Aklan LGUs get their data game on

KALIBO, Aklan — In line with efforts to enhance the statistical capacity of local government personnel, particularly those involved in planning and program formulation, the Philippine Statistics Authority Aklan Provincial Office, in partnership with the Aklan State University College of Arts and Sciences, conducted a three-day training on basic statistics from March 11 to 13, 2026, at Regenio’s Gastropub at Vanyard Hotel in Kalibo.

The training aimed to equip local government unit personnel with knowledge and skills in the fundamentals of statistics, promote the effective use of local data, including Community-Based Monitoring System indicators, for evidence-based decision-making, and strengthen the institutionalization of statistics in local governance to improve public service delivery.

The Community-Based Monitoring System is a local data collection system designed to support planning, program implementation and monitoring by LGUs and other stakeholders.

ASU instructors Kasparov I. Repedro and Fervin D. Samortin served as resource persons during the training, providing discussions on data analysis techniques and emphasizing the critical role of statistics in effective governance.

In his sessions, Repedro highlighted the importance of statistics in identifying community needs, measuring the impact of programs and policies, and analyzing trends.

He underscored that statistics play a vital role in planning and policy development, resource allocation, monitoring and evaluation, and promoting transparency and accountability in governance.

“By using accurate statistics, LGUs can identify priority sectors, communities, and key development indicators. Otherwise, planning becomes reactive and inefficient,” Repedro said.

He added that statistical analysis enables local planners to transform raw data into meaningful information that supports sound and evidence-based decision-making.

Meanwhile, Samortin pointed out in his lectures that statistics go beyond numbers because they reflect the real conditions of people.

He emphasized that data collection alone is not enough to address community concerns and that appropriate action must be taken to make governance effective.

He also reminded participants that while statistics can suggest possible actions, they do not automatically establish causation.

Thus, he encouraged LGUs to consult communities, conduct field assessments and gather stakeholder input to ensure that policies and programs are comprehensive and inclusive.

The three-day training covered a range of topics, including introduction to statistics, key concepts and uses of statistics in local governance, measures of central tendency, measures of dispersion, data visualization, introduction to statistical tools, application of statistics in local planning, and interpretation of statistical results.

Peter S. Mangilog, senior statistical specialist, also facilitated sessions on types of data sources, data collection and data quality, and enriched his discussion by sharing PSA data-gathering practices and experiences in the conduct of the CBMS and other related surveys and censuses of the agency.

Participants were likewise trained in the use of advanced Microsoft Excel functions to facilitate easier data analysis and the generation of descriptive statistics, which they can apply in report preparation, policy formulation and program targeting.

To reinforce learning, trainees participated in a workshop in which they analyzed data sets and presented their findings in plenary.

The activity enabled facilitators to assess the participants’ understanding and application of the concepts discussed.

A total of 35 participants from various municipalities in Aklan, including representatives from the provincial government, attended the training, demonstrating the strong commitment of LGUs to strengthening data-driven planning and governance.