PSA Conducts Briefing and Workshop on FY 2025 PSS Budget Preparation

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), through the Statistical Policies and Programs Division (SPPD) of the Standards Service (SS), conducted the Briefing and Workshop on Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Philippine Statistical System (PSS) Budget Preparation on 15 February 2024. It was attended by 132 participants from 55 government agencies including departments and their attached agencies, legislative bodies, executive offices, constitutional bodies, and the PSA, among others.

On its 7th year, the briefing served as a venue to orient and/or reorient government agencies in the PSS on specific considerations and procedures in the preparation of statistical budgets and clarify issues/concerns about budget framework/guidelines and statistical budget preparation/review process.

To start the program, a Welcome Remarks was delivered by PSA Officer-in-Charge Deputy National Statistician (OIC-DNS) Minerva Eloisa P. Esquivias, on behalf of PSA Undersecretary Claire Dennis S. Mapa. Usec. Mapa's message underscored the critical role of the government in providing statistical information and services to the public, hence, there is a need to ensure linkage between statistical planning and budgeting and continuous rational allocation of funds for necessary statistical programs and activities. Usec. Mapa's message also stated that there is a need to establish and enhance statistical systems and procedures while establishing strong countermeasures for information technology security attacks as it is also vital in the improvement of the PSS.

Resource persons from the PSA and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) presented the following topics:

1. The Statistical Budget Review System
2. Considerations for FY 2025 Statistical Budget
3. Philippine Statistical Development Program (PSDP) 2023-2029
4. Fiscal Planning
5. Salient Features of National Budget Memorandum (NBM) No. 149
6. Tier 2 Budget Preparation

After the presentations, an open forum was held to clarify some concerns regarding PSS budget preparation and the evaluation process, among others. A workshop was also held for the participants to identify statistical activities to be undertaken by their respective agencies and to draft/review their budget proposals. Participants were also reminded of the deadline for submission of signed statistical budget proposals to PSA, that is on 08 March 2024.

The briefing/workshop was formally ended with the Closing Remarks delivered by PSA OIC-DNS Clemente S. Manaog. In his message, he reiterated the importance of the alignment of statistical budget proposals with the statistical development programs and activities of respective agencies in the PSDP 2023-2029 for fulfilling data needs in the monitoring of the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028 and other sectoral plans. He also highlighted the significance of boosting the government's resource allocation strategies to address urgent needs of the country. Lastly, he expressed his gratitude to all the resource persons, facilitators, and participants for their attendance and participation in the briefing.

The annual review of budgetary proposals involving statistical operations of government agencies is pursuant to Republic Act No. 10625 or the "Philippine Statistical Act of 2013" which mandates the PSA Board to review statistical budget proposals and submit an integrated budget for the PSS to the DBM. Likewise, NBM No. 149 issued by the DBM on 27 December 2023 requires endorsement from concerned agencies on matters such as the System of Designated Statistics (SDS) pursuant to Executive Order No. 352 "Designation of Statistical Activities That Will Generate Critical Data for Decision-Making of the Government and Private Sector."

For further clarification or concerns about PSS budget preparation and review process, you may contact the SPPD of the SS through email address [email protected].

- Standards Service, Censuses and Technical Coordination Office