Tacloban City, Philippines – The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Eastern Visayas State University (EVSU), and the Department of Tourism gathered on October 22, 2026 in celebration if the 37th National Statistics Month. The initiative, entitled Komuni Aksyon 2026: Statistics as Building Blocks for a Better Future, aims to transform community data into meaningful action by highlighting how the Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS) assists local governments in understanding grassroots needs and planning better local services.
Held at the EVSU Main Campus Auditorium, the event commenced at 8:00 AM and concluded at 3:00 PM. Morning activities included keynote presentations and an interactive forum for discussion and clarification.
Attendees included university officials led by Dr. Danilo B. Pulma, VP for Finance and Administration, along with government agency representatives who delivered comprehensive presentations and workshops.
“We have to make sure that what we invest in really matters,” said EnP Jay Keenson C. Acebuche, Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator, PPDO Northern Samar.
Simultaneously, the PSA provided a CRS mobile caravan at the EVSU inner court, where employees and guests could request copies of birth, marriage, death, and certificate of no marriage documents.
The afternoon sessions featured presentations from participating teams in the CBMS Innovation Challenge: IDEA CTRL, showcasing well-structured and innovative outputs. Similar to the morning program, expert keynote speakers delivered talks on topics such as the role of official statistics in everyday life, digital platforms for daily use, personal information and safety guidelines, and beneficial PSA service upgrades.
In her closing remarks, Regional Director Wilma A. Perante emphasized the importance of collaborations like this as vital building blocks for a better and more sustainable future.
The event successfully highlighted the value of statistics in community empowerment, demonstrating how CBMS data can guide local governments in crafting responsive services. Through collaborative efforts among PSA, EVSU, and the Department of Tourism, the program reinforced that statistics are not just numbers but essential tools for building stronger, more resilient communities.
By turning local data into effective public services, this EVSU-hosted initiative supports SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), while the university’s partnership with government agencies advances SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
Via MSia | UMDC
