Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

15™ CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House BILLNO.__ 2205

Introduced by REP. SALVADOR H. ESCUDERO HI

EXPLANATORY NOTE,

In this day of interconnectivity of markets, states, and its interests, there is a vital need
to have useful information and statistic to be competitive in the global market. The
Philippines, a developing country in the pool of nations, must cope with this need to be at par
with neighboring countries, if not the world. Hence there is a need to develop an effective
statistical system to provide such information to guide the leaders of this country in their
decisions on what programs to promote and support that would be truly beneficial to our
economy and the Filipino people

This Act which seeks to reorganize the Philippine statistical system recognizes that
statistics is a strategic resource of the Philippines. This will indeed be true only if the tasked
agency will be able to establish and maintain a statistical system that can provide accessible,
timely, adequate and reliable, as well as consistent statistics relevant to our government's
plans and decision-making. The development of such an accurate and well-respected system
will be of beneficial use not only to our government but to the private enterprises as well,
which works hand in hand with the former to lift the economy of the Philippines and the
plight of the citizens of the Republic. The service of this reorganized system must be efficient
and must be sustainable in the long run hence it must be constantly updated with advanced
information technology, methods and techniques $0 as to continually enhance its contribution
for the advancement of statistics.

Achieving this goal would enable the government to have well-informed decisions for
the present and equally important predictions of future of this country. Domesticaily, given
timely and true information, if in five years time the trend is doubling volume of call centers
in the country then we will be able to direct our educational system to cater to this need by
giving incentives and supporting students to enroll in programs leaning towards the call
center career thus having a qualified and competitive workforce.

Internationally, a benefit of this effective statistical system is, for instance our
ambassadors abroad learn that the country they are assigned to will need ample supply of
engineers in 10 years then our government will be able to assess concretely whether our
tertiary schools can provide such engineers come said future date, If not sufficient, then the
government can make such engineering courses attractive for these students to take up in


order to arrest the said deficiency and be able to provide to that specific country,
consequently alleviating the status of their families and in tum the economy of the
Philippines.

For the private sector, they can use such statistic to get information on whether the
province they are setting their plant up has the necessary competent man power to provide its
needs for operation

Verily, this Act will promote cooperation between the government and its agencies,
the private sector and the general public as regards data necessary for each sector's
development and the Philippine economy. The above scenarios are just few of the many
benefits of an efficient and effective statistical system which the Philippines need to establish
and maintain for the benefit of both the government and its people. It is high time to
reorganize the Philippine Statistical System.

Wiel
SALVADOR H. ESCUDERO II
Representative
1" District, Sorsogon


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

15™ CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILLNO.__ 2205,

Introduced by REP. SALVADOR H. ESCUDERO III

AN ACT
REORGANIZING THE PHILIPPINE STATISTICAL SYSTEM.

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

SECTION |. Title. This Act shall be known as the “Philippine Statistical System
Reorganization Act of 2008.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policies. The State recognizes that statistics is a strategic
resource of the country and therefore it shall be the policy of the State to establish and
maintain a statistical system that will

a) provide adequate, accessible, consistent, timely, reliable and relevant statistics to
guide the planning and decision-making processes of the government, the private sector and
the general public;

b) develop and maintain a well-respected statistical system characterized by
independence, objectivity and integrity:

¢) promote efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of statistical services, and

4) support decentralization through the establishment of statistical infrastructure
necessary to service the current and emerging statistical needs

‘Towards these goals, the State shall effect the necessary and proper changes in the
organizational and functional structures of the Philippine Statistical System (PSS). In
addition, the State shall develop and strengthen the capacity of the country’s statistical system
through the provision of adequate human, technical and financial resources to achieve the
objectives set forth under this Act.

SEC. 3. Objectives. The objectives of this Act are as follows

a) To provide direction and promote the orderly development of the Philippine
Statistical System:


) To provide active cooperation between the general public and private sectors in the
provision of accurate data:

©) To enhance the capacity of data producers to come up with the necessary statistical
series for development planning, policy analysis and decision making in the government and
in the private sectors:

4) To appreciate the value and importance of statistics by all segments of society:

e) To develop and disseminate statistical concepts, methods, techniques and
information technology to various users in the government and the private sector; and

f) To continually upgrade the statistics profession to enhance its contribution for the
advancement of statistics.

SEC. 4. Reorganization. The Philippine Statistical System, herein referred to as the
“PSS,” shall be reorganized in accordance with the provisions of this Act. The PSS shall
consist of statistical organizations at all administrative levels. This includes:

1) government organizations whose main mandates are to plan, collect, process,
analyze and disseminate statistics;

2) government agencies principally tasked to develop statistical manpower and/or
undertake statistical researches; and

3) other organizations in government generating, disseminating and utilizing statistics
as part of their administrative or regulatory functions.

‘The PSS shall remain decentralized in its statistical planning and analysis reinforced
by a centralized capability for primary data collection

SEC. 5. The Philippine Statistical Commission (PSC). To implement the policy
enunciated in this Act, there is hereby created a Philippine Statistical Commission to be made
as an attached agency of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), herein
referred to as the “PSC” out of the existing programs, assets and resources of the National
Statistical Coordination Board, the National Statistics Office (NSO), the Statistical Research
and Training Center, the field offices of the Bureau of the Agricultural Statistics of the
Department of Agriculture (DA), and the Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics of the
Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

The PSC shall act as the policy-making and coordinating body on ail statistical
matters in the government. The PSC shall have the same status of an executive department. It
shall be responsible for producing all general-purpose statistics. It will generate the
government's social and economic data, including the national accounts. A. statistical
research and training center, in charge with the conduct of pure and applied statistical
research and non-degree training program for the PSS, shall be established under the PSC. It
shall maintain a national statistical information center for efficient dissemination of statistical
outputs. The PSC shall be headed by a Commissioner and three (3) deputy commissioners.


SEC. 6. PSC Powers and Functions. The PSC shall have the following powers and
functions:
1a) serve as the central statistical authority for the Philippine government;

) collect, compile, analyze, abstract and publish statistical information relating to the
country’s economic, social, demographic and general activities and condition of the people:

©) prepare and conduct periodic censuses on population, housing, agriculture,
fisheries, business, industry, and on other sectors of the economy:

d) prepare and conduct statistical surveys, researches and on all aspects of
socioeconomic life including agriculture. industry, trade, finance, prices and marketing
information, education. health, culture, social situations for the use of the government and the
public:

e) collaborate with departments of government in the collection, compilation,
maintenance and publication of statistical information, including special statistical data
derived from the activities of those departments;

1) promote and develop integrated social and economic statistics and to coordinate
plans for the integration of those statistics:

g) prescribe designated statistics which will be the sources of official statistics for
government policy, planning and decision-making processes;

h) develop and maintain appropriate frameworks for the collection, processing,
analysis and dissemination of data:

i) coordinate with government departments on the promotion and adoption of
statistical standards involving techniques, methodologies, concepts, definitions and
classifications; and on the avoidance of duplication in the collection of the statistical
information:

{) recommend executive and legislative measures to enhance the development of the
statistical activities and programs of the government;

k) conduct research in the field of statistics, render expert opinions on statistical
issues, and perform other related functions: and

}) prepare, in consultation with the Statistical Advisory Council, a Philippine
Statistical Development Program for approval of the President of the Philippines

SEC. 7. The Statistical Advisory Council (SAC). There shall be created a Council to
be known as the Statistical Advisory Council (SAC) attached to the Philippine Statistical
Commission. The SAC shall provide high level policy direction to the PSC. It shall advise the
PSC on matters relating to

a) coordination and improvement of the government statistical service; and


) formulation of statistical priorities and major programs of work within the scope of
government statistical service.

The Statistical Advisory Council shall have equal representation from both the public
and private sectors. It will be composed of the Commissioner of the PSC, an undersecretary
from each of the Executive Departments, the deputy-governor of the Bangko Sentral ng
Pilipinas, the provincial governor nominated by the League of Governors and representative
from the Philippine Statistical Association, the employer's association, trade unions,
business, universities, research institutions, the media and non-government organizations.

The Council, whenever, necessary shall create committees, inter-agency committees,
technical working groups, etc. to deal with technical issues and problems on statistical
‘matters and other related areas of concern

‘The members of the Council and the committees it has created shall be entitled to
allowances and other benefits that the Department of Budget and Management may prescribe.

SEC. 8. Relationship with Local Government Units. The PSC will have in each region
a provisional office that shall serve as its local arm. All statistical policies formulated by the
PSC shall also be adopted and implemented by the local government units.

Local Government Units shall provide the PSC with the official statistics needed for
the compilation of national level statistics required by government authorities. The generation
of provincial, city, municipal and barangay statistics which are by-products of administrative
reporting systems inherent in administering the devolved basic services, shall be continued by
the LGUs consistent with the manner, form and frequency being adopted by the concerned
national line agencies.

For the generation of other statistics with sub-national disaggregation, the PSC shall
designate which of the statistics are to be generated by the national agencies or by the local
government or jointly by the national and local governments. In cases where these will
require the conduct of surveys and other undertakings for the purpose of producing local level
statistics, LGUs shall share in the cost of said surveys

SEC. 9. The Commissioner. The head of the Philippine Statistical Commission shall
be appointed by the President for a term of seven (7) years without reappointment.

‘The Commissioner shall also act as the presiding officer of the Statistical Advisory
Council and the PSC. He shall perform the following duties

a) control and supervise the general administration of the PSG;

b) review the statistical programs of the departments and agencies of the government,
and confer with and advise these departments and agencies on matters relating to such
statistical programs;

c) submit a report to the President of the Republic of the Philippines on the activities
of the PSC in the preceding year. Such report shall also be submitted separately in the annual
report to Congress during the presentation of the President’s budget;


4) confer with the Chairman of the Civil Service Commission and the Secretary of the
Department Budget and Management on the setting up of minimum qualification standards,
as well as the standardization of classification, position and functions and salaries of
statistical personnel of the government. Statistical personnel of equivalent rank and salary
shall be given uniform titles across departments and agencies of government;

) direct and manage the implementation and execution of policies, standards. rules
and regulations of the PSC:

{) sign and issue appointments of the PSC personnel below the rank of Director:
2) represent the PSC as signatory to all contracts, researches and other awards:

h) prescribe rules and regulations, instructions, schedule and form of business of the
PSC, in the collection, compilation, and dissemination of statistics and other information and
in the taking of any census authorized by the Act, and

i) perform such other functions as may be assigned by the Council and/or the
President of the Republic of the Philippines.

SEC. 10. Organizational Structure. The PSC shall be composed of three (3) cluster
staff offices. The first cluster shall have five staff offices that shall be headed by a deputy
commissioner for planning. These offices are: the Statistical Standards, Methods and
Planning Office: the National Accounts and Indicators Office; the Social Statistics Office: the
Industry and Services Office: and the Agricultural Statistics Office. The second cluster shall
have the Central Information Office and the Financial and Management Office to be headed
by a deputy commissioner for administration. Field services at the local government level
shall be under a third deputy commissioner.

Each staff office of the PSC shail be headed by a Director IV with at least one (1)
Assistant Director and may have such divisions as are necessary to carry out their respective
functions.

SEC. 11. Obligation 10 Provide Information. The Commissioner shall determine
whether a statistical inquiry or survey to be conducted is with or without an obligation to
provide information. If such obligation is stipulated, all respondents whether natural or legal
persons shall be liable to reply to the statistical inquiry or survey. This section applies to all
statistical inquiries or surveys conducted by other statistical offices in the PSS,

The respondents under this Act are required to give truthful and complete answers to
statistical inquiries or surveys of the PSC and other statistical offices of the PSS. The
respondent is considered to have complied with the obligation only upon receipt of the duly
completed statistical inquiry or survey forms. The government shall provide franking
privilege, charges. and postings, to the survey offices, unless otherwise provided in any legal
provision.

SEC. 12. Confidentiality. Individual data furnished by a respondent to statistical
inquiry or survey to the PSC and other statistical results;


1) Individual data shall not be used as evidence in court or any legal judicial or quasi-
judicial proceedings, whatsoever:

2) No individual data provided in the statistical inquiry or survey
form/questionnaire/schedule obtained for the purpose of this shall be disclosed in whatever
manner, by publication or otherwise, that will enable such individual data or particular
person, business or organization.

3) Subsections (1) and (2) do not apply to

a) individual data of which disclosure through publication or whatever manner
the respondent has given his/her written consent;

b) individual data is available to the public under any statutory or other law:

©) individual data relating to any institution such as library, hospital, mental
institution, educational institution, welfare institutions correctional institution and
other individual patient, inmate or other person under the case of any such institution,

d) information in the form of a list or index of individual business firms,
establishments or organizations that contains any or all of the following information;
i. the name, address, and telephone numbers,
ii, the business and products that they are engaged in; and
iii, the specific ranges of number of employees or persons constituting
its work force or engaged by it.

SEC. 13. Transitory Provisions. The PSC shall carry out the reorganization of the
Philippine Statistical System in such a manner that personnel of the agencies absorbed by the
PSC shall continue (o perform their respective duties and responsibilities in a holdover
capacity so as not to unduly delay the production of statistics from ongoing censuses, surveys
and processing of administrative records

SEC. 14. Fund for Reorganization. The amount necessary for the effective
implementation of the provisions of this Act may be obtained from the savings or unused
appropriations of agencies affected. Thereafter, such sums needed to carry out the provisio
of this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act

SEC. 15. 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. 16. Repealing Clause. Executive Order No. 121 and other laws, decrees,
ordinances, rules, regulations, other issuances, or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with
this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 17. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect upon its approval

Approved,