IAOS-OECD 2018 conference, 19-21 September 2018, Paris. More information at: http://www.oecd.org/iaos2018/

1. Challenges in the Integration of Statistical and
Geospatial Data and the SDGs in the Philippines
Florante C. Varona
Chief Statistical Specialist
National Censuses Service
Philippine Statistics Authority
16th Conference of IAOS
19-21 September 2018
Paris, France

2. Background
• In September 2015, the United
Nations Member States adopted
a new global plan of action
entitled, “Transforming Our
World: The 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development.”

3. Background
• In 2016, in line with the Philippines'
commitment in achieving the SDGs,
the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)
Board issued Resolution, Enjoining
Government Agencies to Provide Data
Support to the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs).
• The resolution also designated PSA as
the official repository of SDG indicators
in the Philippines.

4. Background
• In 2016, the Environmental
Systems Research Institute
(ESRI) introduced the ArcGIS
online platform to the
Philippine Statistics Authority
(PSA) through a location
value assessment (LVA)
exercise for application in
census/survey data collection.

5. Background
• The Philippine Statistics
Authority (PSA) is considering
investing on modern data
collection technology (CAPI)
integrated with modern GIS
platform in all stages of census
operation for the conduct of
map-based or location-based
census in 2020.

6. Background
• The UN Statistics Division with
the ESRI introduced data hub
to enable countries to use
mapping software to monitor
progress on the SDGs.
• In November 2017, the Fifth
High Level Forum on UN
Global Geospatial Information
Management endorsed the
concept of a “federated
system” of open SDG Data
Hubs.

7. Background
• A pilot group of NSOs and
mapping agencies from
Ireland, Mexico, Philippines,
South Africa, Qatar participated
and collaborated with UNSD
and Esri in the research
exercise for SDG Data Hub to
bring together national and
subnational data sets.
• The Philippines is one of the
featured countries in the
UNSTAT Open Data Sites
https://unstats-undesa.opendata.arcgis.com

8. PSA Initiatives
• The Philippines’
SDG Summary
Matrix
TIER Definition (based on Inter-Agency
Expert Group on SDG Indicators)

9. PSA Initiatives
https://psa.maps.arcgis.com/home/index.html
• The PSA
developed
featured maps
to monitor
progress on the
SDGs

10. PSA Initiatives
https://psa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html
• It also monitors
SDGs Status for
selected
Indicators using
the ArcGIS
Story Map
SDG 1.1.2 Status
(2015 Poverty
Incidence in the
Philippines)

11. PSA Initiatives
https://psa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html
• It also monitors
SDGs Status for
selected
Indicators using
the ArcGIS
Story Map
Gross Regional
Domestic Product

12. Challenges for the PSA
• The demand of the data
users/clients have already
shifted from data sets to
substantial information or
knowledge for effective
decisions. Thus, the required
skills and appropriate
technology in transforming
data into meaningful
information is one of the key
challenges for the PSA. The
agency has to produce solid
information that tells story.
https://mapstat-psa.opendata.arcgis.com

13. Challenges for the PSA
• Collaboration, cooperation and
coordination among PSA, other data
producers, local government,
community, and the mapping agency
(National Mapping and Resource
Information Authority) in the
Philippines to produce integrated
data with nested administrative
geographic area hierarchy at the
sub-national level (EAs, Barangays,
Cities/Municipalities, Provinces)
requires huge effort.
Source: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2017/07/taking-action-for-
sustainable-development-dominican-republic-sudan-switzerland-samoa-philippines-tanzania

14. Challenges for the PSA
• The PSA has to invest and
modernize its statistical
business processes, enhance
personnel skills and
technology necessary to cope
with the increasing demand
for more disaggregated
statistical information
integrated with geographic
location.
ArcGIS
Portal
Server

15. Challenges for the PSA
• Data privacy and
anonymization for individual
data collected from
surveys/censuses (i.e.,
household level and/or
establishment level
information) at the lower
geographical location.

16. Challenges for the PSA
• Improvement in the quality of
administrative-based data as
possible data requirement
source for SDG

17. http://www.psa.gov.ph
Solid Responsive World-Class