The Philippine Statistics Authority is the national statistical agency of the Philippines. It is responsible for the collection, compilation, analysis and dissemination of statistical information on the economic, social, demographic, political, and other aspects of the country.
Also Read: What is the Meaning of SSS – Social Security System
PSA’s vision is to be the leading statistical agency that provides reliable statistics on social and economic developments in the Philippines.
PSA’s mission is to provide quality statistical information and services that will support the decision-making needs of government, planners, the private sector, and other users.
If there is one government agency that has improved and changed its name significantly, it is the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), originally known as the National Statistics Office (NSO).
Contents
Overview
The Philippine Statistical System (PSS) was established in 1987 to increase the efficiency of the statistical system and the timeliness and accuracy of the information for planning and decision making.
The issue of an Executive Order served as the foundation for the decentralized PSS organization. It was later renamed the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS), the Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics (BLES), the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB), the National Statistics Office (NSO), and, finally, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
Former President Benigno Simeon Aquino III established and signed the Philippine Statistics Authority into law in 2013. It mandated the reorganization of previous institutions in order to create PSA by combining the four key statistical agencies engaged in primary data collection and secondary data compilation, namely BAS, BLES, NSCB, and NSO.
What is the meaning of PSA?
PSA is an acronym for Philippine Statistics Authority.
Purpose of PSA
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) logo represents the agency’s dedication to providing timely and high-quality statistics to help the government make better decisions for the Filipino people. It expresses the PSA’s vision of being a strong, responsive, and world-class authority on quality statistics and civil registration, as well as its objective of providing relevant, dependable statistics and civil registration services for equitable development and enhanced quality of life for all.
The PSA is largely responsible for carrying out R.A.’s aims and provisions. 10625, R.A. 11055, and R.A. 11315.
It is responsible for planning, developing, prescribing, disseminating, and enforcing policies, rules, and regulations, as well as coordinating government-wide programs governing the production of official statistics, general-purpose statistics, civil registration services, and inclusive identification systems. PSA also performs yearly censuses, surveys, sectoral statistics, community-based statistics, consolidation of chosen administrative recording systems, and national account compilation.
About this Agency
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) is the central statistical authority of the Philippine government, collecting, compiling, analyzing, and publishing statistical data on the economic, social, demographic, political, and general affairs of the Filipino people, as well as enforcing civil registration functions in the country. It is a policy coordination institution linked to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).
The PSA is made up of the PSA Board and offices responsible for sectoral statistics, censuses and technical coordination, civil registration, the Philippine registry office, central support, and field statistical services.
Functions and Responsibilities
- Serve as the Philippine government’s central statistical authority for primary data gathering;
- Prepare and carry out periodic censuses on population, housing, agriculture, fisheries, business, industry, and other economic sectors;
- Collect, assemble, analyze, abstract, and disseminate statistical data on the country’s economic, social, demographic, and general activities and people’s conditions.
- Enforce and manage civil registration functions in the country as specified in the Civil Status Registry Law
- Collaborate with national government departments, including GOCCs and their subsidiaries, in the collection, compilation, maintenance, and dissemination of statistical data, including special statistical data resulting from the activities of such departments, corporations, and subsidiaries.
- Promote and create integrated social and economic statistics, as well as strategies for their integration, including national accounts;
- Create and uphold acceptable frameworks and standards for data collection, processing, analysis, and dissemination.
- Coordination between government departments and local government units (LGUs) for the promotion and implementation of statistical standards involving techniques, methodologies, ideas, definitions, and classifications, as well as the avoidance of duplication in the gathering of statistical data.
- Prepare and perform statistical sample surveys on all aspects of socioeconomic life for the government and the general public, including agriculture, industry, trade, finance, prices and marketing information, income and spending, education, health, culture, and social circumstances.
- In collaboration with the PSRTI, perform ongoing methodological, analytical, and development activities to improve the conduct of censuses, surveys, and other data gathering activities.
- Recommend executive and legislative initiatives to improve the development of the government’s statistics activities and programs;
- Prepare a Philippine Statistical Development Program (PSDP) in cooperation with the PSA Board.
- Implement policies on statistical affairs and coordination, as directed by the PSA Board, and;
- Perform any other duties assigned by the PSA Board that are required to carry out the purposes of RA 10625.
Frequently Asked Questions
Please check out these FAQs about the Philippine Statistics Authority:
1. What is a statistical survey or census?
A survey is a type of data collection activity in which the primary goal is to collect information about a certain class, segment, activity, or geographic area (sample) of a larger population. It is a way of gathering population information in which direct contact is established with the units of study (e.g., individuals, organizations, communities, etc.) using systematic means such as statistical survey forms, questionnaires, or interview schedules.
Census is a full enumeration process that includes every unit of the specific population being researched.
2. How to correct your first name in PSA?
If the first name used differs from the first name on the birth certificate, the first name on the birth certificate can be changed by submitting a Petition for Change of First Name under R.A. 9048. Change of first names, such as Ma. to Maria should be fixed by submitting a petition for a change of the first name.
3. What are the required documents for correcting your first name?
To support the petition, the following documents must be submitted:
- Certified copy of the birth record containing the to-be-corrected entry.
- Not less than two (2) private or public papers, such as a baptismal certificate, voters affidavit, job record, GSIS/SSS record, medical record, business record, driver’s license, insurance, land titles, certificate of land transfer, and bank passbook, shall be used to make the adjustment.
- Notice/Posting Certificate
- Publication evidence
- A filing fee of three thousand pesos (P3,000.00) is required. A fee of $150.00 or the equivalent in local currency will be charged for petitions submitted abroad.
- Other documents that the concerned civil registrar may demand
- NBI/police clearance, civil registration records of ascendants, and any other clearances that the respective civil registry office may demand
4. What documents or certificates you can get from PSA?
You can get civil registry documents at any Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) near you. Certificates such as Birth certificates, marriage certificates, death certificates, and Certificate of No Marriage (CENOMAR) are available in this agency.
5. Do I need to pay for any certificate I may be requesting from PSA?
Birth, Marriage, and Death Certificates can be availed by paying P365 each. While it costs P420 for CENOMAR. Other service fees and nationwide shipping rates may be added.
6. Does PSA Birth Certificate have an expiration?
PSA-issued and certified birth certificates have no expiration date. However, the Department of Foreign Affairs and embassies require that the birth certificate copy be no more than six months old from the date of payment. Some organizations like schools asked for the original copy of this document for students’ documentation. So in case, they asked for the original copy, then you need to get a new one for your future transactions.
7. Can I go to PSA without an appointment?
You can quickly order a copy of a PSA birth, marriage, or death certificate or a CENOMAR online at PSAHelpline.ph and have the document delivered to you. You can also go to a PSA location and request it over the counter. This works well for people requesting civil registration documentation for family and friends, as online ordering is only accessible for PSA certificates for yourself, your children, or your parents.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) recently launched an online appointment system for Civil Registration Services in response to the pandemic. This is to avoid their offices from getting crowded and eventually follow health protocols for the Covid-19 pandemic. This implies that if you want to go to a PSA office to get a certificate, you must first book an online appointment. This allows the PSA to handle any requests and issues for the day while also keeping the outlet a safe and healthy environment for everyone.
Summary
PSA or formerly known as NSO is one of the most popular and crowded offices of the government. It is mostly known as the issuing office of important document documents such as Birth Certificates, Marriage Certificates, Death Certificates, and more.
PSA is also responsible for providing statistics that may help the government to distinguish Filipino people who need help. Through their census activities, the government will be able to define who are the families who earn a lot and those earning the smallest amount. PSA also provides statics on the employment rate, which pushes the government to provide more jobs for the Filipino people.
Contact Information
PSA Main Office
Address: PSA Complex, East Avenue Diliman, Quezon City
Telephone Number: (02) 8461-0500 local 605
Email: info@psa.gov.ph
Website: https://psa.gov.ph/
Facebook Page: https://facebook.com/PSAgovph