RSCC-XII Conducts Third Quarter Meeting
(posted 09 September 2011)

The Regional Statistical Coordination Committee (RSCC) XII conducted its Third Quarter Meeting last September 2, 2011 at the Villa Princessita, Jabido Compound, Koronadal City. The meeting was presided by NEDA-XII Regional Director Teresita Socorro C. Ramos the Chairperson of RSCC-XII. About 30 participants representing 20 agencies and LGUs were in attendance.

The agenda of the meeting were as follows:

• Proposed Establishment and Maintenance of an OFW Regional Databank

• Proposed Creation of an RTWG on the Generation of a Single Estimate on the Number Jobs Created in Region XII 

• Updates on the Formulation of the Philippine Statistical Development Program/ Regional Statistical Development Program (PSDP/RSDP) 2011-2017

• Schemes and Methodologies of the Barangay Agricultural Profiling Survey (BAPS)

• Preparations for the 2011 National Statistics Month (NSM) Regional Celebration

• Updates on the latest NSO products and services

• Schedule of release of the revised/rebased GRDP

• Preparation of the Second Regional MDG Progress Report

• Updates on the 7th Mindanao Statistics Congress

Ms. Herlita Caraan, Regional Head of the NSCB-RD XII, updated the Committee of the recommendations to improve the subnational statistical system raised during the Mindanao-wide PSDP Consultative Workshop held in Davao City last August 25, 2011.

The PSDP is a mechanism for setting the directions, strategies and priorities of the Philippine Statistical System. It is formulated to address the data requirements of the Medium Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP).

Regional Agricultural Statistics Officer of BAS XII, Mr. Felixberto Pacate, presented to the RSCC the schemes and methodologies to be adopted in the conduct of the Barangay Agricultural Profiling Survey (BAPS) including the survey instrument that would be used in gathering the needed data. The BAPS aims to address unavailability of agricultural statistics at the local level. 

For the 22nd National Statistics Month (NSM) Celebration this October 2011, the Opening Ceremonies scheduled on October 3, 2011, will be graciously hosted by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) XII. This year’s NSM theme is “Quality Social Protection Statistics for Focused Targeting: Improving Outcomes, Changing Lives”. DSWD-XII Planning Officer II, Ms. Bebeth T. Mampen, presented the agency’s plans for the 22nd NSM Opening Ceremonies in the region. According to Ms. Mampen, the proposed activities for the October 3 opening salvo will include a motorcade and the launching of the results of the DSWD survey for the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR). 

The annual observance of the NSM has two-fold objectives, namely: a) promote, enhance, and instill nationwide awareness and appreciation of the importance and value of statistics to the different sectors of society, and b) elicit cooperation and support of the general public in upgrading the quality and standards of statistics in the country.

The RSCC-XII will spearhead the month-long regional celebration per National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) Memo Circular 01-2011. Government agencies/offices, local government units, the academe and the private sector in the region have lined-up several statistical-related activities to advocate and show support for the month-long celebration.

On the release of the Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP), Ms. Caraan announced that the revised/rebased GRDP estimates are targeted to be released on 29 March 2012. This is due to the amount of work that needs to be done in incorporating the developments in the new set of international statistical standards and guidelines of the updated 1993/2008 System of National Accounts (SNA) and the rebasing of the GRDP from the 1985 base year to 2000. 

Important agreements reached on various issues discussed:

A. On the Generation of Investment Statistics
1) To request investment data directly from the LGUs pending compliance of all LGUs to the Business Permits and Licensing System (BPLS) 

B. On OFW Statistics
1) To request the POEA to segregate OFW data by region and if possible by province/key cities, and to regularly provide said data sets to the RSCC-XII
2) To request the NSO XII to provide the RSCC XII with data from the Survey on Overseas Filipinos and other datasets on OFWs from the Census of Population and Housing as soon as they become available

C. On Job Generation Statistics
1) To inquire from DOLE how data on job generation can be generated for Region XII
2) For the Secretariat to study how data on job generation are estimated at the national level

D. On RSDP 2011-2017
1) To present to the RDC XII the RSDP document as soon as finalized for approval/adoption by all stakeholders in the region

E. On Agricultural Statistics
1) For the BAS XII to provide the RSCC XII with available data on commodity flow
2) For the Secretariat to look into the commodity flow statistics generated by the NSO

F. On the NSM Regional Celebration
1) For the Committee members to submit to the Secretariat their inputs on the proposed program for the NSM Opening Ceremonies as presented by the DSWD-XII as host of the opening program

G. On the Preparation of the Second Regional MDG Progress Report 
1) That the RTWG on MDG Report Preparation will meet on September 22, 2011 to discuss the preparation of the Second Regional MDG Progress Report
2) That MDG focal points at the local level will be invited to participate in the said meeting/workshop