SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union (PIA) – The Ilocos Region has kicked off its 35th National Statistics Month (NSM) celebration with a strong emphasis on digitalization as a catalyst for national growth.
The month-long event, led by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and the Regional Statistics Committee-Region 1 (RSC-1), underscores the pivotal role of data and statistics in shaping effective policies and programs.
The NSM theme, “Advancing Data and Statistics Through Digital Transformation: A Road to an Empowered Nation,” resonated with attendees during the opening ceremony held at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) La Union Branch on October 2.
National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Ilocos Regional Director Stephanie Christiansen, also the RSC-1 chairperson, highlighted statistics as the foundation to policies and programs of the government and digitalization as key in steadfast service delivery for the Filipinos.
“Through digital technologies, we can enhance data collection and management, ensuring accuracy and reliability of the data we hold,” Christiansen said.
She added, “These efforts will benefit our policymakers and different sectors like the academe, local government units, non-government organizations, and even international institutions as they chart their strategic directions.”
Meanwhile, PSA-Regional Statistical Services Office 1 (PSA-RSSO 1) and RSC-1 vice chairperson Atty. Sheila De Guzman encouraged the public to take part in the celebration.
“I am confident that the objectives of the NSM, that is to promote, enhance, and instill awareness and appreciation of the importance and value of statistics to the different sectors of society and to elicit the cooperation and support of the general public in upgrading the quality and standards of statistics in the country, will once again be achieved in this month-long celebration,” De Guzman added.
The launching event featured a digital statistical exhibit, discussions on digital financial literacy and the Department of Information and Communications Technology’s digitalization projects, and a presentation of the 2022-2023 vital statistics.
Other activities planned for the regional celebration include a jingle sing-and-dance contest, an oratorical contest, an essay writing contest, digital poster slogan making, an infographics making contest, a “statiktok,” a coastal clean-up, and a search for the best NSM province implementer.
By focusing on digital transformation, Ilocos Region aims to harness the power of data to drive sustainable development and improve the lives of its citizens. (AMB/REB/PIA Region 1)
