PRESS RELEASE 
 

Provincial Statistics Committee (PSC) of Davao del Norte Convene Its 1^st Regular Meeting for Calendar Year 2023

Members of the Provincial Statistics Committee during the discussion of 2022 PSC Accomplishments

03 March 2023 – CITY OF TAGUM. As the highest policy-making body on statistical matters in the province, the Provincial Statistics Committee (PSC) in Davao del Norte along with its members assembled for its 1^st Regular PSC Meeting for CY 2023 on 03 March 2023 at the Training Room of the Philippine Statistics Authority Davao del Norte Provincial Statistical Office. The meeting started at 1:00 o’clock in the afternoon and was presided by the PSC Chairperson, P.G. Department Head of PPDO Davao del Norte, Mr. Nelson F. Plata, MPA, EnP, and also was attended by representatives from eleven (11) member offices.

Highlighted during the convening were the agenda, to wit:

1.)  Presentation of the 2022 PSC Accomplishment;

2.)  Data Collection for the 2023 Countryside in Figures (CIF): Province of Davao del Norte;

3.)  Introduction of Census on Agriculture and Fisheries (CAF);

4.)  Updates on the Implementation of Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS);

5.)  Updates on Philippine Identification System (PhilSys);

6.)  Updates on Provincial Product Accounts in Davao del Norte;

7.)  Presentation of Latest Regional Statistics Committee (RSC) Resolutions;

Agendum 1. Chairperson Nelson F. Plata requested the Secretariat to present the 2022 PSC Accomplishment, and acknowledged the gratefulness of the cooperation of the Committee members.

Agendum 2. The Secretariat continue to present the data to be collected for the 2023 Countryside in Figure, The Chairperson, give thanks to the Secretariat and enjoined all members to furnish the data-needs of the PSA for the 2023 CIF.

Agendum 3. PSC Vice-Chairperson Mr. Pepito D. Amoyen emphasized that the Census of Agriculture and Fisheries is a large-scale government undertaking that is geared towards the collection and compilation of basic information on the agricultural and fishery sectors in the Philippines.

Moreover, the Vice-Chair, informed the Committee about the content of the draft PSA Board Resolution on Approving the Terms of Reference of the Provincial, City, and Municipal Census Coordinating Board on the Conduct of the 2022 Census of Agriculture and Fisheries that “3. Approves that PSCs shall serve as Provincial Census Coordinating Boards (PCCBs) and those provinces without PSC shall create the PCCB for 2022 CAF; and 4. Instructs the RSCs to serve as the basic coordinating mechanism for 2022 CAF at the regional level”;

Agendum 4. The CBMS Focal Person presented the status on the conduct of CBMS of the local government units (LGUs) of Davao del Norte. The Chairperson, reiterated that there is a need that all LGUs shall conduct the CBMS, since it is already a law. Relatedly, the Vice-Chair informed the Committee about the pronouncement of Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian that “the DSWD will stop creating its own database for beneficiaries and will now depend on the database by the Philippines Statistics Authority (PSA) as stated in the Community-Based Monitoring System law”.

Agendum 5. The PhilSys Focal Person presented the status of PhilSys registration and PhilID/ePhilID distribution in the province, and disseminated on how to verify check the received IDs. She said that the PhilSys personnel send/visited offices not accepting the IDs.

Agendum 6. The Focal Person of the Provincial Products Account extend it gratitude to the LGUs of Davao del Norte for providing data compiled for the first ever Gross Provincial Domestic Products of Davao del Norte, which encompasses with the Gross Regional and National Products Accounts. He is asking again the assistance of the LGUs through the Committee for the data-needs in compiling the 2023 PPA to come-up the 2022 GPDP of Davao del Norte, the mirror on how Davao del Norte performs economically.

Agendum 7. The Secretariat present the resolution undertaken and approved by the RSC for information of all members.

After all the agenda were discussed, presented, and taken-well, the Chairperson Nelson F. Plata, signified to relinquish his post, due to his transfer to the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources (PENRO).

After the pronouncement of the Chairperson, he turn-over the microphone to the Vice-Chairperson for resolution on the status of Chairmanship of the PSC-DavNor.

PPDO Nelson F. Plata answered to the query of the Vice-Chair about the new Planning Czar of Davao del Norte, he answered that she is Ms. Maria Hazel Z. Zafra, CE, EnP, MPA, and will serves as the Acting Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator of the Provincial Planning Development Office of Davao del Norte.

The Vice-Chair pronounced that considering therefore that the composition of membership are offices and not the name of the head or employee of offices, as provided in Executive Order No. 42, series of 2021, issued and signed by the Governor of the Province of Davao del Norte, it has been moved and seconded, that whoever will sit as the head of offices, it will automatically represent their offices, unless otherwise, he designated a permanent representative, on his behalf.

Thus, the new Chairman of the PSC-DavNor is Ms. Maria Hazel Z. Zafra, CE, EnP, MPA.