FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
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RF,PUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
1 
Introduced by Senator Antonio “Sonny” F. Trillanes IV 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Philippine Statistical System (PSS) is a government-wide system that provides statistical 
information and services to the public through a decentralized structure involving various data 
stakeholders. Its statistical organizational structure is made up of several policy-making and 
coordinating body, data producers and data providers who respond to survey instruments, and 
statistical training, education and research institutions such as Statistical Research and Training 
Center (SRTC) and the academe. 
Despite the fact that Executive Order No. 121 of January 1987, which reorganized the PSS, 
created a statistical body that has 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. 
The official statistical data from the PSS contribute to the formulation of policies and programs 
that address the social and economic development issues in the country. However, there have 
been a number of concerns in the past years that directly affect the quality, reliability and 
timeliness of these statistical information. 
The PSS has vast potential resources and capabilities that must to be utilized to provide the 
country with the information needed for national development. Such can be achieved through an 
efficient reorganization of the system. 
The proposed reorganization of the PSS under this bill includes: 
a. Structural and functional reorganization through the integration of the National Statistical 
Office (NSO), Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS), Bureau of Labor and 
Employment Statistics (BLES) and the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) 
into an agency called the National Statistical Authority (NSA); 
b. Independence of the PSS from the control of NEDA by mandating that the Chairman of 
the NSA be a professional statistician called the Government Statistician, who will have 
the rank of Secretary without portfolio; and 
c. Creation of the 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 by this bill. 
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
ANTb&%ONNY” 
F. TRILLANES IV 
Senator 
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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
) 
, . .  . 
.? , 
:’ ;; 
Introduced bv Senator Antonio “Sonnv” F. Trillanes IV 
AN ACT 
REORGANIZING THE PHILIPPINE STATISTICAL SYSTEM, REPEALING FOR 
ENTITLED 
“REORGANIZING 
AND 
STRENGTHENING 
THE 
PHILIPPINE 
STATISTICAL SYSTEM AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES” 
THE PURPOSE EXECUTIVE ORDER NUMBERED ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-ONE 
Be in enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Phih$pines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Philippine Statistical System 
Reorganization Act of 2008’: 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. -It shall be the policy of the State to effect the necessary 
and proper changes in the organizational and functional structures of the Philippine Statistical 
System (PSS), its agencies and inshumentalities, in order to promote rationality and efficiency 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. Reorganlzatlon. - The Philippine Statistical System, hereinafter referred to as 
the PSS, shall be organized simcturally and functionally, in accordance with the provisions of 
this Act. 
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SEC. 4. Philippine StatistzCnl 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 Statistics Authoriw. - 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 function: 
a. 
Serve as the statistical clearing house and liaison with international organizations 
dealing with statistical matters; 
Prepare and conduct periodic caucuses on population, housing, agriculture, 
fisheries, business, industry, and on other sectors of the economy; 
Prepare and conduct statistical surveys, researches 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; 
b. 
c. 
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d. 
Rationalize the collection and processing for statistical purposes, data and records 
from the different departments, bureaus, offices and agencies of the government, 
including the Civil Registration System; 
Develop and maintain appropriate frameworks for the improvement of statistical 
coordination; 
Perform other functions as may be assigned by the NSA-Board and as may be 
necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act. 
e. 
f. 
SEC. 7. Compositlon of the NSA Board - The NSA-Board shall be composed of the 
following: the Government Statistician as Chairman; a representative of the National 
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 departments in the national 
government; a representative of the Bungko Sentrul ng Pilipinus; the Executive Director of the 
Statistical Research and Training' Center; a representative of the Philippine Statistical 
Association; and a member from the private sector to be appointed by the President of the 
Philippines for a term of three (3) years, with reappointment, from a list 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. 
Hold regular meetings at 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; 
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b. 
Be entitled to a per diem of One Thousand Pesos (P1,OOO.OO) for actual 
attendance in meetings which shall not exceed Two Thousand Pesos (P2,OOO.OO) 
a month. 
SEC. 9. Powers and Functions. -The NSA-Board shall have the following powers and 
functions: 
a. Promote and maintain an efficient statistical system in the government; 
b. Formulate policies on all matters relating to government statistical operations; 
c. Recommend executive and legislative measures to enhance the development and 
efficiency of the system, including the internal structure of statistical agencies; 
d. Establish appropriate mechanisms for statistical coordination at the regional, 
provincial and city levels; 
e. Approve the Philippine Statistical Development Program; 
f. Allocate statistical responsibilities among government agencies by designating the 
statistics to be collected by them including their periodicity, timeliness and content; 
g. Review budgetary proposals involving statistical operations and submit an integrated 
budget for the PSS to the DBM; 
h. Establish appropriate mechanisms for the standardization of salaries and positions 
within the NSA, 
i. Review and clear, prior to release, all fknds for statistical operations in coordination 
with the DBM; 
j. Prescribe appropriate frameworks for the improvement of statistical coordination; 
k. Prescribe uniform standards and classification systems in the government statistics; 
1. 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. 
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SEC. 10. Inter-agency Committees on Statistics. - The following 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 (“2s) to assist it in 
the exercise of its functions. 
SEC. 11. Government Statlstlclan. -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 (7) 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 cany out the decisions and policies of the NSA-Board and 
ensure 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 Statisticians. - 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 
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Support Office 
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SEC. 13. Assistant Government Statisticians. - The Government Statistician shall 
likewise be assisted by three (3) Assistant Government Statisticians, with the rank of Assistant 
Secretary, to be appointed by the Presidcnt 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 Statistics Office, Censuses and Regional Operations Office, Technical Coordination and 
Central Support Office, Regional Statistical Services and Provincial Statistical Offices. 
SEC. 15. Sectoral Statistics OfJce. - 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 and water, energy, 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 as may 
be required, in accordance with the approved statistical calendar, and perform such other tasks as 
may be assigned by the Government Statistician. It shall be composed of the Agriculture 
Statistics Bureau, and Social Statistics Bureau. 
SEC. 16. Censuses and Regionnl Operations Offlee. - The Censuses and Regional 
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 
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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 
governments in the regions; and perform such other tasks as may he 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 rank of Division Chief. 
SEC. 18. Technical Coordination and Central Support. - 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 administmtive 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 Trainlng 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 on Appointments. 
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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 for m the private 
sector of the SRTC Governing Board from among a list of nominees submitted by the Board. 
SEC. 21. Government 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 
appropriation as “NSA contribution to SRTC” and shall be treated as distinct form the 
Endowment Fund (as provided for in Executive Order No. 121) and shall be managed under 
separate accounts. 
SEC. 22. National Civil Registration Oflce. - 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. 
SEC. 23. Posting of Statistical Personnel in Government OfJces. - 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 cany out the work program to be drawn 
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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 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, and the National Statistical Coordination Board shall be abolished and their 
appropriations, records, properties, and personnel shall be transferred to the NSA. 
SEC. 26. Confidential@ of Information. -Data furnished to 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. 
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SEC. 27. 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 thereof. In addition to the existing appropriations of said agencies by 
section 24, additional requirements shall be charged to the appropriations for the Compensation 
and Organizational Adjustment Fund under the current General Appropriations Act (GAA). 
Thereafter, such sum as may be needed for the continued implementation of this Act shall be 
included in the annual GAA. 
SEC. 28. Sepambili@ 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. 29. 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. 30. Effectivi@. - This Act shall take effect upon its approval. 
Approved, 
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