NSCB looks for ways to improve data collection

MANILA, Philippines - Government statisticians are looking for ways to improve data collection so that it would lead to inclusive growth.

Inclusive growth is growth that translates to a more equitable sharing of the fruits of increased prosperity to ensure long-term sustainable growth.

This so-called inclusive growth framework has increased the demand for more and better quality statistics, which poses a tremendous challenge for national statistical systems given the limited resources.

The National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) has partnered with the group Partnership in Statistics for Development in the 21st Century (PARIS21) to brainstorm ways on how to develop statistical capacity for inclusive growth.

NSCB secretary general Jose Ramon Albert said in a dialogue between statistics users and producers last week that the NSCB is open to collaborating with various stakeholders in the country to come up with statistics that would lead to inclusive growth.

“We would like to ask users to identify ways to improve because we do know inclusive growth but how we can treach the other sectors? We should be working them together,” Albert said.

NSCB assistant secretary general Lina Castro said the NSCB aims to have user understanding and rational use of statistics through the partnerships with different stakeholders.

“There must be constant dialogue between users and producers,” Lina said.

During last week’s dialogue, Albert said government statisticians are facing a host of other challenges such as the increasing role being played by non-official data providers in the generation of data using sophisticated and innovative tools. One example of non-official data provider is online Internet engine Google.

Albert said NSCB would continue to look into ways to improve the gathering of statistics in the Philippines.

One measure is the enhancement of registry of farmers and fishermen.

The “inclusive growth” framework has gained support as a new model for economic development in Asia, and in other parts of the world.

In particular, the government has adopted it as the country’s development framework for the medium term 2011-2016.