composed of the Agriculture
Statistics Bureau, Industry and Trade Statistics Bureau, Financial Statistics
Bureau, Labor and Employment Statistics Bureau, and Social Statistics Bureau

SEC. 16. CENSUSES AND REGIONAL OPERATIONS OFFICE. The
Censuses and Regional Operations Office shall provide technical staff support to
the NSA; prepare and conduct census in accordance with the approved statistical
calendar, provide technical assistance to other government agencies; coordinate
the activities of the Regional Statistical Services; and perform such other tasks as
may be assigned by the Government Statistician. It shall be composed of the
National Censuses Bureau, Regional Coordination Bureau, and Electronic Data
Processing Bureau.

SEC. 17. REGIONAL STATISTICAL SERVICES. Regional Statistical
Services (RSS) and Provincial Statistical Offices (PSO) shall be established in
each of the administrative regions and provinces, respectively. The RSS and PSO
shall provide technical staff support to the NSA; provide technical assistance as
may be required by the implementing agencies and local government in the
regions; and perform such other tasks as may be assigned by the Government
Statistician. The RSS shall be headed by Regional Service Chiefs. The PSO shall
be headed by Provincial Statistics Officers, with the ranks of Division Chief.

SEC, 18. TECHNICAL COORDINATION AND CENTRAL SUPPORT
OFFICE. The Technical Coordination and Central Support Office shall provide
technical staff support to the NSA in the development and maintenance of
economic and social accounts, statistical programming and development of
Statistical standards and classification systems; provide technical and support
services to the various units of the NSA in the areas of administrative services,
legal services, financial management services, cartographic services and
information services, and perform such other services as may be assigned by the
Government Statistician. It shall be composed of the Economic and Social

Accounts Bureau, Statistical Programming and Standards Bureau, and Central
Support Staff.

SEC. 19. STATISTICAL RESEARCH AND TRAINING CENTER. The
Statistical Research and Training Center (SRTC), as created under Executive
Order No. 121, shall be attached to the NSA for purposes of policy coordination.
The SRTC shall be headed by an Executive Director, with the rank of Assistant
Secretary, who shall be appointed by the President with the consent of the
Commission of Appointments.


SEC. 20. SRTC GOVERNING BOARD. The SRTC shall have a Governing
Board that shall formulate policies for its management and operations. The
Chairman of the NSA-Board shall be the Chairman of the SRTC Governing
Board, with the following as members: Dean of the University of the Philippines
Statistical Center; Executive Director of the Philippine Social Science Council, a
representative of the NEDA and the Executive Director of the SRTC as ex-officio
members. The NSA-Board Chairman may appoint two representatives from the
private sector of the SRTC Governing Board from among a list of nominees
submitted by the Board

SEC. 21. GOVERNING CONTRIBUTION TO THE SRTC. The SRTC shall
submit for approval of the NSA-Board an annual financial plan to support its
research and training program. The approved financial plan shall be the basis for
determining the government contribution to finance SRTC research and training
activities. The same shall be included in the NSA annual appropriations as “NSA
contribution to SRTC” and shall be treated as distinct from the Endowment Fund
(as provided for in Executive Order No. 121) and shall be managed under
separate accounts.

SEC. 22. NATIONAL CIVIL REGISTRATION OFFICE. There shall be
created a National Civil Registration Office (NCRO) to carry out, enforce and
administer the provisions of Republic Act No. 3753 entitled “An Act to Establish a
Civil Registration System” and all other pertinent laws on the registration of vital
events. The NCRO shall be headed by the Civil Register General, with the rank of
Assistant Secretary, who shall be appointed by the President with the consent of
the Commission on Appointments. The NCRO shall be attached to the NSA for
administrative supervision

The Government Statistician subject to Civil Service rules and regulations
shall appoint local Civil Registrars.

SEC. 23. POSTING OF STATISTICAL PERSONNEL IN GOVERNMENT
OFFICES. In the exercise of its functions and in accordance with the priorities set
by the NSA-Board, the NSA may post teams of its statistical personnel in other
government offices to carry out the work program to be drawn up in coordination
with the host offices. The posted teams shall be proportional to the size and
needs of the said government offices. personnel posted in a government office
shall be supervised by the Deputy Government Statistician for Sectoral Statistics
and shall render fortnightly stats reports to the Office of the Government
Statistician. The heads of the host offices shall submit periodic performance
evaluation reports on the posted personnel to the Government Statistician

SEC. 24. PHILIPPINE STATISTICAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. The
Philippine Statistical Development Program (PSDP) shall consist of all statistical
activities to be undertaken by the PSS in response to the requirements of
development planning and policy formulation.


SEC. 25. ABOLITION OF EXISTING GOVERNMENT BODIES. The
National Statistics Office, the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics of the Department
of Agriculture, the Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics of the Department
of Labor and Employment, and the National Statistical Coordination Board shall be
abolished and their appropriations, records, properties, and personnel shall be
transferred to the NSA

SEC. 26. CONFIDENTIALITY OF INFORMATION. Data furnished the NSA
by any individual, corporation, partnership, institution or business enterprise shall
not be used in any court or in any public office either as evidence for or against the
individual, corporation, association, partnership, institution, or business enterprise
from whom such data or information be divulged to any other person except
authorized employees of the NSA, acting in the performance of their duties; nor
shall such data be published, except in the form of summaries or statistical tables
in which no reference to an individual, corporations, association, partnership,
institution or business enterprise shall appear. For statistical purposes, however,
the NSA is authorized to publish information on individual corporations,
associations, partnerships, institutions or business enterprise only upon the written
consent of the same.

SEC. 28. FUNDS FOR REORGANIZATION. The amount necessary for
the effective implementation of the provision of this Act shall be taken from funds
available to the agencies affected by Section 24 hereof. In addition to the existing
appropriations of said agencies affected by Section 24, additional requirements
shall be charged to the appropriations for the Compensation and Organizational
Adjustment Fund under the current General Appropriations Act. Thereafter, such
sum as may be needed for the continued implementation of this Act shall be
included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 29. SEPARABILITY CLAUSE. If any part, section or provision of this
Act is declared invalid or unconstitutional, no other parts, sections or provisions
thereof shall be affected thereby.

SEC. 30. REPEALING CLAUSE. Executive Order No. 121 and all other
laws, decrees, ordinances, rules, regulations, other issuances or parts thereof,
which are inconsistent with this Act, are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 31. EFFECTIVITY. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved