VOLUME 1 / NO.2
SECOND ISSUE
DECEMBER 2009, MANILA
A PHILIPPINE STATISTICAL ASSOCIATION BI-ANNUAL PUBLICATION
IN THIS ISSUE:
NATIONAL STATISTICS MONTH
TURNS 20
P2
BSP AND DEPED SPONSORS THE 2009
ANNUAL ORATORICAL CONTEST P4
BSP CONDUCTS REGIONAL USERS’
FOR A ON BSP-PRODUCED
STATISTICS
P5
THIRD COUNTRY TRAINING PROGRAM
FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF CAMBODIA
COMPLETED SUCCESSFULLY
P6
PRESENTATION OF SRTC THESIS
FELLOWS AND SCHOLARS
P7
BLES SPONSORS TRAINING ON
STATISTICS FOR POLICY ANALYSIS
FOR DOLE TECHNICAL STAFF
P7
BLES 7TH LABOR STATISTICS
QUIZ
P8
BLES CONDUCTS 2009 LEARNSTAT
SEMINAR FOR LEGISLATIVE
OFFICES
P9
NSCB ISSUES CALL FOR PAPERS FOR
THE 11TH NATIONAL CONVENTION
ON STATISTICS
P10
PSA AND MORES JOINTLY ISSUES
GUIDELINES ON EVALUATION
OPINION POLLS
P11
BAS JOINS WORLD FOOD DAY
CELEBRATION
P12
BAS INTRANET SYSTEM GOES
ONLINE
P12
BAS KEY OFFICIALS ATTEND INTERNATIONAL ENGAGEMENTS
P13
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE
REGIONAL CHAMPIONS FOR THE
18TH PSQ
P14
INSTAT REACHES OUT TO TYPHOON
VICTIMS
P15
INSTAT’S DADDY GROOVY
―RETIRES‖
P16
INSTAT HOSTS 10TH JOINT STUDENTFACULTY CONFERENCE
P17
STATISTICS—MULTI-DISCIPLINARY
PERSPECTIVES ON A ―COOL‖
PROFESSION
P18-20
PSA CONFERS THE 2009 TITO A.
MIJARES LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
TO DR. ISIDRO P. DAVID
P21
WEST VISAYAS STATE UNIVERSITY
CONDUCTS TRAINING IN STATISTICS F
OR GENDER-RESPONSIVE LOCAL
DEVELOPMENT PLANNING
P22
he
Philippine
Statistical Association (PSA) held
its annual conference
this year for two days on
September 24-25, at the
Philippine Social Science
Center.
The
theme, Statistics in a
Multidisciplinary Setting, illustrated the importance of statistics in
various disciplines. The
keynote message was
delivered by Dr. Roberto
S. Mariano (see p.18 for
full transcript) who is
Dean of the School of
Economics as well as Director of the Sim
Kee Boon Institute for Financial Economics of the Singapore Management University and Professor Emeritus of Economics and Statistics of the University of
Pennsylvania. His message set a tone of
high expectations on what the sessions
can offer and instilled pride in the profession among the participants.
keting and Opinion Research Society of
the Philippines (MORES) on Evaluating
Opinion Polls was done with PSA represented by Mr. Tomas P. Africa, Dr. Lisa
Grace S. Bersales and Dr. Emeterio S.
Solivas and MORES represented by Ms.
Carole Sarthou.
Three sessions reflected the recent
advocacies of the PSA - the teaching of
statistics in tertiary education and proper
use of statistics in opinion polling. The
current PSA president, Ms. Nieves L.
Osorio, and the former PSA president,
Dr. Isidoro P. David, discussed PSA’s
advocacies on Statistics Education. A
roundtable discussion to further expound
on the concerns of those teaching statistics especially in the college level was
chaired by Dr. Lisa Grace S. Bersales
and Dr. Emeterio S. Solivas. The soft
launch of PSA’s advocacy with the Mar-
The other sessions included: Business Intelligence, Health and Nutrition
Statistics, Statistics in Risk Management , Statistics in Market Research ,
Statistics in Local Governance. These
sessions were participated in by paper
presenters, discussants, and moderators
representing various institutions from
government, industry, and the academe
nationwide. Around 250 participants attended the conference with 17% from the
private sector, 49% from government,
34% from the academe.
continued on p.2
The PSA Executive Committee with
Dr. Roberto S. Mariano.
1
from p..1
PSA HOLDS ITS 2009 ANNUAL CONFERENCE
he 20th annual observance of the National
Statistics Month (NSM) was held on October
1, 2009, with opening ceremonies at the Armed
Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Commissioned Officers Club, Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon
City. The annual statistical event was spearheaded
by the National Statistical Coordination Board
(NSCB) with the Department of National Defense
(DND) as host, focusing on the security sector with
the theme ―Enhancing Security Sector Statistics for
Good Governance, Peace and Sustainable Development‖ or ―Pagpapahusay ng Estadistika sa Sektor
Panseguridad para sa Mabuting Pamamahala, Kapayapaan at Maipagpapatuloy na Pagpapaunlad‖.
The PSA Annual Conference was well attended with around 250
participants from Cagayan to Iligan.
The sponsors of the conference were: TNS Global
and Home Guaranty Corporation as principal sponsors;
San Miguel Corporation and West Visayas State University as major sponsors; and Globe Telecom, Bureau of
Labor and Employment Statistics, National Statistics Office, Statistical Research and Training Center, U.P. Statistical Center Research Foundation, Inc, National Statistical Coordination Board, Bureau of Agricultural Statistics, Publicus, and Ms. Nieves Osorio as sponsors.
The PSA Annual Conference Committee composed
of Dr. Lisa Grace S. Bersales, Dr. Erniel B. Barrios, Dir.
Estela de Guzman, Ms. Imelda E. de Mesa, Ms. Jessamyn O. Encarnacion, Dir.Teresa V. Peralta, Dr. Emeterio S. Solivas, Dr. Corinne Grace Burgos, and Mr. Raymond Madamba with assistance of Mr. Jikko Mojica of
SRTC and Mr. Gerry Labatorio of NSO. The committee
was ably supported by the Secretariat headed by Ms.
Teresita Abad and the different institutional members in
the preparations and conduct of the conference. The National Statistics Office , Statistical Research Training
Center, U.P. School of Statistics, Bureau of Agricultural
Statistics also provided both staff and equipments as part
of their support. 
(Contributed by Lisa Grace S. Bersales)
2
The keynote speaker during the event was Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro who was represented by Undersecretary Antonio C. Santos, Jr. while NSCB Secretary
General Romulo A. Virola delivered the welcome remarks. Highlights of the program were presentations
on addressing the needs of the security sector by the
DND which included the launching of the NSCB Interagency Committee on Security Sector Statistics (IACSSS), and measuring peace in the community by the
Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP). The IAC-SSS was created to serve as
a forum for the improvement of the security sector
statistics in the country including disaster statistics.
Across the country, various statistical activities
were undertaken during the whole month of October
with the Regional Statistical Coordination Committees (RSCCs), NSCB Regional Divisions, Office of
the Civil Defense (OCD) Regional Offices, National
Statistics Office (NSO) Regional/Provincial Offices,
and National Economic and Development Authority
(NEDA) Regional Offices coordinating with and providing support to other agencies. The OCD was designated as the DND’s focal agency in the regions.
The closing ceremony was hosted by the Bangko
Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) highlighted by the BSP–
Department of Education Oratorical Contest held on
October 28, 2009 at the BSP Assembly Hall, BSP
Three-Storey Building, Malate, Manila, where fourth
year high school student orators in the National Capital Region (NCR) vied for the top prize which was
won by Jordan P. Santos of Rizal National High
School.
NSCB Secretary General Romulo A. Virola delivered his welcome remarks during the opening ceremonies of the 20th NSM held at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City. The NSM is celebrated annually for the purpose of promoting, enhancing and instilling nationwide awareness
and appreciation of the importance and value of statistics and at the same time insuring the
support of the public in improving and enhancing the quality and standards of statistics in the
country.
As part of the observance of the 20th NSM, the winners of the 1st NSM Media Awards and the 19th NSM
Best Activity and Best Region were announced and
awarded during the opening ceremony.
For the 1st NSM Media Awards, the winner was Mr.
Roel L. Landingin of Newsbreak Magazine. Mr. Landingin was awarded for his article "The Hidden Job Crisis"
published in the May-July 2009 issue of the Newsbreak
Magazine. He received a Plaque of Recognition and a
cash prize of P20,000. The Board of Judges for the said
award included Prof. Solita C. Monsod as chair, and Dr.
Vicente B. Valdepeñas,Jr, and Ms. Nieves L. Osorio as
members. The major sponsors were BSP and NSO. The
1st NSM Media Awards was given for the first time this
year by the Philippine Statistical System (PSS) to media
practitioners in recognition of their important role in promoting and communicating statistics and in giving cognizance to its importance in planning and decision making and for the professional handling of statistical information.
For the 19th NSM Best Activity By Category in NCR,
the NSO garnered two awards: 1) Best Statistical Exhibit: ―Statistical Exhibit at SM Supermalls in Metro Manila‖ and 2) the Best Statistical Contest: 2008 NCR Statistical Quiz. The Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS)
received the award as the Best Statistical Forum:
―National Consultation on Livestock and Poultry Data
System and Establishment of Regional L & P Data-
bases‖. The Best Region Award went to Region 1.
The winners in the Best Activity received P10,000
and a Plaque of Recognition each while Region 1
received P20,000 and a Plaque of Recognition as
Best Region. The Board of Judges for the said
awards was composed of Dir. Victoria V. Quimbo
(NEDA) as chair with Ms. Taciana C. Valdellon
(BAS), Ms. Asuncion M. Gavilla (BLES), Ms. Gina
A. Perido (NSO), and Ms. Anne L. Sevilla (DTI) as
members.
The NSM Awards System has been instituted to
give due recognition to the outstanding participation of institutions in the NSM celebration. It is also
a means of acknowledging the participation of individuals and agencies in the observance of NSM. At
the same time, it promotes the conduct of activities
that further the objectives and spirit of this annual
statistical event. 
(Contributed by Ruben V. Litan)
The PSA Editions is the official newsletter
of the Philippine Statistical Association, Inc.
PSA Publications Committee
Chairperson - Josie Perez
Co-chairperson - Dr. Lisa Grace Bersales
TPS Editor - Dr. Dalisay Maligalig
PSA Editions Editor - Charissa Castillo
Book Review Editor - Dr. Dalisay Maligalig
Website Administrator - Winecito Tan
2/F Philippine Social Science Center
Commonwealth Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City
Contact person: Jennifer Castillo,
Stephanie Rae Andres
Telephone: (632) 920-6513
Fax: (632) 456-1928
Email: psa.sec@gmail.com,
3
o celebrate the 20th National Statistics Month (NSM), the Bangko Sentral
ng Pilipinas (BSP) together with the
Department of Education (DepEd) jointly
sponsored the Annual Oratorical Contest for
the National Capital Region (NCR) on October
28, 2009 at the BSP Assembly Hall. The affair was made even more eventful as it coincided with the closing ceremony of the NSM.
From left, BSP Deputy Governor Diwa C. Guinigundo, DepED Assistant Secretary Teresita G. Inciong, Maribel D. Dulay (trainer of second prize winner), Rhowell V. Vargas
(second prize winner), Jordan P. Santos (first prize winner), Ma. Teresita E. Herrera
(trainer of first prize winner), Mark Justine E. Aguillon (third prize winner), Mrs. Aileen
Alejo (trainer of third prize winner), and BSP Monetary Board Member Alfredo C. Antonio
This year’s oratorical pieces were delivered
in Filipino with the NSM theme Pagpapahusay ng Estadistika sa Sektor Panseguridad Para sa Mabuting Pamamahala, Kapayapaan at Maipagpapatuloy na Pagpapaunlad. The objectives of this activity are: 1)
to promote, enhance and instill nationwide
awareness and appreciation of the importance
and value of statistics to the different sectors
of society; and 2) to elicit the cooperation and
support of the public in upgrading the quality
and standards of statistics in the country.
There were 16 finalists representing 15 division winners and one regional high school winner. The contenders came from the following schools: Bagumbayan National High School, Canumay National High
School, City of Mandaluyong Science High School, Commonwealth High School, Concepcion Integrated
School, Las Piñas East National High School, Makati High School, Malabon National High School, Manila
Science High School, Manuel L. Quezon High School, Muntinlupa National High School, Parañaque National High School, Quezon City Science High School, Rizal High School, San Juan National High School
and Southeastern College.
The top spot was bagged by Mr. Jordan P. Santos who hails from the Rizal High School. The second
place was awarded to Ms. Rhowell V. Vargas of Makati High School, while the third place went to Mr. Mark
Justine E. Aguillon of Manuel L. Quezon High School.
Since 1996, the contest has served as an avenue to promote awareness of statistics among public and
private high school students. Senior high school student contestants deliver oratorical pieces highlighting
the importance of statistics by applying this to the specific theme for the annual NSM. This year’s contest
was as challenging as the previous ones, with the finalists exhibiting the same vigor and verve, excellence
in speech and articulation, clarity and objectivity in discussing the use and significance of statistics in the
security sector.
A cash prize of P25,000 was awarded to the first place winner, while the second and third place winners
received P20,000 and P15,000, respectively. Trainers of the winners got 30 percent of the total cash prize
of the winners. Trophies were also awarded to the three winners and their schools. 
(Contributed by Winecito L. Tan)
4
he Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) held its 8th
Regional Users’ Fora on BSP-Produced Statistics in
Tuguegarao City and Dagupan City on November
13 November 26, 2009, respectively. These fora are
part of the BSP activities in celebration of the 20th National
Statistics Month (NSM) in October but due to the recent
weather disruptions, the Regional Users’ Fora were postponed from the original schedule of October 9 and October
23, 2009 for Tuguegarao City and Dagupan City, respectively.
Representatives from the academe, government
agencies, banking community, business sector, as well as
members of the media have been invited to attend the fo- Conduct of the Regional Users’ Forum on BSP-Produced Statistics held at
rum. The resource speakers, who are staff members of the the BSP Tuguegarao Branch, Tuguegarao, Cagayan on November 13, 2009.
BSP Department of Economic Statistics (DES), discussed
several topics such as the flow of funds, monetary and financial statistics, balance of payments, expectations
surveys and regional economic developments. An open forum followed the presentations.
The conduct of Regional Users’ Fora is part of BSP’s advocacy to inform the public and enhance their appreciation of BSP-produced statistics and their uses. Thus far, the BSP has conducted 19 Regional Users’ Fora
in the country since 2002. 
(Contributed by Winecito L. Tan)
Invitation to the Activities of the U.P. School of Statistics
Alumni Association in December 2009
Deputy Commissioner Lilia Catris-Guillermo , of the Bureau of Internal Revenue and current President of the U.P.
School of Statistics Alumni Association, Inc.(UPSSAAI), has continued the leadership thrust of former alumni
president, NSO Administrator Camelita Nuguid-Ericta, to provide alumni support for the U.P. School of Statistics
(UPSS). The UPSSAAI has been actively soliciting donations from the alumni of the School of Statistics (formerly
The Statistical Center) to fund their various projects for the UPSS. Together with the earnings from the film showing of the movie UP, these alumni funds have been allotted for the landscaping of the UPSS grounds.
Alumni are invited to attend the following activities of the UPSSAI and the UPSS in December:
December 9 – 10
Seminar on Applied Time Series Analysis and Forecasting
December 10, 6 p.m. Alumni Christmas Party and Reunion
Inauguration of landscaping project of UPSS grounds
December 11 Professorial Chair Lectures in Honor of Prof. Angeles R. Buenaventura
For more information regarding the events please contact Nancy P. Angala at telephone number 9280881.
5
he Statistical Research and Training
Center (SRTC) has successfully completed the implementation of Phases 1
and 2 of the Third Country Training Program (TCTP) for Strengthening Policy, Research
and Statistics Capacity for the Economic and
Public Finance Policy Department (EPFPD) of the
Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) of the
Royal Government of Cambodia. The TCTP,
jointly organized with JICA Philippines Office,
commenced on July 13, 2009 and culminated on
October 30, 2009. . Phase 1 consisted of 5 training courses conducted from July 13 to August 14,
2009 while Phase 2 had 3 training courses held
on October 12 – 30, 2009.
The opening ceremony for Phase 1 was held
on July 13, at the Richmonde Hotel, with the Ambassador of the Royal Government of Cambodia
His Excellency In May, Chief Representative of
JICA Philippines Office Hon. Norio Matsuda, and
National Economic and Development Authority
(NEDA) Deputy Director General (DDG) Nestor
Mijares as guests. Also present were the resource persons of the 5-week course, Philippine
Statistical Association (PSA) President Nieves
Osorio, Dr. Lisa Grace Bersales and Mr. Benjie
Turiano. The closing program was held at the
SRTC with JICA Philippines Office Senior Representative Kenzo Iwakami, Minister Counsellor of
the Royal Embassy of Cambodia Tith Sarunreth,
and NEDA DDG Rolando Tungpalan as guests.
Impressions from the participants were given by
Hap Chanthea of EPFPD-MEF and Som Nita of
National Bank of Cambodia, following the impressions of the resource persons.
For Phase 2, the SRTC hosted both the
opening and closing ceremonies. The closing program was graced by the Secretary-General of the
Ministry of Economy and Finance His Excellency
Hang Chuon Naron, Ambassador of the Royal
Government of Cambodia His Excellency In Mãy,
Senior Representative of JICA Philippines Office
Kenzo Iwakami, and NEDA DDG Margarita
Songco. The impressions from participants were
given by Mr. Khim Sophea and Ms. Kim Dora,
6
PSA President Nieves Osorio addressing the participants of the Third Country Training Program (TCTP) for Strengthening Policy, Research and Statistics Capacity from
the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) of the Royal Government of Cambodia.
both from the Ministry of Economy and Finance,
while the impressions of the resource persons were
given by PSA President Nieves Osorio and Dr. Lisa
Grace Bersales.
The training program aimed to enhance the capability of EPFPD of Cambodia in undertaking and
implementing quality policy advice, analysis and
research, and preparing quality statistical outputs. It
focused on: (i) statistics and econometrics; and (ii)
macroeconomic analysis and fiscal and budget policies. 
(Contributed by Ana Julia J. Macaraig)
he presentation of outputs of the
Statistical Research and Training
Center (SRTC) Thesis Fellows and
Scholars from the Re-engineering the
Government Statistical Services Project –
Phase II was held on September 2, 2009 at
the SRTC Rizal Conference Room in Diliman, Quezon City. The activity is in consonance with the objective of disseminating
relevant and significant statistical research
outputs and raise awareness on the various
activities undertaken by SRTC to promote
and enhance statistical researches in the
Philippine Statistical System (PSS). Dr.
Romula A. Virola, Secretary-General of the
National Statistical Coordination Board gave
his opening remarks emphasizing the importance of institutionalizing these SRTC
research outputs.
Four research papers were presented in
the symposium namely: (i) Testing for the
Presence of Structural Change and Spatial
Heterogeneity in a Spatial-Temporal Model
by Ms. Ruby Ann C. Lemence of the Institute for Development and Econometric
Analysis, Inc.; (ii) Estimating a Panel Model
with Structural Change and Panel Heterogeneity by Ms. Sarah B. Balagbis of the Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of
Technology; (iii) Comparison of Some Estimation Procedures in Surveys of Skewed
Population by Ms. Maria Praxedes O.
Reyes of SRTC; and (iv) Comparison of
Different Methods of Constructing Housing
Start Index in the Philippines by Ms. Felicidad S. Hebron of the National Statistics Office (NSO).
Among the participants and critics are Dr.
Erniel B. Barrios, Dean of the UP School of
Statistics; Ms. Carmelita N. Ericta, Administrator of NSO; Mrs. Nelia R. Marquez, former Deputy Administrator of NSO; and Ms.
Jeannette E. Cruz, Director of the Housing
Urban and Development Coordinating
Council. The activity ended with closing remarks from SRTC Executive Director Gervacio G. Selda, Jr. 
(Contributed by Ana Julia J. Macaraig)
Participants’ class picture with Ms. Pinky Reyes, Training Coordinator and Lecturer from
SRTC, Professor Josie Almeda of UPSS, Ms. Chona Guatlo, Training Division Chief of SRTC
(front row, 3rd – 5th from left, respectively).
he Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics sponsored a five-day “Training on Statistics for Policy Analysis” for DOLE’s Data Quality Assessment System
(DQAS) Focal Persons at the Statistical Research and
Training Center (SRTC) from September 28, to October 2,
2009. The training is part of the capacity building plan of the
DQAS project aimed at equipping the participants with an understanding of the importance of statistical information/
indicators on policy analysis and the need to ensure the quality
of data generated especially those sourced from administrative
records. It likewise formed part of the Bureau’s contributions
to the celebration of the 20th National Statistics Month.
Participants came from the DOLE’s different bureaus and
attached agencies, mostly involved in DQAS and BLES’ technical staff assigned to provide assistance to said agencies on
matters regarding DQAS. Resource persons of the training
consisted of National Economic and Development Authority
(NEDA) Deputy Director General Nestor Mijares, former National Statistics Office (NSO) Deputy Administrator and DQAS
Consultant Nelia Marquez, Professors Josie Almeda and
Genelyn Ma. Sarte of the UP School of Statistics (UPSS), and
Ms. Pinky Reyes of SRTC.
The training course is a regular offering of SRTC that was
redesigned to accommodate the Department’s specific needs,
i.e., having additional sessions on validation procedures and
processing of administrative reports, a refresher on DQAS and
a lecture on classification standards (on industry, occupation
and geographic classifications). 
(Contributed by Theresita Pangan)
7
Winners of the contest were Misses Cyre M.
Cabredo and Joyce Ann O. Dela Cruz of the
Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC),
Champion; Misses Katherine Amor M. Aguilar
and Gloria G. Oracoy of Technical Education
and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), 1st
runner-up; and Misses Claudine B. Rodriguez
and Rosemarie E. Pajares of the Employees’
Compensation Commission (ECC), 2nd runnerup. Ms. Elvira M. Prudencio and Mr. Carlos
Romulo T. Reyes of the National Wages and
Productivity Commission (NWPC) took the 3rd
runner-up place after a tie-breaking round with
ECC. The 4th runner-up were Ms. Mila H.
Bautista and Susan S. Abadilla of the Human
Assistant Secretary Rebecca J. Calzado delivering a message from DOLE Secretary Marianito D. Roque and greeted the audience with a ―good, lively and purple-colored afternoon.‖
Resource Development Service (HRDS), one of
the crowd’s favorite as they were relatively new
participants, only on their second year in the
ubbed as ―the day the Department of Labor LSQ, and already making it to the finals round. They
and Employment (DOLE) turned purple,‖ the were even at the head of the pack during the eliminaBureau of Labor and Employment Statistics tions round.
(BLES) conducted the 7th Labor Statistics Quiz (LSQ)
The winners were awarded with certificates and
for DOLE technical employees at the Ople Hall, 2nd
cash prizes of P15,000, P12,000 and P10,000 for the
Floor DOLE Executive Building, Intramuros, Manila on
major prizes and P7,500 and P5,000 for the minor
October 29, 2009. The contest is one of the Bureau’s
awards. Other contestants were also given consolation
th
contributions to the celebration of the 20 National
prizes of P1,500 per agency team. All the contestants,
Statistics Month aimed at promoting awareness and
their coaches and heads of agencies were given purple
understanding of labor, employment and related stat-shirts exclusively printed with the 7th LSQ logo.
tistics among DOLE personnel. Participants came
from 18 different services, bureaus and attached
agencies of the Department.
As the contest is on its seventh year, some of the
contestants have competed in the LSQ for several
years now. DOLE Assistant Secretary Rebecca Calzado, in her message, referred to these contestants
as already ―experts‖ in labor and employment statistics. She urged these ―experts‖ to help promote statistics not only in their respective agencies but to their
clients as well. She added that since they were the
frontliners in their agencies for statistical matters/
concerns, they should form the core group of the Department, together with BLES, being the DOLE’s inhouse experts, to address these concerns. In the long
run, the LSQ goes beyond increasing awareness but
making the contestants put this awareness into practical use.
8
The Board of judges with the 2009 LSQ Champions from the OSHC. From L-R: Ms.
Joyce dela Cruz (OSHC), Ms. Norma del Rosario (OWWA), Ms. Violeta Illescas
(FMS), Ms. Angelita Fernando (PS), Ms. Carol Julve (HRDS), BLES OIC-Director
Teresa Peralta and Ms. Cyre Cabredo (OSHC). Mr. Alex Meriño, the affair’s emcee,
on the background.
The Board of Judges, headed
by BLES OIC Director Teresa V.
Peralta consisted of officials from
other DOLE agencies namely, Dir.
Violeta Illescas of the Financial
and Management Service (FMS),
OIC-Director Norma del Rosario of
the Welfare Services Office of the
OWWA, Ms. Carolina Julve of the
HRDS and Ms. Angelita Fernando
of DOLE’s Planning Service (PS).
The contest’s quizmaster was Ms. Marissa Ong while the emcee was Mr. Alex
Meriño. Intermission numbers and the
singing of the national anthem were rendered by the DOLE Chorale headed by
Choir Master Chris Añago. The entire activity was put together/coordinated by the
BLES Statistics Support Group headed by
Ms. Remedios Baes with the supervision
of Ms. Rosario Fajardo. 
(Contributed by Theresita Pangan)
BLES OIC-Director Teresa V. Peralta thanking the participants,
judges and audience for participating/taking the time out to witness
the contest. She also informed the group of the Bureau’s plan to
hold a separate LSQ competition for heads of DOLE agencies in
he Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics conducted a half day seminar entitled
“Learning
Statistics
the
Easy
Way” (LearnStat) on October 15, 2009 at the
Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Executive Building, Intramuros, Manila. This learning
module on the Labor Force Survey explains the basic
concepts, definitions and measurements of the Labor Force Survey (LFS) – the country’s major source of
labor market information.
The session was attended by the technical staff of the labor and employment committee of the House of
Representatives, planning offices of the Senate and the House of Representatives, selected partylist members, the technical staff of DOLE’s top management; and new staff of BLES.
DOLE Assistant Secretary Rebecca J. Calzado welcomed the participants to the seminar. She said that
understanding labor force nomenclatures and components, knowing how it is measured, being aware of its
data limitations and being able to interpret the data correctly will enable the participants to provide adequate
technical support to their principals or superiors. She also said that during budget hearings, lawmakers ask
about the labor force survey and statistics. Their work and that of the DOLE will be facilitated if both institutions have a common understanding of the labor force concepts and its data.
The Overview on Labor Statistics Framework, Labor Force Survey and Frequently Asked Questions
were discussed by Chief Labor Employment Officer (LEO) Editha B. Rivera, Chief LEO Manuel L. Laopao
and OIC Director Teresa V. Peralta of BLES, respectively. 
(Contributed by Anabelle Riego de Dios)
9
In October 2010, the Philippine Statistical System
(PSS) will hold the 11th National Convention on Statistics (NCS) as part of its continuing commitment
and advocacy in making statistics a relevant and vital
tool in policy and decision-making towards the sustainable development of our nation. The objective of
the forum is to bring together statistical practitioners
and data users to discuss recent theoretical developments in statistics that would address our country’s
new and emerging needs as well as come up with
ideas towards the improvement of sectoral statistics.
Furthermore, it will serve as a venue to recommend
ways to further enhance the work of the PSS and a
means to build statistical capacities of the public and
private sectors. The convention is a good opportunity for statistics professionals in the public, private,
and academe, as well as other practitioners, students
and interested individuals, to share and communicate
the results of their statistical researches, case studies, and/or experiences.
The two-day convention will feature a plenary
session, paper presentations on theoretical and practical applications of statistics, poster sessions, and a
commercial exhibit on latest statistical products and
services. It will also coincide with the 21st National
Statistics Month celebration, the hosting of the Third
International Forum on Gender Statistics, and the
Meeting of the Interagency and Expert Group on
Gender Statistics (IAEG-GS) coordinated by the
United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD).
The PSS is now inviting interested presenters to
submit papers on the following topics initially identified to accommodate the diverse interests of the prospective contributors and participants:
1. New Developments in Statistical Theory and
Methodology
1.1 Survey Design
10
1.2 Econometrics and Statistical Applications
1.3 Statistical Theory
1.4 Statistical Computing Techniques and Pro
cedures
1.5 Statistical Models for Data Analysis
1.6 Statistical Quality Control
2. Statistical Coordination and Capacity Building in
Statistics
2.1 Best practices in statistical coordination at
the national and sub-national levels
2.2 Statistical coordination experiences at the
international level
2.3 Trends in Building Capacities on Statistics
2.4 Contribution of statistical agencies in developing statistical literacy
2.5 Contribution of the private sector and academe in statistical development
3. Statistical Information Communication and Advo
cacy
3.1 Access to Statistical information
3.2 Innovations in Data Sharing
3.3 Tools on Statistical Communication and Advocacy
4.
Developments in Sectoral Statistics to Address
New and Emerging Needs
4.1 Economic Sector Statistics
4.1.1 Economic Accounts
4.1.2 Agriculture and Rural Sector Statistics
4.1.3 New Trends in Environment and Natural Resource Statistics
4.1.4 Developments in Price Statistics
4.1.5 Banking and Finance Statistics
4.1.6 Statistical Applications in Insurance,
Financial Risk Management, Advertising, Opinion Polls
4.1.7 Innovations in Science and Technol-
4.1.7 Innovations in Science and Technology
Statistics
4.1.8 Trade and Industry Statistics
4.1.9 New Developments in Tourism Statistics
4.1.10 Issues in Energy Statistics
4.1.11 ICT Statistics and Applications
4.1.12 Informal Sector Statistics
4.2 Social Sector Statistics
4.2.1 Measuring Progress of Societies
4.2.2 Poverty Statistics
4.2.3 Education Statistics
4.2.4 Demographic statistics
4.2.5 Health and Nutrition Statistics
4.2.6 Improving Gender Statistics
4.2.7 Current trends in Statistics on Labor
4.2.8 Civil Registration Statistics
4.2.9 Peace and Security Sector Statistics
4.2.10 Current Statistics on Human Rights
4.2.11 Housing and Urban Poor Statistics
4.3 Multi-sectoral Statistics
4.3.1 Updates in Millennium Development
Goals
4.3.2 Governance statistics
4.3.3 Market Research
4.3.4 Biostatistics and Clinical Research
4.3.5 Election Statistics
Prospective presenters/writers must submit the accomplished application form (11th NCS Form No.1
downloadable from the NCS web page) along with the
title and abstract of the paper not later than December
29, 2009. Notice of acceptance will be sent to the authors on or before February 26, 2010.
For more information regarding guidelines on the
sessions, topics, and the format of the papers please
visit the NCS web page (http://www.nscb.gov.ph/ncs)
or contact Ms. Millicent Gay B. Tejada or Ms. Jayne A.
Monteza at telephone numbers (632) 890-9404 and
(632) 895-2436 or email: mgb.tejada@nscb.gov.ph or
ja.monteza@nscb.gov.ph.
he Philippine Statistical Association (PSA) is partnering
with the Marketing and Opinion Research Society of the
Philippines (MORES) in issuing guidelines on evaluating
opinion polls. The guidelines aim to help the public scrutinize
the results of various opinion polls and focus on the following
questions:

Who conducted the opinion poll?

Who sponsored the opinion poll?

Who and how many were interviewed?

How and when were the data collected?

What and how were the questions asked?

How were the data analyzed?
The soft launch of the advocacy was on September 25, 2009 during the 2009 PSA Annual Conference. The
advocacy was also presented at the MORES General Assembly on October 21 with Mr. Tomas P. Africa
and Dr. Emeterio S. Solivas representing PSA and Ms. Carole Sarthou with Ms. Issa Baron representing
MORES and at the Publicus Campaigns 2010 Forum on October 22 with Dr. Lisa Grace S. Bersales representing PSA and Ms. Carole Sarthou with Ms. Issa Baron representing MORES. 
(Contributed by Lisa Grace S. Bersales)
11
In observance of the
annual celebration of
the World Food Day
in the Philippines,
the Department of
Agriculture (DA) and
the Food and Agriculture
Organization
(FAO) held simple rites on October 16, 2009 at the
Bureau of Soils and Water Management Convention
Hall. This year’s celebration centered on a timely and
relevant theme ―Achieving food security in times of
crisis‖. The activity was led by Secretary Arthur C. Yap
and participated in by ten (10) representatives each
from the DA bureaus and attached agencies.
The 2009 World Food Day Pledge reads . . . ―of
commitment of the men and women of the Department of Agriculture, other stakeholders and development partners to “Achieving food security in times of
crisis‖ (Lifted from the Pledge)
Now, more than ever, the Philippines, along with
other countries, is faced with the huge challenge of
feeding its growing population – against the backdrop
of shrinking farm and fishery resources, rising production costs, adverse effects of climate change and a liberalized global trading system.
As the DA Family, stakeholders and partners observe World Food Day, we are once again reminded to
do our share in uplifting the miserable condition of the
world’s poor, hungry and food-insecure, including our
countrymen.
Hence, we, the men and women of the Department
of Agriculture family – along with other fishery industry
stakeholders and development partners – hereby
pledge to lend our hand to the global movement to
achieving food security and sufficiency in these precarious times for the welfare of all, most particularly the
underprivileged and marginalized among us.
We therefore commit ourselves – our time, skills
and resources – to pursuing a more productive, profitable and sustainable agri-fishery sector by efficiently
implementing President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s
centerpiece food security program, aptly called
FIELDS, which stands for Fertilizers; Irrigation and
other infrastructure; Extension and training; Loans and
insurance; Dryers and other post-harvest facilities; and
Seeds and other genetic materials.
he Bureau of Agricultural Statistics Intranet System (BASIS) is an internal network that uses Internet
protocols to securely share any part of the Bureau’s information or operational systems within the organization. It was developed in 2008 by the Information Dissemination Services Section (IDSS) as
an Intranet-based website accessible only to the
employees of the Bureau nationwide. BASIS is envisioned to be a key tool in allowing employees to
communicate and to share information and more
importantly to be informed of the Bureau’s activities
across the country.
BASIS is now online and is accessible to users
with membership accounts through the URL http://
basis.bas.gov.ph. The officials and members of
technical working groups and task forces are preregistered with unique usernames and passwords.
The usage of the system will be monitored by IDSS
so it will not affect the performance of other websites in the server. 
(Contributed by Eppie C. Gonzales)
12
other infrastructure; Extension and training; Loans and and their family the promise of a better tomorrow.
insurance; Dryers and other post-harvest facilities;
May sapat tayong kakayahan, kagamitan, talino at
and Seeds and other genetic materials.
determinasyon upang tuluyan nating makamit and
Through FIELDS, we aim to produce more food minimithing sapat at abot-kayang pagkain para sa laand raise rural incomes, and thus contribute our share hat.
to fulfilling the Millenium Development Goal of reducKaya naman, lalo pa naming paghuhusayin ang
ing hunger and poverty by half, six years from now or aming pagsisilbi sa sambayanan upang maibsan ang
in 2015.
kahirapan at kagutuman sa bansa.
We likewise pledge to continuously assist and emSa adhikaing ito, nawa’y patuloy tayong patnubapower small farmers, fishers and other ruralfolk par- yan ng Poong Maykapal!
ticularly those who were recently affected by typhoons
Ondoy and Pepeng – to enable them to increase their
(Contributed by Eppie C. Gonzales)
productivity and income, and secure for themselves
and their family the promise of a better tomorrow.
ureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) Director Romeo S. Recide participated in two major international
meetings/workshops during the third quarter of 2009. First, the international Statistical Institute (ISI)
Satellite Meeting on Agricultural Statistics which gathered experts from International Organizations, National Statistical Offices and Ministries of Agriculture to discuss the key elements of a Strategic Plan to Improve
Agricultural and Rural Statistics. The meeting was hosted by the National Statistical Office of Mozambique and
was organized in cooperation with the African Development Bank, the Statistical Office of the European Communities (Eurostat), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Partnership in Statistics
for Development in the 21st Century (PARIS21), the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), the United
States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the World Bank (WB).
The meeting was held on August 13-14, 2009 in Maputo, Mozambique followed by the 57th Session of the
ISI in Durban, south Africa from August 16-22, 2009.
A workshop on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Food Security Information System held
on September 8-19, 2009 in Kuming, Yunnan, China was also attended by Director Recide, Regional Agricultural Statistics Officer (RASO) Henry S. Soriano of Davao Region and Provincial Agricultural Statistics Officer
(PASO) Ma. Nene P. Arejola of Camarines Sur.
On September 7-11, 2009, BAS Assistant Director Maura S. Lizarondo attended the ―Expert Consultation on
Statistics in Support of Policies to Empower Small Farmers‖ in Bangkok, Thailand.
The consultation which was funded by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has the following objectives: 1) to contribute to the improvement of agricultural statistics to better assist decision-makers to formulate
sound policies to support small farmers in the Asia and Pacific Region; 2) to discuss approaches to data collection and types of information that better suit current data needs of policy-makers in the context of a changing
world economy; and 3) to advise FAO on the development of capacity building and technical assistance programs in the future years with the view of improving statistics in support of policies to empower small farmers.
The Assistant Director presented two (2) papers, the first one was about the mechanisms used by the agricultural statistical system in addressing the changing and expanding needs of its clients and stakeholders. The
Bureau’s ongoing activities such as the Barangay Agricultural Profiling Survey, Production and Marketing Analysis Service, Provincial Agricultural Profile and past activities such as Farm Recording Project and Community
Level Statistical Information System were briefly discussed. The second paper focused on the country’s agricultural marketing information system (AGMARIS).
The main outputs of the consultation were shared with the BAS staff. 
(Contributed by Hazel Ann L. Alforja)
13
Regional championships for the 2009 Philippine Statistics Quiz (18th PSQ) were simultaneously held on
November 12, 2009 all over the country spearheaded by the PSQ Regional Steering Committees with the support of local officials, government agencies and private institutions. First-time freshmen representing various
colleges and universities, both public and private, and who are Filipino citizens participated in the contest.
The regional champion, who has met the required cut-off cumulative score set forth in the contest mechanics, will be the official representative of the region to the 18th PSQ National Finals which will be held on December 4, 2009 at the Social Security System Auditorium in Quezon City.
The seventeen (17) young statistics whizzes that will be competing in three rounds of questions on statistical theories and problems are as follows:
th
2009 (18 ) PSQ REGIONAL CHAMPIONS
REGION
NAME OF CHAMPION
COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY
COURSE
NCR
Michael Van B. Supranes
17
University of the PhilippinesDiliman
BS Statistics
CAR
John Ericson L. Millano
17
St. Louis University
BS Electronics and
Communication
Engineering
I
Aldrin N. Soriano
17
Don Mariano Marcos Memorial
State University - La Union
Campus
BS Electrical
Engineering
II
Dianne D. Razalan
16
Nueva Vizcaya State University
BS Mathematics
III
Gerald F. de Belen
16
Bulacan State University
BS Math Major in
Applied Statistics
IV-A
Roy B. Latayan
16
Batangas State University
B.S. General
Engineering
IV-B
Marc Paulo M. Malco
17
Marinduque State College
BS Electronics and
Communication
Engineering
V
Bennyvic Joyce J. Esguerra
17
Camarines Sur Polytechnic
Colleges
BS Electronics and
Communication
Engineering
VI
Maja Sefra M. Peralta
16
University of the PhilippinesVisayas
BS Applied
Mathematics
VII
Kevin Clyde Y. Chu
17
University of San Carlos
BS Computer
Science
VIII
Mark Jeffrey S. Diaz
16
University of the Philippines Tacloban
BS Computer
Science
IX
Abdel Aziz A. Alfad
16
Ateneo de Zamboanga University
BS Mathematical
Sciences
X
Gratz Dale Noel G. Redoble
17
Xavier University-Ateneo de
Cagayan
BS Electrical
Engineering
XI
Kriza Fave A. Calumba
17
University of the PhilippinesMindanao
BS Food
Technology
XII
Emelou L. Maning
16
University of Southern MindanaoKabacan, Cotabato
BS Electronics and
Communication
Engineering
17
Northern Mindanao State Institute
of Science and Technology
BS Geodetic
Engineering
16
Mindanao State University-Marawi BS Statistics
CARAGA Jesiree L. Serviano
ARMM
14
AGE
Reanne Len C. Arlan
Regional champions as well as their respective coaches, except the National Capital Region, shall be provided with roundtrip fares. Modest accommodation and allowances while in Manila shall also be provided to all
the 17 contestants and their coaches for the duration of the competition.
Each regional champion who qualifies as national finalist will be awarded with a PSQ medal and a certificate of recognition. Their respective coaches, the college or university where the regional champions are currently enrolled, as well as the high school where they graduated from will also be given certificates of recognition. Cash prizes, trophies and several gift items from various sponsors and donors are at stake for the top five
winners of the PSQ national finals.
Last year, sixteen-year-old Roy Christopher K. Ang, a freshman Medical Laboratory Science student from
the Saint Louis University, Baguio City bagged the 17th PSQ National Finals. Mr. Ang was awarded a cash
prize of P25,000 and a specially designed trophy, among others. His coach, Nora S. Umalla was also given a
certificate of recognition and P12,500 cash reward.
The PSQ aims to assess the competency and skills of college freshmen in statistics as acquired from high
school. The NSO and the Philippine Statistical Association have been conducting the yearly undertaking since
1992 to promote public awareness and appreciation of statistics. The Commission on Higher Education has
endorsed the annual competition since 1994.
(NSO Press Release No. 2009-112 reprinted from the NSO webpage, http://www.census.gov.ph/data/pressrelease/2009/
pr09112tx.html)
he University of the Philippines Los Baños,
in cooperation with ABS-CBN’s Sagip Kapamilya, helped re-pack relief goods for victims
in Laguna severely affected by tropical storm
―Ondoy‖ and typhoon ―Pepeng‖ last October 2009.
The relief operation was headed by the University in which several units, including the Institute of
Statistics (INSTAT), and neighboring secondary
schools participated. The Student Welfare and Socials Committee along with other faculty and staff of
INSTAT spent hours repacking goods last October
9, 2009 at the Agricultural Credit and Cooperative
Institute (ACCI) auditorium. The re-packed goods
included clothes, canned goods, noodles, water and
rice. These were distributed in different areas in
Laguna such as Bay, Biñan, Cabuyao, Los Baños,
Sta. Cruz and Sta. Rosa.  (Contributed by Jennifer C.
Sotto)
15
t the UPLB Institute of Statistics (INSTAT), the acronym TSS
doesn’t just stand for Total Sum of Squares. It refers to one
of the institute’s youngest (at-heart) and coolest professors.
Dr. Emeterio ―Terry‖ S. Solivas (or TSS, not ESS) was INSTAT’s
director until his 65th birthday last September 6, 2009. This article
pays homage to INSTAT’s Daddy Groovy, as he is fondly called, for
his invaluable service and loyalty to the Institute (and its predecessors), the University, and the Philippine Statistical System.
Why do we call him Daddy Groovy? DADDY because he is both
a doting and devoted father to everyone in INSTAT. GROOVY on
the other hand is an acronym for his many pleasing characteristics.
G is for generous. Daddy Groovy is very generous, both materially
and more appreciatively in giving his time to his advisees, colleagues and students to listen to their academic and even personal
concerns. He gives personal advice and imparts wisdom that can
only come from seasoned persons like him. R is for respectable.
Without a doubt, TSS is respected everywhere and people around
him listen and heed his advice, professional or otherwise. O is for
OA and okay in delivering his lectures. He would go beyond the
usual gimmicks inside the classroom to prove a point so that students will definitely understand and remember the lesson. These
OA antics sometimes include jokes, hip-grinding and arm stretching
exercises. On-time or prompt. Sir Terry is always on-time with his
appointments. He is rarely late in his meetings and even out-oftown trips or official travels. V for his voluminous at heart. Sir Terry
indeed is kind-hearted. Proof of this is his active membership in a
Catholic organization. He is also known for firmly but gently implementing policies. Last but definitely not the least of his characteristics, TSS is Youthful. He is both young at heart and young-looking.
He understands and is in tune the students’ ways of thinking.
TSS has been very loyal to the University of the Philippines Los
Baños where he obtained his BS, MS and Ph. D in Statistics. He
worked in several agencies for over 10 years before turning around
to serve his alma mater. From then on, he never left and has
worked at the University for more than 20 years. After numerous
professorial chairs, awards, and administrative positions, graduated
advisees, he was supposed to retire last September 6, 2009. But
due to persistent requests, he has accepted a teaching position at
INSTAT as a Professorial Lecturer.
Although TSS has realized many accomplishments which he
will savor when he decides to finally part ways with the institute,
and enjoy being a full-time Granddaddy Groovy, for now, INSTAT is
truly grateful that he has decided to stay on, and strive with us to
become a Center of Excellence in Statistics. 
(Contributed by Rose Imee Zhella A. Morantte and Liza N. Comia)
16
he U.P. Los Baños Institute of Statistics
(INSTAT) hosted the 10th Joint Student-Faculty
Conference (SFCon) last November 23, 2009.
The conference with the theme, ―Statistics: Beyond Borders‖ was organized in cooperation with the U.P. Diliman School of Statistics (UPSS) and the Statistical Research and Training Center (SRTC).
SFCon is an annual gathering of students and faculty from various universities with the objective of showcasing their research activities in statistics. Oral presentations of over thirty scientific papers both by undergraduate and graduate students from INSTAT, UPSS,
Central Luzon State University (CLSU) and Ateneo de
Manila University (ADMU) were conducted. Around 270
participants were present at the conference.
In line with the theme, the conference showcased
the applications of Statistics in the field of economics,
finance, environmental sciences, health and social sciences. The plenary sessions held at the College of Arts
and Sciences (CAS) Auditorium included lectures by Dr.
Emetrio S. Solivas and Dr. Consorcia E. Reaño. Dr.
Solivas talked about the use of statistics in modeling for
project impact assessment while Dr. Reaño discussed
the role of statistics in plant breeding. Parallel sessions
were held in the afternoon at the CAS Annex 2, UPLB.
Pre-judging of competing papers was done last
November 20, 2009 with Dr. Isidoro P. David of the
Philippine Statistical Association (PSA), Dir. Teresita
B. de Vesa of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and
Dir. Romeo S. Recide of Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) as judges. The winners in the undergraduate category were Jessieryll C. Delfino, 1st prize, Peter Julian A. Cayton, 2nd prize and Kimberly Noelle I.
Bucao, 3rd prize. The sole winner in the graduate
category was Anna Lou Abatayo. Delfino and Bucao
from INSTAT presented their individual research on
survival of breast and lung cancer patients and sensitivity and specificity of rapid diagnostic test for Malaria
parasites, correspondingly while Cayton and Abatayo
from UPSS measured the dollar exchange value at
risk and identified the effects of information arrival on
volatility of stock prices and interest rates, respectively. Awards with cash prizes were given to the winners. (Contributed by Joyce DL. Grajo)
17
Roberto S. Mariano
Singapore Management University &
University of Pennsylvania
September 24 – 25, 2009
PSA Annual Conference
Quezon City, Philippines
1.
Introduction
According to a recent New York Times article (5 August 2009), statisticians are now increasingly in demand—
and even described as cool. In that same article Google’s
chief economist observes that the sexy professional in the
next ten years will be statisticians.
So, what a pleasure it is to be here today to participate in a conference among my fellow cool statisticians. I
would like to thank the PSA, the organizing committee for
the annual conference, especially Lisa Bersales, for inviting
me to speak this morning. And, it’s an added pleasure to
see many friends here today.
Just a decade after PSA was officially launched in the
early 1950s, I found myself heading towards a career in
statistics. I had the good fortune of having many of PSA’s
past presidents in those early years as my professors, and
their enthusiasm and passion for the discipline, along with
their encouragement, allowed me to pursue my own path in
statistics and my eventual interest in econometrics. Today,
this annual gathering of statistics professionals validates
the commitment of PSA in maintaining and advancing the
high level of professionalism and integrity of statistics as a
discipline in the Philippines. I congratulate PSA for its outstanding commitment and success.
To be in a professional field that unexpectedly is now
deemed ―cool and sexy‖ gives new life and energy to Statistics. Certainly this new accolade for Statistics and statisticians is a boon to our students as they enter the job
market. There is no doubt that the discipline of statistics
has evolved significantly in theory and practice since its
initial development as an offshoot of mathematics.
2. Extensive Range of Statistical Applications
In his presidential address in the ISI meeting in Manila
in1979, Professor C.R. Rao emphasized that, “There is no
field of human endeavor, whether it is regulating our daily
lives, managing the affairs of an enterprise, administering
state planning for the socio-economic development of a
country, diagnosis of diseases, designing military operations, forecasting catastrophes, or probing the secrets of
nature, which does not come under the purview of Statistics.”
Thus, it was clear even three decades ago that Statistics
would be an integral part of the specialization of myriad
professions. New stand alone fields evolved as a result.
18
Statistics established itself as a separate discipline, no longer
a subfield of mathematics. As Professor Rao further remarked, ―As soon as the underlying principle of Statistics was
perceived as inductive inference by which a coherent body of
natural knowledge can be built up by experiment and observation, it began to branch off rapidly in many directions.‖ (Rao, 1979) This diversification has led to the emergence of subdisciplines within Statistics and separate quantitative subdisciplines in basic fields like Economics, Physics,
Psychology, History, Sociology, Information Systems, etc.
That departments of Statistics, distinct from other departments like mathematics, were established as separate
units, was a clear indication of Statistics’ strengthening presence as a stand alone discipline. Furthermore, the specialized methodology in the use of Statistics spawned new disciplines such as actuarial science, biostistics, demography,
econometrics, cliometrics, computational statistics, to name
just a few.
3.Data Surge
More recently, this internet age that we now live in, together with vast and ever expanding computing power, has
generated even farther-reaching diversified frontiers for statistical methodology. Such an environment, where available
data have reached staggering levels - in terms of character,
frequency, and range - provides an interesting backdrop in
this conference for a timely discussion of statistics in a multidisciplinary setting.
Computerized records of financial transactions, developmental/social surveys, E-commerce, and the WEB are providing new data to explore – sensor signals, surveillance tapes,
social network chatter, transaction tick data in stock exchanges, public records, and more. And this data surge is
expected to accelerate even more – some say to five times
as much, from the e-commerce data alone, in the next three
years.
And as the NYT article points out, ―the applications are
as diverse as improving Internet search and online advertising, culling gene sequencing information for cancer research,
and analyzing sensor and location data to optimize the handling of food shipments.‖
Inevitably, this data surge and the emergence of a wider
variety of applications of Statistics in a multi-disciplinary setting give rise to important gaps and tensions – implying
meaningful complexities as well as opportunities.
* Gap in the making of a statistician
There is a continuing need to train statisticians to enable them to do specialized jobs and to equip them with a
broad based knowledge to meet new situations and challenges in the future.
The ideal professional statistician should have a proper
blend of theoretical knowledge and practical skills with flair
for applications. Statistical training and research programs
should be developed in an interdisciplinary way providing
proper interface with other subjects. The practice of teaching statistics through a set of courses in abstract statistical
theory must be critically reviewed with an eye towards evolving integrated courses with the desirable blend of theory and
applications. Also, avenues must be explored to promote
motivated research that effectively address problems of relevance to the real world.
But, just so there is no misunderstanding about this, let
me point out as well that this integration must not be done at
the expense of weakening the appropriate theoretical and
mathematical contents of a course. Undoubtedly, a statistician should be equipped with the practical skills to choose
the appropriate methodology for analysis of the given data.
At the same time, he must have the theoretical knowledge to
formulate a new statistical problem for study if the existing
methodology is inadequate in a given practical situation.
* Gap between statisticians and subject matter specialists
This is a much wider problem that needs effective interdisciplinary collaboration between statisticians and subject
matter specialists. Statistics helps in solving problems, but
the problems belong to basic fields of research like Biology,
Physics, Economics, Finance, Business, Sociology, etc. Illdefined experiments, improperly defined measurements,
lack of checks and cross-checks in the observations, and
deviations from planned experimental procedures can lead
to misinterpretation of data. In any given project, the scientist should have some appreciation of the statistical approach and tha statistician some knowledge of the subject
matter of research to facilitate a discussion between the two
on relevant issues, possible approaches, design of experiments to generate data (or identification of appropriate accessible data sets) with the desired information.
*
Tension between Theory and Practice of Statistics
In applying theoretical (abstract) results to solve a practical problem, assumptions should be handled with careful
attention to applicability and relevance to the substantive
problem. – e.g., normality assumptions may be violated by
underlying true distributions with fat tails; or squared-error
loss (or even Laplace) may not be appropriate.
In many instances, especially in a policy-making context
with a short time fuse, there may be tension between the
required rigor in the analysis and the timely delivery of results.
*
Computer Power - Impact on Research in Statistics
The continuously evolving computer power is both a
boon and a hindrance to statistical research.
Enhanced computing capability may encourage uncritical use of statistical methods through commercially available
computer package programs. And what is lacking in sophistication of methodology can be made up by acquiring more
data and processing by computers using less efficient proce-
ssing by computers using less efficient procedures.
But , it has enabled complex computations needed to
apply some techniques (such as in multivariate or nonlinear
settings) developed in the past but could not be exploited in
practice due to lack of computer power. Also, computer
power has influenced the current character of theoretical research in Statistics. For example, more insights are gained in
resolving serious and difficult theoretical/analytical issues
(such as finite/small sample analysis) with the use of efficient
simulation techniques.
Furthermore, sophisticated techniques and new methodology, such as statistical inference
via simulations, have been made possible now by these powerful machines. And on-going developments in IT are actually providing additional opportunities and lucrative new areas
of application in Statistics – e.g., in the analysis and applications of GIS data, E-data which we have mentioned earlier,
etc.
Recent developments in Financial Econometrics – with
synergistic feedback among data – methodology – domain/
substantive application - nicely exemplify the various points I
have made here. New stylized research areas that have
arisen include–
 spatial correlations,
 ultra high-frequency methodology,
 nonstationary processes
 nonparametric and semiparametric approaches
 simulation techniques for inference
 autometrics, model validation, forecast comparisons
 risk measurement and management
 statistical / econometric methods for project benefit
evaluation
4. Concluding remarks
In amplifying on my admittedly idiosyncratic perspectives
on Statistics as a cool multidisciplinary profession, I have
emphasized a few major themes –
 the extensive and still expanding range of applications of Statistics
 the computing power and data surge in various
sources (E-commerce and WEB, GIS, financial
transactions and info, surveys, etc.)
 what to do in training the ―modern‖ statistician
 the synergy and tension between theory and practice of Statistics
 how the multidisciplinary nature of Statistics and its
current environment has spawned new frontiers and
new methodologies in the recent years.
In my own professional path as an econometrician I have
seen the importance of bridging and reconciling theory and
applications and maintaining the rigor of statistical methodology in its applications in diverse fields. And in my current
capacity as Director of the Sim Kee Boon Institute for Financial Economics (SKBI for short) at Singapore Management
University is a live laboratory of this presentation’s major theses on the multidisciplinary nature of Statistics.
Again I would like to express my pleasure and gratitude
for this opportunity to address this year’s PSA conference
and I look forward to lively dialogue and discussions in the
next two days.
19
he West Visayas State University (WVSU)
together with the National Economic and
Development Authority (NEDA) Region V1, in
coordination with the Statistical Research and Training
Center (SRTC) conducted a training on “Statistics
for Gender Responsive Local Development
Planning (SGRLDP)” on November 9-12, 2009 at
West Visayas State University. Participants in this
training were the staff of the planning and
development offices of the different local government
units and regional line agencies in Region V1 who are
involved in the identification of the statistical
requirements, data sources and gaps for the
preparation
of
socioeconomic
development;
population analysis and estimation; and computation
and analysis of statistical indicators by sectoral
concerns.
During the opening ceremony, WVSU President
Pablo E. Subong, Jr. welcomed the participants, while
SRTC Executive Director Gervacio Selda, Jr. and Ms.
Isabel B. Blancia, Senior Economic Development
Speciliast of the NEDA Region 6 delivered the
messages, respectively.
This training was conducted in recognition of the
need for a reliable, credible and comparable data for
policy and decision-making of the National Government and Local Government Units (LGUs) in response
to Executive Order 135 issued in 1993 by the former
President Fidel Valdez Ramos. Among the major objectives of that Executive Order 135 is to develop a
well-coordinated statistical system at the local level.
Well-coordinated statistical system means - - - being
responsive to planning and monitoring requirements at
the local level; and being capable of producing statistics which can be integrated and harmonized with statistics being produced at the national level.
20
The West Visayas State University closely coordinated with the SRTC and NEDA Region 6 in the preparation and conduct of this training. The Regional Statistical Coordination Committee (RSCC) through NEDA
Region 6, - being the highest policy-making body of
statistical matters in the region along with the major
data-producing agencies, is the clearing house for
training programs to be conducted for regional and local planners and does the monitoring and evaluation of
the impact of the training programs conducted for its
clients.
The Training on Statistics for Gender Responsive
Local Development Planning (SGRLDP) is the first project of WVSU, NEDA and SRTC in Region V1 to address the need of the Local Government Units (LGU’s)
and regional line agencies, to improve the statistical
capability of their planning staff.
In line with WVSU’s mission to upgrade the quality of statistical personnel and expanding the statistical
manpower base in support of the needs of the statistical system, it was commissioned by the SRTC to conduct relevant statistical trainings for the LGUs, academe and line agencies in Region V1. In 2006, WVSU
was identified as SRTC’s Training Affiliate in Region 6
because it has adequate information technology (IT)
facilities and qualified faculty members in the field of
statistics that would allow it to become an effective
training partner of SRTC in the conduct of regional/
local trainings. Dr. Wilhelm P. Cerbo and Dr. Editha Y.
Sillorequez of WVSU, were among the 28 trainees from
different state and private colleges and universities in
the country trained by the SRTC in Cebu City in 2006
for this purpose. 
(Contributed by Wilhelm P. Cerbo)
he PSA Board of Directors in its November 6, 2009 meeting unanimously agreed to confer the
Tito A. Mijares Lifetime Achievement Award for 2009 to Dr. Isidoro P. David. He was cited for
his outstanding contributions to the promotion of statistics and best statistical practices exemplified in his unceasing dedication to the statistics profession and improvement of statistics education
and his scholarly work that continues to guide students, researchers and practitioners in both government and private sectors. He is well respected as an expert by his colleagues in the Philippines and by
his peers in the international statistical community because of his outstanding scholarly body of work
and his relentless pursuit to improve the Philippine national statistical system as well as those of other
countries in the region through innovative methodological research.
Dr. David pioneered in the development of the Philippine agricultural statistical system and led
efforts at creating the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics in the Department of Agriculture. He initiated the
creation of the Institute of Statistics at the University of the Philippines Los Baños where he taught
statistics before joining the Asian Development Bank (ADB). As Senior Statistician of the ADB, he significantly contributed to improving developing countries’ national statistical systems. Since retirement
from ADB he has served as consultant to a number of agencies including Asian Productivity Organization (Tokyo), UNESCAP (Bangkok), UN Statistics Division and UNDP (New York), World Bank, Food
and Agriculture Organization (Rome), and in Bhutan, China, Nigeria and Sri Lanka. Locally, he is consultant to the National Statistics Office, Statistical Research and Training Center, Food and Nutrition
Research Institute, and is adjunct professor at UPLB.
During his term as President of the Philippine Statistical Association he initiated a review of statistics books that drew attention to the poor quality of locally written books on statistics that are being
used in a number of colleges and universities in the Philippines. As part of his continuing advocacy for
the improvement of statistical literacy in the Philippines, he also spearheaded a training course on
teaching basic statistics for statistics teachers at the tertiary level and is now working passionately towards institutionalizing it.
In recognition of his outstanding contribution in the field of statistics the International Statistical
Institute chose him for the Third Mahalanobis International Award in Statistics in 2007. Dr. David
earned his Ph.D. in Statistics at the Iowa State University. He has published in the Journal of the
American Statistical Association. 
(Contributed by Vicente B. Valdepeñas, Jr.)
21
or the record, the Philippine Statistical Association (PSA) was organized on December
22, 1951 in Manila by nineteen professionals from the business community and the academe
whose interest lay in the production of good statistics. Under the able leadership of Cesar M. Lorenzo,
the first president of the PSA, the Articles of Incorporation was crafted and subsequently registered
with Securities and Exchange Commission on September 24, 1952.
Through the fifty-seven years, the PSA, as a professional organization has continually played a significant role in formulating key policies that influence the growth and development of the Philippine Statistical System. The sustainability of the Philippine Statistical System requires that we in the PSA continue to uplift and advance the statistics profession. For this reason, a Code of Ethics for Statisticians
has been formulated.
The Code of Ethics stipulates the use of statistical work in the pursuit of the truth at all instances, and
not toward justifying predetermined outcomes. In addition, it is asked of statisticians to constantly
upgrade competence in their work as well as to adhere to all applicable and ethically appropriate laws,
as well as international covenants in the exercise of their profession.
On December 5, 2008, the General Assembly approved the Code of Ethics for Statisticians. Today
December 4, 2009, a year later, together let us proudly inscribe in our hearts and minds the Guiding
Principles of our Code. The PSA envisions itself to be a nationally and globally recognized society of
statisticians and allied professionals committed to advancing the statistics profession even as it promotes sound statistical science for the welfare of all Filipinos and the whole of humanity. Only by
working together can we make this a reality.
It is with high hope that each of us in the Philippine Statistical Association would adhere to and promulgate our Code of Ethics. It is with high hope that we advocate among the statistics professionals and
practitioners to observe and practice the Principles and Guidelines enunciated in our Code of Ethics
for Statisticians.
On this note, let me wish each and everyone a blessed Christmas and a peaceful and prosperous 2010!
NIEVES L. OSORIO
President
Philippine Statistical Association
22