18-20 July 2022 – DAVAO CITY. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Regional Statistical Services Office (RSSO) XI, headed by Regional Director (RD) Ruben D. Abaro Jr. together with Supervising Statistical Specialist (SSS) Maria Leah C. Magracia, hosted the successful conduct of the second batch “Training/Workshop on Data to Non-Benchmark Estimation of the Provincial Product Accounts (PPA)” for the regional and provincial staff of the nine (9) regions last 18 to 20 July 2022 at the Waterfront Insular Hotel, Lanang, Davao City. The activity was participated by personnel from four other RSSOs together with their respective Provincial Statistical Offices (PSO) namely the Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Northern Mindanao and SOCCSKSARGEN. The first batch of attendees were from RSSOs of CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, Cordillera Administrative Region, and the host region, Eastern Visayas. Moreover, the workshop was supported and facilitated by the officials and personnel from the PSA Central Office, headed by Assistant National Statistician (ANS) for Macroeconomic Accounts Division (MAD) Vivian R. Ilarina and Chief Statistical Specialist (CSS) Florande S. Polistico of the Subnational Economic Accounts Division (SEAD). In addition, personnel from the Office of the National Statistician (ONS), Production Accounts Division (PAD), and Expenditure and Integrated Accounts Division (EIAD) were also present in the said activity.

The technical workshop aims to capacitate the PPA Focal Persons in the regions and provinces on the methodologies and estimation processes in generating non-benchmark PPA estimates. Davao Region is among the six (6) pilot regions in 2022 who will undertake the compilation of PPA wherein this initiative is recognized as a more appropriate measure and assessment of the economic performance of the province. PPA is viewed as a means to strengthen the planning and decision-making of provincial policymakers and stakeholders in creating more informed economic policies. The said activity is one of the aligned series of activities in the PPA compilation. The PSA is optimistic that the final PPA estimates will be disseminated to the stakeholders and the public by the end of the year.

On the first day of the workshop, CSS Polistico led the discussions on production approach of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) compilation and the single extrapolation method approach in non-benchmark estimation. The second day was the workshop proper where SEAD Statistical Specialist II (SS II) Precious Anne C. Cañete provided the instructions and presented the workshop objectives and expected outputs. The participants worked in groups and were facilitated by PSA Central office personnel. The participants were given the whole day for the hands-on exercises. An opportunity for open discussion was also given to the participants wherein SEAD SSS Elgie A. Gulane headed in answering the issues and concerns. During the third and last day of the activity, representative from each working group presented their workshop output.

In closing the event, SSS Gulane led in addressing the issues and challenges in non-benchmark estimation and SS II Cañete presented the upcoming activities of the PPA. Thereafter, ANS Ilarina concluded the workshop by expressing her gratitude to all the participating RSSOs and PSOs, especially to the host region.

For more information on the Training/Workshop on Data to Non-Benchmark Estimation of the Provincial Product Accounts (PPA) for the regional and provincial staff of the six (6) pilot regions in 2022, please contact the Statistical Operation and Coordination Section (SOCS) with telephone numbers (084) 817-0347 and (084) 817-0347, and email address psa.davaodeoro@yahoo.com, cc: socs.psadavaodeoro@gmail.com.