Dawn of the New Era

“Towards a Philippine Statistics System Responsive to Emerging National and Global Challenges”

by Dennis Lacsam



“In ancient times, they had no statistics so they had to fall back on lies.”

Deeply assessing this verbatim pronouncement by the noted Canadian economist, writer and humorist Stephen Leacock, made me realize this bewildering thought. If there was no impeccable method for making wise decision in the face of doubt and ambiguity in the olden period, how did the early forms of government combat their problems effectively like perpetual poverty, rapid population growth, heinous crimes, and deteriorated or impoverished general welfare of the people?

Respected members of the panel of judges, fellow participants, coaches, friends, ladies and gentlemen, a pleasant morning to all of you.

I started with a remarkable analysis for I want all of you to feel how complicated life then without statistics. Just imagine if that same old fabricated routine of reasoning would be applied as a resolution in the major problems of the different sectors of our society today, without certainty, life would be filled with immeasurable confusions and complexities that may lead to the country’s economic, social, psychological, biological, physical, and political mayhem and stagnation.

Friends, for many years, statistics has been an indispensable tool for nation building. More than being a branch of mathematics concerned with collecting and interpreting data, it is now widely applicable to an extensive range of academic disciplines including natural and social sciences, government, and business. Because of its dynamism, it is therefore important to note its significance to the overall well-being of the people in the world.

In the Philippine scene, the National Statistics Office is responsible for producing and providing quality statistical and civil registration products and services. Being the major statistical agency of the government, its vital role is to make use of numerical facts effectively relating to groups of individuals or experiments. In coordination with the Commonwealth Act No. 591 where the Bureau of Census and statistics was created, its powers, functions, and duties include compiling and classifying all statistical data and information and publishing the same for the use of the government and the people, preparing for and undertaking all censuses of population, agriculture, industry and commerce, and conducting investigations and studies of social and economic problems and conditions.

Friends, although we have a strong organization that monitors and compiles various numerical public products and services, it is imperative that we must expand the horizons of our statistical system to be responsive to the emerging national and global challenges. The benevolent support of different organizations, whether government or non-government, that conduct their own surveys and market researches to be of service to the people is an indispensable act to alleviate tribulations and confusions in upgrading the quality and standard of the statistics in the country.

Ladies and gentlemen, in order to improve all of these works, we need to be confident about our statistical system by focusing to a more comprehensive, innovative, and forward-looking census and survey strategies that aim to reduce poverty, stimulate local investments and job creations and enhance individual, different group and institution’s empowerment. Likewise, we need knowledgeable and skillful statisticians whose expertise would not exclusively be devoted in thinking inventive methodologies for the statistical system but in envisioning on how they could become a catalyst of change for the country’s progress. They must always put in mind that a slight misuse of statistics can produce serious errors in description and interpretation that can lead to demoralizing, damaging and devastating decision errors to the various sectors of our society. And if these things happen, the statistical system which is a primary tool for nation building, with its emphasis on unity and solidarity would be in extreme jeopardy.

But friends, the propensity to innovate the effectiveness of our statistical system is essentially a function of factors relating to the roles of the state and the people. This can only be achieved if everyone realizes that statistics is profoundly connected to our human survival and plays an important role in our lives. Let us all remember that we, as citizens of this nation have different roles to fulfill as responsible members to the community. Let us involve ourselves in census and survey activities by actively participating in the endeavors of the statistical system to have an accurate, precise, and efficient analysis for the country’s growth and progress. Let us not be like those people who close their doors or let their dogs chased or hound census and survey’s emissaries resulting to inexact, fraudulent and reliable data and records.

As I end my speech today, let me express to you the same words of encouragement that distinguished John F. Kennedy summoned in his inaugural address as former United States President in January of 1961 – “Do not ask what your country can do for you… ask what you can do for your country!” These sympathetic words call to action, it triggered an urgent response – a change of attitude from unhelpful to hopeful, a spirit of shared interest and selflessness that can make us feel like all citizens boarded together in a single ship of state paddling towards a Philippine Statistics System responsive to emerging national and global challenges.

Kalan-Banga Festival Song 2009

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Iba’t iba ang paraan kung paano ipinakikilala ng mga mamamayan ang kanilang sariling bayan sapagkat ito ang palatandaang nag-uugnay ng kanilang lunggati sa kanilang lupang tinubuan.

Sa pagpapasinaya ng kauna-unahang Kalan-Banga Festival ng Calamba, kasabay na ilulunsad ng lungsod ang isang masiglang awit ng papuri at pagdakila na kikilala hindi lang sa makulay na kultura ng mga Calambeño bagkus ay sa natatanging lipi na kanilang pinagmulan na siyang pundasyon ng bayan sa pagsulong sa hinaharap.

Sa pagtutulungan ng tourism officer ng Calamba na si Dr. Virgilio R. Lazaga at ng kompositor na si Dennis B. Lacsam, mabusising idinetalye sa titik ng awitin ang mayaman at naiibang kakanyahan ng Calamba sa iba’t ibang aspeto ng buhay. Isinaad rin sa titik ang mga katangi-tanging ugaling Pilipino na likas sa sa bawat isang mamamayan ng Calamba na kumikilala at nagpapahalaga sa kapwa, sa bayan, sa kalikasan at sa dakilang lumikha. At upang pagyamanin ang turismo, inilahad rin sa titik ng awit na ang Calamba ay kanlungan ng mga likas na yaman na siyang itinuturing na bukal ng kayamanan ng buong lalawigan ng Laguna.

Sinadya rin ng kompositor at nag-areglo ng awit na si G. Michael O. Austria na pasiglahin at gawing mabilis na matandaan ang melodiya ng kanta upang agad na tumimo sa isip ng sinumang Calambeño ang diwa ng awit nang sa ganoon ay mabuhay sa kanyang katauhan ang pagmamalaki na nilikha ng kanyang bayan at iniidolong bayani. At upang mabuhay ang awit na siya ring gagamiting pyesa sa gaganaping sa kauna-unahang Kalan-Banga Street Dancing Festival, pinagsama-sama sa pambihirang areglo ang iba’t ibang masisigla at masasayang tunog na sumasagisag sa kultura at modernisasyon ng lunsod upang makadagdag sa enerhiya ng mga Calambeño na magdiriwang at magsasayawan sa kalye.

At upang bigyang buhay ang awitin napili si G. John Arlan D. Manalo sapagkat bukod sa magandang tinig kinakatawan ng mang-aawit ang mga katangian ng isang tunay na Calambeño na maginoo, magiliw, may pagpapakumbaba at nagpapahalaga sa nayonalismo.

Kalan-Banga Festival Song 2009

Lyrics and Melody: Dennis B. Lacsam

Arranger: Michael O. Austria

Interpreter: John Arlan D. Manalo

Lupang tinubuan, pinagpala ng kalikasan

Inambunan ng yaman, Calamba naming bayan

Hinubog ang talino ng bawat Calambeño

Nilikhang maka-Diyos, makabaya’t makatao

Bayang sinilangan ng bayaning pilipino

Pagyayamanin namin upang maging progresibo

Pilit ikikintal sa bawat isang tao

Ugaling matapat, marangal at disiplinado

Chorus

Mabuhay ang Calamba, Sulong kalan-banga

Bayang hinahangaan, liping dinarakila

Mabuhay ang Calamba, Yabong kalan-banga

Yaman ng Laguna at nitong bansa.

(Repeat Chorus)

Sagana sa tubig at kabundukan

Bukal ng kayamanan ng buong lalawigan

Masarap na pagkain ang iyong matitikman

Kaygandang mamasyal maraming kang pupuntahan

Calambeño’y maginoo at laging masaya

Sa lahat ng bisita magalang at nakatawa

Nagpapahalaga sa edukasyon at sa kultura

Na s’yang pundasyon ng aming pagkakaisa

(Repeat Chorus 3X)