Philippines highlights value of statistics for sustainable development at United Nations regional meeting in Bangkok

The Philippines, led by the Philippine Statistical Authority (PSA), highlighted the value of data and statistics for a country’s sustainable development at the eighth session of the Statistics Committee of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)held in person and online at the United Nations Conference Center in Bangkok from 23 to 25 August 2022.

Undersecretary Claire Dennis S. Mapa, National Statistician and Civil Registrar, supported by the Philippine Ambassador to Thailand and Permanent Representative of ESCAP, Millicent Cruz Paredes, led the Philippine delegation.

The Philippines shared its work in three key fields: tracking and monitoring the country’s progress towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); advancing regional cooperation in statistics related to disasters; and the modernization of civil registration systems.

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The Philippines regularly publishes its SDG Watch, which provides all available data to track the country’s progress. This data informs the development of government policies and services targeted to communities in need, including children, women, the elderly, people with disabilities, and marginalized sectors.

The Philippines also shared how it is using digital technology to streamline and modernize civil registration and notification processes, with the vision of establishing an efficient Civil Registration and Vital Statistics system for every Filipino.

This includes an online payment system and fast turnaround time for birth, marriage, and death documents needed for a variety of purposes, including employment, benefit applications, school enrollment, and more.

The Philippines regularly publishes its SDG Watch, which provides all available data to track the country’s progress

The Statistics Committee meets every two years to discuss statistical developments in the Asia-Pacific region, including progress in strengthening national statistical systems for the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and regional initiatives to advance universal civil registration and vital statistics.

Earlier this year, the Philippines was again elected to serve on the Governing Council of the ESCAP Institute for Statistics for Asia and the Pacific (SIAP) from 2022 to 2025.