Chapter 1. National System of Agricultural Statistics
CHAPTER 1

1.1 Legal Framework and Statistical Advisory Bodies

There is no single law like a Statistical Act in the country. The basic legal framework of the agricultural statistical system in the Philippines is found on Executive Order Number 116 (EO 116) which was signed by the President of the Republic of the Philippines and issued on January 1987. The EO 116 which created the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) out of the then Bureau of Agricultural Economics (BAEcon) mandates the BAS to do the following:

  1. collect, compile, and release official agricultural statistics;

  2. exercise technical supervision over data collection centers; and

  3. coordinate all agricultural statistics and economic research activities of all bureaus, corporations and offices under the Department of Agriculture.

The Philippine Republic Act No. 8435 , otherwise known as the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act ( AFMA) mandates the BAS to do the following:

  1. serve as central information source and server of the National Information Network of the DA; and

  2. provide technical assistance to end – users in accessing and analyzing product and market information and technology.

EO 116 provides for the independence of the statistical system. Similarly, the law requires that the statistical system give due regard to the confidentiality of information provided by survey respondents. For this reason, household or enterprise level data may be accessed but this does not carry identification anymore. This EO 116 serves as the legal basis for conducting various surveys and other statistical inquiries related to the agriculture sector.

On the other hand, the National Statistics Office (NSO) is the major statistical agency responsible in collecting, compiling, classifying, producing, publishing, and disseminating general-purpose statistics as provided for in Commonwealth Act No. 591. It also has the responsibility of carrying out and administering the provision of the Civil Registry Law as provided for in Act No. 3753 dated February 1931. Specifically, the NSO is tasked to:

  1. Prepare for and undertake all censuses on population, agriculture, commerce, and industry (Section 2, C.A. 591; Section 1, Batas Pambansa Blg. 72);

  2. conduct statistical surveys by enumeration, sampling, and other methods (Section 2, Batas Pambansa Blg. 72);

  3. compile and classify other statistical data and information (Section 2, C.A. 591);

  4. conduct social and economic studies and make projections of population, agricultural production, income and the number of livestock (Section 2, C.A. 591);

  5. publish and disseminate all information related to the above functions (Section 2, C.A. 591);

  6. assist the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB), formerly the Statistical Advisory Board of the National Economic and Development Authority, in the formulation of a continuing comprehensive statistical program for the government (Section 5, Presidential Decree 418);

  7. provide technical assistance and support to projects of other statistical agencies and institutions (Section 5, P.D. 418);

  8. carry out and administer the provisions of Act. No. 3753, entitled "An Act to establish a Civil Register" (Section 2, C.A. 591) and other laws on civil registration; and

  9. issue authorization to solemnizing officers in accordance with the provisions of Article 7 of the Family Code of the Philippines (Executive Order No. 209 effective August 3, 1988).

The operations and delivery of products and services of the agricultural statistical system in the Philippines benefits from the review and advice of experts groups with stakes and interests on the development of the agriculture sector, in general and of the agricultural statistics, in particular. Lodged in the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB), is the Inter – Agency Committee on Agriculture, Fishery and Forestry Statistics (IAC – AFFS). The IAC’s main function is to serve as a forum for the discussion and resolution of issues pertaining to the generation of agriculture, fishery and forestry statistics. Under this IAC are Technical Working Groups (TWGs) by agriculture sub-sector and/or commodity.

Other than the IAC – AFFS, the BAS which serves as the focal agency for agricultural statistics, is represented and participates in various IACs and TWGs. A few examples are the IACs on Survey Designs, Poverty Statistics, Gender Statistics, Statistical Standards and Classifications, Labor, Income and Productivity and several TWGs and Task Forces under these IACs. Likewise, the interests and concerns of the agricultural statistical system are brought to some kind of advisory bodies which are lodged at the Department of Agriculture and the offices under it. Here, the areas of interest are more on the use of statistics, financial support, and the like.