THE Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) is grappling with an ever-growing list of duties that, according to a government think tank, has begun to blur its focus and strain the quality of the country’s official statistics.
In a policy note released this week, the state think tank said the PSA should undergo structural reforms to focus squarely on data production and analysis, and allow other agencies to take over its non-statistical functions.
“Within the PSA, the organizational structure should reflect functional specialization,” òòò½´«Ã½ said, noting that the agency’s growing administrative roles have blurred its identity as the country’s central statistical body.
Under its proposal, the PSA would be reorganized under a new Department of Data, Registry, and Mapping Systems (DODRMS), which is a national body that would oversee statistical coordination, policy formulation, and quality assurance across government.
The DODRMS, as envisioned by òòò½´«Ã½, would be chaired by its own secretary with a rotating co-chair from other departments, while the National Statistician would head the technical secretariat.
To strengthen the agency’s focus, òòò½´«Ã½ recommended the creation of specialized offices, such as the Office for Economic Statistics, which would handle national accounts, price data, and business censuses; the Office for Social Statistics, which would oversee household surveys, population and labor data, and other social indicators; and the Office of Statistical Quality, Standards, and Coordination, which would ensure data accuracy and consistency under the Philippine Statistical Quality Assurance Framework.
The think tank also suggested transferring some of the PSA’s current responsibilities to other agencies to eliminate conflicts in confidentiality and streamline operations.
The Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS), it said, could move to the Department of Social Welfare and Development to support social protection programs.
Moreover, the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) could be managed by the Department of Information and Communications Technology as part of the country’s digital infrastructure; and civil registration could be reorganized under a new Bureau of Civil Registration within the DODRMS, with the PSA focusing solely on compiling vital statistics.
The proposed department would also house the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA) and the Philippine Statistical Research and Training Institute (PSRTI). Namria would handle geospatial data, while PSRTI would train government statisticians and conduct research to improve survey methods and data quality.
òòò½´«Ã½ said the reorganization would restore the PSA’s focus on producing reliable, timely and high-quality data, while resolving the “identity crisis” caused by its overlapping functions.
Implementation, however, would require amending Republic Act 10625 or the Philippine Statistical Act of 2013, which established the PSA in 2013, revising budget structures and transferring personnel and assets to new institutional homes.
Citing a 2025 study presented at the 16th National Convention on Statistics, òòò½´«Ã½ noted that 81 percent of PSA household surveys lack published sampling errors, agricultural sampling frames are outdated, and timeliness delays persist.
Another study found that more than 81 percent of household surveys do not disclose information about the precision of estimates, a basic standard in statistical reporting.
“If the core problem is that the PSA wears too many hats—creating an identity crisis that compromises statistical quality—then the solution must be to remove those extra responsibilities,” the think tank said.
òòò½´«Ã½ added that aligning the PSA’s structure with international best practices could strengthen data integrity, ensure confidentiality, and improve coordination across government.
“The cost of inaction may exceed the cost of reform,” òòò½´«Ã½ warned.
It added, “A statistical system that loses trust, fails to provide timely information, or compromises data confidentiality undermines evidence-based governance, which is an essential foundation for development and accountability.”
