BAGUIO CITY (PIA) -- The Philippine Statistics Authority - Cordillera (PSA-CAR) invites the public to support and participate in the celebration of the 34th National Statistics Month this October.
 
The National Statistics Month serves as a platform for all regions to promote, develop, and deepen the public's understanding of the significance and utility of statistics across various sectors.

This year, focus  is on health with the  theme,  "Accelerating Progress: Promoting Data and Statistics for Healthy Philippines." This  aligns with the Philippines' commitment to addressing health system challenges and fostering a healthier populace.

Lined up activities to  foster awareness and understanding of the critical role data plays in shaping the nation's health and prosperity, include Data Dissemination forum, radio guesting, Statistical Training/Capacity-Building, Statistical Exhibits and among others.

PSA-CAR Information Officer Rick Jason Aquino emphasized the crucial role of accurate data.  "PSA is not just the provider of data; we have partners such as the National Demographic and Health Survey and the Department of Health. They contribute vital health statistics, enabling us to present a comprehensive picture of the health landscape.

According to Aquino, data gathering plays a pivotal role in decision-making processes, from managing health protocols to shaping tourism policies. The statistics help professionals and decision-makers understand prevalent health issues, guiding them in crafting effective strategies for a healthier society.
 

Aquino shared how the PSA disseminates data to the concerned sector and to the public. 

"The programs and activities that we organize are online dissemination forums. It's hard for us to conduct F2F(face to face) dissemination forums, so we use  online live and Zoom meetings  This move ensures that information reach  the public efficiently and safely," Aquino said.

And while the PSA has embraced digitization for outreach, it remains committed to addressing different communities' unique challenges. Aquino stated that "given that only some data are disaggregated to the smallest community, we look forward to aggregating that information for more accuracy and specificity when disseminating data. With digitization, they hope to disseminate and process data faster to catch up to date."
 
The  observance of October as  the National Statistics Month  is  pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 647.  It aims to  promote, enhance, and instill awareness and appreciation of the importance and value of statistics to the different sectors of the society; and  elicit the cooperation and support of the general-public in upgrading the quality and standards of statistics in the country.  (JDP/DEG-PIA CAR/Jackielyn Reyes- SLU Intern)