34th National Statistics Month Celebration in WV takes off

Western Visayas joins the nation in the month-long celebration of the 34^th National Statistics Month (NSM) in October.

The celebration kicked off with an opening ceremony spearheaded by the Department of Health (DOH) VI at SM City Iloilo Activity Center, Lower Ground Floor, Iloilo City on 04 October 2023 and was participated in by representatives of the Regional Statistics Committee (RSC) and NSM member agencies, local government units, academe, media partners, and private sectors.

The theme for this year’s celebration, “Accelerating Progress: Promoting Data and

Statistics for Healthy Philippines”, emphasizes the importance of data and statistics in enhancing health outcomes. The Philippines’ initiative to speed up the resolution of health system issues and challenges and promote a healthier populace is aimed at accelerating the nation’s socio-economic development with the use of quality health and health-related statistics.

DOH VI Assistant Regional Director, Dr. Ma. Sophia S. Pulmones, MPM said in her keynote speech that self-information and data statistics can be turned into valuable insights by which we identify, prioritize, and implement strategic policies, programs, and initiatives not only in the local level but region wide as well.

The annual observance of the NSM is pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No.

647, “Declaring the Month of October of Every Year as the National Statistics Month,” issued on 20 September 1990 by then President Corazon C. Aquino.

NSM aims to promote, enhance, and instill nationwide awareness and appreciation of the importance and value of statistics to the different sectors of society and elicit the cooperation and support of the general public in upgrading the quality and standard of statistics in the country.

During the month-long celebration, the following activities and programs to be undertaken are: statistics quiz for junior high school students; informercial, infographics, and photography contests open to all NSM participating agencies; essay writing for college students; e-poster making and statisTiktok for high school students; inter-agency tree planting; 27^th Philippine Statistics Quiz Regional Eliminations; and an appreciation and awarding of winners during the closing ceremony on 26 October 2023.

The cooperation and support of the public to the celebration is highly encouraged. Contests and guidelines are now posted on the official 34th NSM-Western Visayas Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/34nsm.