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11th NSM Focuses on Gender Statistics

Gender statistics take center stage when the National Statistics Month (NSM) celebrates its eleventh year this October 2000. This year's theme, "Empowering Filipino Women through Gender Statistics" is in recognition of the increasing demand for gender statistics as a result of the current thrust on gender and development (GAD) mainstreaming in government programs and projects.

Activities in the region formally kicks off on October 2, 2000 with a motorcade to be participated by different line agencies and the private sector. This will be followed by the opening program at the NEDA Regional Office I Conference Hall with Dr. Fe Andico, Director of the Urduja GAD Resource Center, as Guest Speaker. Several contests for tertiary and secondary level students will be conducted for the whole month of October where medals, certificates and cash prizes await the regional winners. The contests include essay writing, poster/slogan making, oratorical and the statistical quiz. The regional contests will be participated in by the champions in the provincial level contests.

Other activities include, among others: Photo Exhibit on GAD at NEDA Regional Office I from October 2-31, 2000; Statistical Conference: Focus on Gender on October 11, 2000 sponsored by the Philippine Statistical Association: Region I Chapter (PSA) and the Institutional Strengthening Project (ISP) Phase 2; Gender Statistics cum User's Forum on October 23-25, 2000 sponsored by PSA, NEDA and NSCB; Forum on the Rights of Women on the 2nd week of October sponsored by the Commission on Human Rights and the Launching of the Handbook on Women and Men in the Ilocos Region on October 25, 2000 sponsored by ISP2, NEDA and NSCB. Several exhibits on gender statistics will also be displayed at offices of participating agencies.

The NSM is celebrated pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 647, "Declaring the Month of October of Every Year as the National Statistics Month". The observance of the event has two-fold objectives, which are: a) to promote, enhance, and instill nationwide awareness and appreciation of the importance of statistics to the different sectors of the society; and b) to elicit the cooperation and support of the general public in upgrading the quality and standards of statistics in the country.

The celebration in the region is being coordinated by the Regional Statistical Coordination Committee (RSCC) which was designated as the over-all coordinating body of NSM activities in the region thru NSCB Memorandum Circular No. 01-2000. The RSCC for its part issued Memorandum Circular No. 01-2000 enjoining all agencies of the government at the regional and subregional levels, and the private sector to actively participate in and support the celebration. The circular also provides, among others, the following: a) creation of NSM Regional Technical Working Group (RTWG) which shall be responsible in planning and coordinating the common activities; b) generation of common fund for the common activities; and c) designation of the Philippine Statistical Association (PSA): Region I Chapter as the administrator of the NSM common fund. The RTWG is composed of representatives from the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB); National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA); National Statistics Office (NSO); Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) and the Philippine Statistical Association (PSA). The RTWG is chaired by the ISP2 Project Coordinator of NEDA Regional Office I and co-chaired by the Head of the NSCB Regional Unit I.

For more inquiries on the NSM, pls. contact: The NSM Secretariat, National Statistical Coordination Board Regional Unit I, 2/F L.M. Chan Bldg., 663 Quezon Avenue, City of San Fernando, La Union, tel. nos. (072) 700 3035 or (072) 888 2160 (telefax); e-mail address: nscbru1@sflu.com.

IRENEA B. UBUNGEN
Head, NSCB Regional Unit I