Contact Person: Babylyn B. Abulencia E-mail: nscbrd1@digitelone.com
PR-200610-RO1-10
Tel. No. (072) 888-2160/700-3035
October 6, 2006
Region I Conducts 17th NSM Opening Ceremony
The
month-long 17th NSM celebration in Region I formally opened through
a Joint Regional and La Union Provincial Opening Ceremony on October 2, 2006 at
the Seminar Room of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) La Union Regional
Office I, San Fernando City, La Union. The opening ceremony was attended by
around 116 personnel from 38 regional line agencies, 10 provincial line
agencies/offices, two local government units, three academe, two private
companies from the energy sector, and one radio station.
The
opening ceremony was graced by Hon.
Bernardo L. Valero, Executive Vice President (VP) and Chief Operations Officer
of the La Union Electric Company (LUECO), who served as the keynote speaker. In his speech, Mr. Valero underscored the areas where
statistics have been useful to his works, both in the private sector and the
local government. He considered statistics as the life-blood of management
and governance. However, he
emphasized that statistical data should
satisfy some conditions in order to be useful – timely, accurate, packaged and
presented in understandable form and
disseminated to intended recipients.
Relative to this year’s NSM theme on “Empowering Consumers through
Responsive Energy Statistics”, Mr. Valero provided statistical data on
electricity prices in La Union and the different kwh consumed for commonly-used
appliances that are vital to exercising consumer choices. Moreover, he shared energy conservation tips that could help resolve the current
energy crisis in our country. He
enjoined the participants to start conserving electricity at home and at
office.
A
statistical symposium immediately followed after the opening program. Mr. Arturo
de Sola of the National Statistical Office (NSO) Regional Office I
presented the results of the 2004 Household Energy Consumption Survey (HECS).
He highlighted the significant uses of electricity and fuels used by the
households, fuel preferences of households and reasons of
households in their switching of primary cooking fuel used.
Meanwhile, Dr. Paulina Nebrida of the Ilocos Consortium for Industry and
Energy Research and Developments (ICIERD) shared information on the
Philippine’s Energy Plans and Situationer.
Her presentation detailed on the 1) Philippine’s energy plan framework,
2) energy supply and demand forecasts, 3) renewable energy resources, 4)
possible alternative fuels, and 5) the
national energy efficiency and conservation program. Both presentations
showcased energy statistics that could help mold public opinion and foster independent and sound decision-making for the energy
sector.
Information,
education and communication materials
such as agency flyers, primers,
brochures, posters and
statistical data were also disseminated to the attendees.
The
opening ceremony was conducted by the member agencies of the Regional
Statistical Coordination Committee (RSCC) and Provincial Statistical
Coordination Committee (PrSCC) of La Union through the sponsorship of the
Provincial Government of La Union,
ICIERD and the BSP, which
provided the venue for the activity.
The
culmination program of the 17th NSM celebration, which will
also be a joint activity of the region
and the Province of La Union, will be held on October 30 at the Seminar Room of
the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) La Union Regional Office I, San Fernando
City, La Union. Engr. Ferdinand
Abesamis, the Assistant Vice President and Head of the Northern Luzon
Operations and Maintenance of the National Transmission Corporation will be the
guest speaker for the said closing program.
IRENEA
B. UBUNGEN
Head, NSCB Regional Division I