Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 10625

December 11, 2013

IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10625, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE PHILIPPINE STATISTICAL ACT OF 2013

Pursuant to Section 32 of Republic Act No. 10625 (RA 10625), AN ACT REORGANIZING THE PHILIPPINE STATISTICAL SYSTEM, REPEALING FOR THE PURPOSE EXECUTIVE ORDER NUMBERED ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-ONE, ENTITLED "REORGANIZING AND STRENGTHENING THE PHILIPPINE STATISTICAL SYSTEM AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES", otherwise known as the "PHILIPPINE STATISTICAL ACT OF 2013", the following Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) are hereby promulgated:

WHEREAS, RA 10625, otherwise known as the "Philippine Statistical Act of 2013" was signed into law by the President of the Republic of the Philippines on September 12, 2013;

WHEREAS, Sections 3 and 5 of RA 10625 mandate the reorganization of the Philippine Statistical System (PSS) and the creation of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) which shall merge the major statistical agencies engaged in primary data collection and compilation of secondary data, namely: National Statistics Office (NSO); National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB); Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS); and Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics (BLES);

WHEREAS, Section 17 of RA 10625 mandates the creation of the Philippine Statistical Research and Training Institute (PSRTI), as such, abolishing the Statistical Research and Training Center (SRTC);

WHEREAS, the above-said law mandates that the PSA and PSRTI shall be attached to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) for purposes of policy coordination; aIcETS

WHEREAS, the PSA shall be comprised of the PSA Board, being the highest policy-making body on statistical matters, and offices on sectoral statistics, censuses and technical coordination, civil registration and central support and field statistical services;

WHEREAS, Section 32 of RA 10625 mandates the PSA Board together with the PSA, the PSRTI, the NEDA and other concerned agencies of government that may be determined by the PSA Board, to formulate the implementing rules and regulations of the Act within ninety (90) days after its approval;

WHEREAS, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED AS IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED, That pursuant to the above-same provision of the same law, the following Rules are hereby adopted:

TITLE I

Purpose, Scope and Objectives

RULE 1

Purpose

ARTICLE 1. These Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) are adopted to prescribe guidelines, procedures and standards for the implementation of RA 10625. DEScaT

RULE 2

Scope and Objectives

ARTICLE 2. These Rules shall cover all the mandated functions and duties of the PSA and the PSRTI and all the activities of their offices and units to facilitate compliance of RA 10625 for the achievement of its functions, as enumerated under Section 6 of the said Act, and defined under Rule 5 of this IRR.

ARTICLE 3. The objectives of the said Act are stipulated in its Declaration of Policy under Section 2:

a) To rationalize and promote efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of statistical services;

b) To maintain an integrated statistical system characterized by independence, objectivity and integrity so as to enhance responsiveness to the requirements of equitable national development;

c) To promote the orderly development of a statistical system capable of providing timely, accurate and useful data for the government and the public; and

d) To support decentralization through the establishment of the statistical infrastructure necessary to service the statistical needs of local development planning. HCTEDa

RULE 3

Definition of Terms

ARTICLE 4. For purposes of these Rules, the following definition of terms are hereby adopted:

a) Philippine Statistical System (PSS)

The PSS shall consist of statistical organizations at all administrative levels, the personnel therein and the national statistical program. This includes a policy-making body, a coordinating body with primary data collection capability, a statistical research and training institute, and all executive departments, bureaus, offices, agencies and instrumentalities of the national and local governments and all government owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) and their subsidiaries that are engaged in statistical activities either as their primary functions or as part of their administrative or regulatory functions. The PSS shall remain decentralized with a strong coordination feature to be achieved through postings of trained personnel and closer linkage between statistical programming and budgeting.

b) Policy Coordination

As defined under Book IV, Chapter 7, Sec. 38 of the Administrative Code of 1987, policy coordination is defined as follows:

"The coordination shall be accomplished by having the department represented in the governing board of the attached agency or corporation, either as chairman or as a member, with or without voting rights, if this is permitted by the charter; having the attached corporation or agency comply with a system of periodic reporting which shall reflect the progress of programs and projects; and having the department or its equivalent provide general policies through its representative in the board, which shall serve as the framework for the internal policies of the attached corporation or agency." HDTSCc

c) Civil Registration and Vital Statistics System (CRVSS)

Civil Registration and Vital Statistics System (CRVSS) comprise the total process of collecting information on the occurrence and characteristics of vital events (e.g.,birth, death, cause of death, marriage, adoption, etc.);and generating vital statistics through the compilation, analysis, evaluation, presentation and dissemination of data.

In the Philippines, the CRVSS is mandated under Act 3753, the Law on Registry of Civil Status, which the PSA is mandated to carry out its provisions.

d) System of Designated Statistics

The system of designated statistics is a mechanism that identifies and generates the most critical and essential statistics required for social and economic planning/analysis based on approved criteria.

It establishes priorities for data production and hence provides a means for more rational resource allocation among government statistical activities. It also identifies the sources of official statistics.

e) Official Statistics

Official statistics in the PSS are statistics produced by the government and are disseminated by the PSA, excepting those that are explicitly stated not to be official.

The PSS in defining official statistics, follows the Fundamental Principles for Official Statistics adopted by the United Nations Statistical Commission. AacSTE

f) Statistical Services

Statistical services in the PSS include designated census and statistical survey operations for the various sectors, data collection on administrative records and the processing of all these operations.

Statistical services also include non-designated statistics such as the conduct of censuses and surveys for other government agencies and multilateral institutions, subject to approval by the PSA Board.

g) Civil Registration Services

The PSA serves as the central repository of all registered vital documents. The public is served through copy issuance of their civil registry documents archived in the Civil Registry System Database.

h) Philippine Statistical Development Program (PSDP)

The PSDP shall consist of all statistical activities and their corresponding budgetary estimates to be undertaken by the PSS in response to the requirements of development planning and policy formulation. The statistical programs in the PSDP shall integrate broad set of statistical indicators that are indispensable for the development and improvement of planning. DEaCSA

TITLE II

Mandates and Functions of the PSA

RULE 4

Mandates

ARTICLE 5. The PSA shall primarily be responsible for the implementation of the objectives and provisions of R.A. 10625.

It shall plan, develop, prescribe, disseminate and enforce policies, rules and regulations and coordinate government-wide programs governing the production of official statistics, general-purpose statistics, and civil registration services.

It shall primarily be responsible for all national censuses and surveys, sectoral statistics, consolidation of selected administrative recording systems and compilation of national accounts.

RULE 5

Functions

ARTICLE 6. The PSA shall:

a) serve as the central statistical authority of the Philippine government on primary data collection;

b) prepare and conduct periodic censuses on population, housing, agriculture, fisheries, business, industry, and other sectors of the economy; HTSIEa

c) collect, compile, analyze, abstract and publish statistical information relating to the country's economic, social, demographic and general activities and condition of the people;

d) prepare and conduct statistical sample surveys on all aspects of socioeconomic life including agriculture, industry, trade, finance, prices and marketing information, income and expenditure, education, health, culture, and social situations for the use of the government and the public;

e) carry out, enforce and administer civil registration functions in the country as provided for in Act 3753, the Law on Registry of Civil Status;

f) collaborate with departments of the national government including GOCCs and their subsidiaries in the collection, compilation, maintenance and publication of statistical information, including special statistical data derived from the activities of those departments, corporations and their subsidiaries;

g) promote and develop integrated social and economic statistics and coordinate plans for the integration of those statistics, including the national accounts; EaISTD

h) develop and maintain appropriate frameworks and standards for the collection, processing, analysis and dissemination of data;

i) coordinate with government departments and local government units (LGUs) on the promotion and adoption of statistical standards involving techniques, methodologies, concepts, definitions and classifications, and on the avoidance of duplication in the collection of statistical information;

j) conduct continuing methodological, analytical and development activities, in coordination with the PSRTI, to improve the conduct of censuses, surveys and other data collection activities;

k) recommend executive and legislative measures to enhance the development of the statistical activities and programs of the government;

l) prepare, in consultation with the PSA Board, a Philippine Statistical Development Program (PSDP);

m) implement policies on statistical matters and coordination, as directed by the PSA Board and;

n) perform other functions as may be assigned by the PSA Board and as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act.

TITLE III

Organizational Structure and Staffing

RULE 6

The PSA Board

ARTICLE 7.The PSA Board shall be composed of the following:

Chairperson:Secretary of Socioeconomic Planning and Director-General, NEDA cIaCTS

Vice Chairperson:Secretary or the duly designated Undersecretary, Department of Budget and Management (DBM)

Members:Secretary or duly designated representative (not lower than an Undersecretary) of the following national government agencies:

Commission on Higher Education (CHED);

Deputy Governor or duly designated representative, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP);

President or duly designated representative, Philippine Statistical Association, Inc. (PSAI);

President or duly designated representative, Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP);

National Statistician, PSA;

Executive Director, PSRTI;

Representative, Private Sector;

Representative, GOCCs.

In the absence or temporary incapacity of the Secretary of Socioeconomic Planning and Director-General of NEDA, the Secretary of the DBM or the duly designated Undersecretary shall act as Chairperson of the Board.

The representatives from the private sector and ULAP shall be appointed by the PSA Board Chairperson for a term of three (3) years, with reappointment, from a list of nominees submitted by the other members of the Board.

ARTICLE 8.The PSA Board shall constitute (5) sections, each with a maximum of seven (7) members. Each section shall meet as often as possible to deliberate on matters to be discussed by the PSA Board. These sections are: aSIHcT

a) Agriculture, Industry, Trade and Services, Environment and Natural Resources, Prices and National Accounts;

b) Labor and Employment, Population, Women and Gender, Health and Welfare, Education, Science and Technology and other Socioeconomic Sectors;

c) Census and Survey Design;

d) Theoretical Statistics and Statistical Modelling; and

e) Statistical Information System and Information Technology.

The Board may create sections as deemed necessary and appropriate.

ARTICLE 9. The PSA Board shall hold regular quarterly meetings and have as many special meetings as may be necessary on call of the Chairperson or upon request of any fifteen (15) members thereof.

The members of the Board, except for the ex officio members, shall each receive per diem at rates to be determined by the DBM in accordance with existing rules and regulations: Provided, however,That the total per diem collected each month shall not exceed the equivalent per diem for four (4) meetings.

RULE 7

Powers and Functions of the PSA Board

ARTICLE 10. The PSA Board shall have the following powers and functions:

a) Establish appropriate mechanisms to promote and maintain an efficient and effective statistical system in the government;

b) Formulate policies on all matters relating to government statistical operations, standards and classifications; EAISDH

c) Review the statistical programs of the departments and agencies of the national government and the LGUs and rationalize responsibilities in these government organizations on matters relating to such statistical programs;

d) Review budgetary proposals involving statistical operations and submit an integrated budget for the PSS to the DBM;

e) Prescribe appropriate frameworks for the improvement of statistical coordination and establish mechanisms for statistical coordination at the regional and LGU levels;

f) Provide technical assistance and exercise supervision over major government statistical activities;

g) Recommend executive and legislative measures to enhance the development and efficiency of the system, including the internal structure of statistical agencies;

h) Approve the Philippine Statistical Development Program (PSDP).

The PSA Board shall act on and decide matters before it through a Board Resolution by a majority vote of all its members. A majority of the members of the PSA Board shall constitute a quorum in the conduct of its day to day affairs and business. DCSETa

All agencies of government are hereby mandated to comply with any and all directives requested by the PSA Board, either motu proprio or through the PSA. Failure, without justifiable reason, by any agency to comply with this mandate shall result in the filing of administrative and criminal cases against the erring government personnel and the immediate superior concerned without prejudice to violation of any other law or regulation.

In a criminal case, the penalties provided in the second paragraph of Section 27 of the Act and Rule 30 hereof shall apply.

RULE 8

Inter-Agency Committees on Statistics

ARTICLE 11. The following inter-agency statistical committees (IACs) shall be created by the PSA Board to coordinate and resolve agency and sectoral concerns on statistical matters. The IAC shall serve as a forum for discussion of the issues raised by concerned producers, users and other stakeholders of sectoral and agency-specific statistics:

a) Committee on Agriculture;

b) Committee on Trade and Industry Statistics;

c) Committee on Infrastructure;

d) Committee on Financial Statistics;

e) Committee on Social Statistics;

f) Committee on Gender Statistics;

g) Committee on Environment and Natural Resources;

h) Committee on Information and Communications Technology;

i) Committee on Science and Technology;

j) Committee on Governance;

k) Committee on Migration;

l) Committee on Fiscal Matters; and

m) Committee on PSS Resources.

The PSA Board may create other IACs to assist in the exercise of its functions or abolish them as appropriate. It shall define the membership, functions and terms of reference of the IACs to allow flexibility and the ability to respond to future emerging statistical concerns on various sectors.

ARTICLE 12. The membership of the IACs may be increased or decreased as the exigencies of the work require, provided that these shall be authorized by the PSA Board. The IACs may create subcommittees or working groups as the need arises in the work to be done. Membership of said subcommittees or working groups shall come from the technical staff of the government agencies represented and other private entities. ITcCSA

The IACs shall submit to the PSA Board their work programs and report on the progress of their work, including findings and recommendations on technical issues referred to them.

RULE 9

The PSA Offices

ARTICLE 13. The PSA shall consist of the following constituents units:

a)Office of the National Statistician (NS) with the following four (4) support units:

i) Legal Services Unit

It shall be responsible for providing legal services and advice to the PSA. These matters include providing legal advice and guidance; prosecution of cases in courts and litigation management; documentation preparation and drafting; and complying documentation with existing local/international agreements and legislation. Likewise, it shall be responsible in liaising with both Houses of Congress on legislative matters affecting the PSS and CRVSS; assist legislators in facilitating their requests for technical assistance on statistics and civil registration matters; and coordinating commitments of the PSA with the other government agencies in the PSS, GOCCs, academe and the private sector. DICcTa

ii) Statistical Methodology Unit

It shall be responsible for the development of statistical frames for all censuses, surveys and administrative-based reports. It shall likewise be responsible for research undertakings in coordination with PSRTI, on the development and improvement of sampling designs, methodologies, economic indices and other indicators estimation and data collection process to enhance the quality of statistics.

iii) International Cooperation Unit

It shall be responsible for organizing and managing the application for international cooperation projects and coordinating commitments of the PSA with the UN, ASEAN and other international bodies and development partners. Likewise it shall be responsible in formulating policies concerning international cooperation in statistics and civil registration.

iv) Management and Corporate Planning Unit

It shall be responsible in coordinating and supporting corporate planning and management activities in line with the PSA's strategic objectives.

It shall also be responsible for establishing internal control systems and procedures; enhancement of individual and unit accountabilities of established systems and procedures; determining cost effectiveness and value for money of major investments and expenditures of the PSA; and efficiency of operations of the PSA. Correspondingly, it shall coordinate the PSA's management process, providing advice and assistance to the different units of the PSA and ensuring robust links with the corporate planning process.

Likewise, it shall be responsible in programming and coordinating the regular and special meetings of the PSA Board as well as managing and maintaining all decisions, policies, pronouncements, issuances, and records of the PSA Board.

The support unit shall be headed by a Director to be appointed by the President of the Philippines. They shall have a rank equivalent to a Director of a constituent unit in other national government agencies with the same qualifications for appointment, rank, salaries, allowances and retirement privileges in accordance with existing civil service rules.

b) Office of the Deputy National Statisticians (DNS) of the following three (3) offices:

i) Sectoral Statistics Office

The Sectoral Statistics Office shall:

a) Provide technical staff support to the PSA in the areas of agriculture, natural resources, agrarian reform, mining and quarrying manufacturing, electricity, gas and water, energy, construction, foreign and domestic trade, services, science and technology, finance, investment, population, women and gender, health, nutrition, education, labor and employment, social welfare, governance, public order and justice;

b) Provide technical staff support to the PSA in generating the national accounts and the development and maintenance of economic and social accounts;

c) Plan and conduct surveys as may be required, in accordance with the approved statistical calendar; and

d) Perform such other tasks as may be assigned by the National Statistician.

ii) Censuses and Technical Coordination Office

The Censuses and Technical Coordination Office shall:

a) Prepare, conduct, process and disseminate census results in accordance with the approved statistical calendar;

b) Maintain and develop statistical standards and classification systems; caIDSH

c) Provide technical assistance to other concerned government offices to meet their statistical requirements for policy-making, planning and programming;

d) Coordinate the activities of the Regional Statistical Services;

e) Provide information technology systems and programming and IT operations support for the PSA projects;

f) Provide other PSA offices with cartographic services;

g) Maintain archives and communication and information services of PSA generated data;

h) Provide the data center for statistics and civil registration; and

i) Perform such other tasks as may be assigned by the National Statistician.

iii) Civil Registration and Central Support Office

The Civil Registration and Central Support Office shall provide technical and support services to the various units of the PSA in the areas of administrative services, financial management services and human resources. EcDTIH

It shall likewise provide technical and support services for the efficient functioning of civil registration system and perform such other tasks as may be assigned by the National Statistician.

c) Office of the Assistant National Statisticians (ANS) of the following eight (8) offices/services:

Sectoral Statistics:

i) Macroeconomic Accounts Services

It shall be responsible for the development and maintenance of national accounts, regional accounts, satellite accounts, input/output tables and other related macroeconomic accounts.

ii) Economic Sector Statistics Services

It shall be responsible for the production of primary data on agriculture, industry, trade, services, environment and natural resources, prices and other related economic statistics.

iii) Social Sector Statistics Services

It shall be responsible for the production of primary data on labor and employment, population, women and gender, health and welfare, education, science and technology, housing and urbanization, emerging concerns and other related social statistics.

Censuses and Technical Coordination:

iv) National Censuses Services

It shall be responsible for the planning and production of data from censuses on population and housing, agriculture, fisheries and economic activities; and development and maintenance of sampling frames and geographic information on population and housing, agriculture, fisheries and economic activities. aITDAE

v) Standards Services

It shall be responsible for the formulation and monitoring of statistical development programs, formulation of standards and classification, including glossary of statistical terms and geographic classification.

vi) Information Technology (IT) and Dissemination Services

It shall be responsible for the development and maintenance of IT systems and programs, IT operations, statistical data archives, communication and information services.

Civil Registration and Central Support

vii) Civil Registration Services

It shall be responsible for the civil registry document management and archiving, policy advocacy and research on civil registration matters, court decrees and legal instruments affecting civil registry documents, administrative correction of civil registry documents, outlet and customer services and other civil registration concerns. aDACcH

viii) Central Support Services

It shall be responsible for the general administration, financial services, human resource management, human resource development and procurement.

d) Field Statistical Services Offices

A Regional Statistical Services Office (RSSO) and Provincial Statistical Office (PSO) shall be established in each of the administrative regions and provinces, respectively. The RSSO and PSO shall:

i) Provide technical staff support to the PSA;

ii) Provide technical assistance as may be required by the implementing agencies and local governments in the regions and provinces; and

iii) Perform such other tasks as may be assigned by the National Statistician.

RULE 10

The National Statistician

ARTICLE 14. The head of the PSA is the National Statistician who shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines from a list of nominees submitted by a Special Committee and endorsed by the PSA Board Chairperson. EACIcH

The Special Committee shall be composed of representatives from the PSAI, the University of the Philippines' School of Statistics (UPSS),the University of the Philippines-Los Baños Institute of Statistics (UPLB-INSTAT),the Department of Economic Statistics of the BSP and the NEDA.

The National Statistician shall have a rank equivalent to an Undersecretary and shall have the same rank and privileges as Undersecretary in other national government agencies.

ARTICLE 15. The National Statistician shall possess the following minimum qualifications:

a) Master's Degree in Statistics

b) Experience in the management of data collection

The Special Committee, referred to in Art. 14 may determine the other relevant qualifications and competencies of the position.

The National Statistician shall serve for a term of five (5) years and may be reappointed for another term.

RULE 11

Powers and Functions of the National Statistician

ARTICLE 16.The National Statistician shall perform the following duties:

a) Direct and supervise the general administration of the PSA;

b) Prescribe rules and regulations, instructions, schedule and form of business of the PSA in the collection, compilation and dissemination of statistics and other information and in the conduct of any census;

c) Provide overall direction in the implementation of the Civil Registry Law and related issuances and exercise technical supervision over the civil registrars as Civil Registrar General; SDIaCT

d) Act as ex-officio Chairperson of the PSA Board Secretariat;

e) Direct and manage the implementation and execution of policies, standards, rules and regulations formulated by the PSA Board;

f) Issue appointments of PSA personnel below the rank of a Director;

g) Represent PSA as signatory to all contracts, researches and other awards;

h) Represent the Philippines in regional and international conferences and meetings as the country's highest authority with respect to statistical matters;

i) Submit a report to the President of the Republic of the Philippines through the NEDA Director-General on the activities of the PSA in the preceding year. Such report shall also be submitted separately in the annual report to Congress during the presentation of the President's budget;

j) Perform such other functions as may be assigned by the PSA Board.

ARTICLE 17. The National Statistician shall have the authority to appoint and designate PSA personnel below the Director level. Key positions in the PSA with ranks below Director III shall be classified as second level positions. IEAHca

The National Statistician shall, from time to time, as and when necessary, appoint any person as consultants and/or service contractors to carry out statistical and civil registration activities, such as manpower needed for censuses and statistical surveys and workforce for civil registration services. The term of appointment shall be prescribed in a service contract.

Powers and Functions of the National Statistician as Civil Registrar General

ARTICLE 18. The National Statistician as Civil Registrar General shall have the following functions:

a) Issue all policies, instructions and standards on civil registration;

b) Exercise technical supervision over all civil registrars;

c) Decide on petitions of administrative corrections in the civil registry pursuant to RA 9048 and its IRR pursuant to Administrative Order No. 1, series of 2001 and RA 10172 and its IRR pursuant to Administrative Order No. 1, series of 2012;

d) Act on policy matters involving the registration of solemnizing officers pursuant to Article 7 of EO 209, the Family Code of the Philippines and its IRR pursuant to Administrative Order No. 1, series of 2008;

e) Coordinate with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and Philippine consular offices on issues concerning civil registration of events occurring to Filipinos abroad and all civil registration issues of Filipinos abroad;

f) Coordinate with the Office of the Supreme Court Administrator on concerns involving civil registration of Muslim Filipinos as provided for under EO 157 and PD 1083 and its IRR pursuant to Administrative Order No. 1, series of 2005; ETHCDS

g) Coordinate with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) on the civil registration of indigenous peoples as provided for under Rule VI, Section 8 of RA 8371 and its IRR pursuant to Administrative Order No. 3, Series of 2004;

h) Coordinate with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on the civil registration of children in need of special protection;

i) Delegate inspection and visitorial functions over the civil registrars to the Regional Directors and Provincial Statistics Officers.

RULE 13

Appointment of Deputy National Statisticians

ARTICLE 19. The National Statistician shall be assisted by three (3) Deputy National Statisticians (DNS) who shall be responsible for the various offices of the PSA, namely: sector statistics office; censuses and technical coordination; civil registration and central support. aTSEcA

ARTICLE 20. The DNS shall possess the following minimum qualifications:

a) Master's Degree appropriate to the position

b) Relevant experience in management

The DNS shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines upon the recommendation of the National Statistician and endorsement of the PSA Board Chairperson and shall have a rank equivalent to an Assistant Secretary in other national government agencies.

RULE 14

Appointment of Assistant National Statisticians

ARTICLE 21. The DNS shall be assisted by eight (8) Assistant National Statisticians (ANS),three (3) of which shall be assigned for sector statistics, three (3) for censuses and technical coordination and two (2) for civil registration and central support.

ARTICLE 22. The ANS shall possess the following minimum qualifications:

a) Master's Degree appropriate to the position

b) Relevant experience in management

The ANS shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines upon the recommendation of the National Statistician and endorsement of the PSA Board Chairperson and shall have a rank equivalent to a Director IV position in other national government agencies. CSAcTa

RULE 15

Field Statistical Services

ARTICLE 23. There shall be Regional Statistical Service Office (RSSO) for each of the administrative regions in the country. The RSSO shall be headed by a Regional Director (RD) with a rank equivalent to an RD position in other national government agencies.

ARTICLE 24. The RSSO shall have the following divisions which shall each be headed by a Division Chief:

a) Statistical Operations and Coordination Division

It shall be responsible in the statistical, technical and ICT operations as well as coordination of the different field activities of the RSSO/PO. Likewise, it shall be responsible in all statistical coordination and development activities in the region.

b) Civil Registration and Administrative Support Division

It shall be responsible for the civil registration and vital statistics services and coordinating activities in the region. Likewise, it shall also be responsible in the operation of the CRS outlets in the region, including customer services and other civil registration concerns.

It shall also be responsible for the general administration, financial services, human resource management, human resource development and procurement activities of the RSSO/PO.

The RSSO shall have such Provincial Statistical Office (PO) in all provinces of the country. The PO shall be headed by a Provincial Statistics Officer (PSO). DTEcSa

The PO shall have District Statistical Office (DSO) per congressional district in the province.

ARTICLE 25. Civil Registration System (CRS) outlets shall be established in all administrative regions of the country, and as may be necessary, each province shall have at least one (1) CRS outlet to provide copy issuance service of civil registry documents enrolled in the CRS database.

ARTICLE 26. The RSSO and the PSO shall have direct linkages to the civil registrars. They shall exercise delegated visitorial functions as authorized by the Civil Registrar General with respect to the performance of the mandated functions of the civil registrars.

RULE 16

Staffing Pattern

ARTICLE 27. The National Statistician shall approve the position structure and staffing pattern of the PSA in accordance with the existing regulations of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

The staffing complement necessary for the operationalization of the PSA structure shall be subject to the rules and regulations of the DBM and the Civil Service Commission (CSC).

ARTICLE 28. All matters pertaining to human resources and development in the PSA shall be governed by the Civil Service Law, Rules and Regulations and other issuances. DCAHcT

TITLE IV

Philippine Statistical Research and Training Institute

RULE 17

Creation, Functions and Operations of PSRTI

ARTICLE 29. The PSRTI is hereby created and shall be attached to the NEDA for purposes of policy coordination. As such, the Statistical Research and Training Center (SRTC) is hereby abolished and all SRTC assets and liabilities, appropriations, records and personnel, if any, shall be transferred to the PSRTI.

ARTICLE 30. The PSRTI shall carry out the following functions:

a) Develop a comprehensive and integrated research and training program on the theories, concepts and methodologies for the promotion of the statistical system;

b) Undertake research on statistical concepts, definitions and methods;

c) Promote collaborative research efforts among members of the academic community, data producers and users;

d) Conduct non-degree training programs to upgrade the quality of statistics personnel and expand the statistics human resource base in support of the needs of the PSS; EcHAaS

e) Provide scholarships, financial and other forms of assistance to build statistical manpower and enhance training and statistical research and development;

f) Serve as repository of all statistical researches and studies to be generated by the PSA as well as back-up/duplicate files of data archives and other statistical databases of the PSS; and

g) Invest its funds in such undertaking as it may deem wise or necessary to carry out its objectives with due consideration to existing guidelines on investing government funds.

RULE 18

The Office of the Executive Director

ARTICLE 31. The PSRTI shall be headed by an Executive Director (ED),who shall be nominated by the PSA Board and endorsed by the PSA Board Chairperson to the President of the Republic of the Philippines for appointment.

The ED shall have a rank of an Executive Director and shall have the same salary and privileges to those with equivalent positions in other national government agencies.

ARTICLE 32. The ED shall possess the following minimum qualifications:

a) Master's Degree in Statistics

b) Relevant experience in the management of statistical research

RULE 19

Functions and Responsibilities of the Executive Director

ARTICLE 33. The ED shall perform the following duties and responsibilities:

a) Direct and supervise the general administration of the PSRTI;

b Prescribe rules and regulations, instructions, schedule and form of business of the PSRTI in the conduct of statistical research, training and other related activities; aEHTSc

c) Act as ex-officio member of the PSRTI Board;

d) Direct and manage the implementation and execution of policies, standards, rules and regulations formulated by the PSRTI Board;

e) Issue appointments of PSRTI personnel;

f) Represent PSRTI as signatory to all contracts, awards and similarly related matters;

g) Represent the Philippines in regional and international conferences and meetings on matters related to the implementation of statistical research and training program for the PSS;

h) Manage the PSRTI's endowment fund including its investment;

i) Direct and manage the implementation of PSRTI's fellowship program for statistical research and training;

j) Submit annual report to the President of the Republic of the Philippines and Congress of the Philippines through the NEDA Director-General on the activities of the PSRTI; and

k) Perform such other functions as may be assigned by the PSRTI Board. HTCSDE

RULE 20

The PSRTI Governing Board

ARTICLE 34. The PSRTI shall have a governing board that shall formulate policies for its management and operations:

Chairperson:Secretary of Socioeconomic Planning and Director-General, NEDA (PSA Board Chairperson)

Members:Dean of the University of the Philippines' School of Statistics

Executive Director of the Philippine Social Science Council (PSSC)

Representative of NEDA (ex-officio)

Executive Director of the PSRTI (ex-officio)

The PSA Board Chairperson may appoint two (2) representatives from the private sector to the PSRTI Governing Board from among a list of nominees submitted by the Board.

The PSRTI Governing Board shall meet at least once every semester to discuss and formulate policies for the management and operations of the PSRTI.

The PSRTI shall provide reasonable allowances to its Governing Board.

RULE 21

Organizational Structure of PSRTI

ARTICLE 35. The PSRTI shall consist of the Office of the Executive Director with the following services support divisions:

a) Finance and Administrative Services

b) Knowledge Management Services

c) Research Services

d) Training Services

Each of the services support divisions shall be headed by a Division Chief who will be appointed by the ED. They shall have the same qualifications for appointment, rank, salaries and benefits to that of a Division Chief in other national government agencies.

ARTICLE 36. The PSRTI shall be authorized to engage professionals either as fellows or associates, for purposes of conducting training sessions and researches for the PSRTI.

Fellows should have actual experience in research or training and have preferably earned a doctorate degree in Statistics, Economics, Social Sciences, Computer Sciences or related disciplines. Associates should have earned at least a Master's degree in these fields.

Those so engaged by the PSRTI shall be issued appointments and paid fees as determined by the PSRTI, and as approved by the PSA Board.

RULE 22

Incumbents Affected by the Reorganization of the PSRTI

ARTICLE 37. SRTC officials and employees affected by the reorganization as provided under RA 10625 shall occupy their new positions, provided that they will qualify with the standards of the new staffing pattern of PSRTI. The reappointment shall be subject to applicable rules and regulations of the Civil Service Commission (CSC).

Accordingly, they shall receive the salary and benefits corresponding to their duly approved appointments, subject to applicable budgetary rules and regulations. ICcaST

ARTICLE 38. Officials and employees who will not be absorbed in the new staffing pattern of the PSRTI shall be offered early retirement scheme as provided for under Section 30 of RA 10625 and Rule 36 of this IRR.

RULE 23

PSRTI Endowment Fund

ARTICLE 39. The existing SRTC Endowment Fund shall be transferred to the PSRTI and serve as the initial PSRTI endowment fund.

The PSRTI is authorized to accept into its endowment fund any contributions, donations, bequests, grants and loans from domestic and/or foreign sources, government appropriations and other incomes accruing from the operations of the PSRTI, for purposes of executing its mandate and functions. The amount necessary to augment the endowment fund shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

RULE 24

PSRTI Operating Funds

ARTICLE 40. The amount appropriated for the operating fund of the SRTC under the current General Appropriations Act (GAA) shall constitute the initial operating fund of the PSRTI.

Thereafter, the government contribution necessary to support the research and training programs of the PSRTI shall be determined based on the annual financial plan approved by its Governing Board and submitted to the DBM.

TITLE V

Posting of Statistical Personnel, Philippine Statistical Development Program

RULE 25

Posting of Statistical Personnel in Government Offices

ARTICLE 41. In the exercise of its functions and in accordance with the priorities set by the PSA Board, the PSA may post teams of its statistical personnel in other government offices, including the LGUs to carry out the work program to be drawn up in coordination with the host offices.

The posted teams shall be proportional to the size and needs of the government offices. Personnel posted in a government office shall be supervised by the DNS for Sectoral Statistics and shall render fortnightly statistical reports to the Office of the National Statistician. The heads of the host offices shall submit periodic performance evaluation reports on posted personnel to the National Statistician. SADECI

ARTICLE 42. In the exercise of its functions in carrying out the Civil Registration Law, the PSA through the Office of Civil Registrar General (OCRG) may post CRVS personnel in the LGU or in the Philippine consular services abroad, should there be requests for civil registration assistance, subject to evaluation by the DNS for Civil Registration and approval of the Civil Registrar General.

ARTICLE 43. The posting of statistical and CRVS personnel shall commence after the PSA has conducted statistical and civil registration capacity development programs, two (2) years after the implementation of this IRR.

The posting shall comprise technical assistance to government agencies and LGUs for their respective statistical development programs or civil registration capacity programs.

ARTICLE 44. Budgetary allocations for the posting of statistical and CRVS personnel shall be drawn from the PSA budget. Host agencies, organizations and LGUs, subject to their capabilities, may extend financial and other support in the form of service allowances in accordance with applicable DBM and COA rules.

RULE 26

Philippine Statistical Development Program

ARTICLE 45. The Philippine Statistical Development Program (PSDP) shall consist of all statistical activities and their corresponding budgetary estimates to be undertaken by the PSS in response to the requirements of development planning and policy formulation.

The statistical programs in the PSDP shall integrate broad set of statistical indicators that are indispensable for the development and improvement of planning.

ARTICLE 46. The PSA shall formulate the PSDP which will be endorsed to the PSA Board for approval.

TITLE VI

Standards and Classification Systems, Statistical Survey Review and Clearance System

RULE 27

Standards and Classification Systems

ARTICLE 47. The PSA shall prescribe uniform standards and classification systems in government statistics and in the generation of official statistics to ensure harmonization and comparability of statistics in the country and at the international level. DCTHaS

ARTICLE 48. The PSA shall continually formulate statistical standards such as definitions of statistical terms and concepts used in official statistics, and likewise develops classification systems for adoption by government agencies. It shall maintain the following classification systems:

a) Philippine Central Product Classification (PCPC).The PCPC is a standard classification of goods and services in the Philippines, including tangible assets based on their physical properties and intrinsic nature as well as industrial origin.

b) Philippine Classification of Individual Consumption according to Purpose (PCOICOP).The PCOICOP is a detailed classification of individual consumption expenditures on goods and services incurred by the three institutional sectors of the 1993 and 2008 System of National Accounts.

c) Philippine Standard Classification of Education (PSCEd).The PSCEd is a detailed classification of all educational levels in the Philippine Educational System.

d) Philippine Standard Commodity Classification (PSCC).The PSCC is a detailed classification of all commodities that enter the Philippine trade.

e) Philippine Standard Occupational Classification (PSOC).The PSOC is a classification of the different occupations of the working population, including the military workforce of the country.

f) Philippine Standard Geographic Classification (PSGC).The PSGC is a classification and coding of the geographical-political subdivisions of the country, such as the region, the province, the municipality/city and the barangay.

g) Philippine Standard Industrial Classification (PSIC).The PSIC is a classification of all economic activities obtaining in the country.

The official concepts and definitions for statistical purposes shall be approved by the PSA Board. CacEIS

RULE 28

Statistical Survey Review and Clearance System

ARTICLE 49. The PSA shall establish a Statistical Survey Review and Clearance System (SSRCS) to provide assistance and support to the statistical work of other government agencies in the PSS, including the LGUs and the GOCCs.

ARTICLE 50. The SSRCS shall involve the evaluation of surveys or censuses sponsored and/or to be conducted by government agencies at the national and sub-national level. It shall cover several areas such as the need to conduct the inquiry; duplication; sampling design; forms content and table format; operational plans and; the outputs.

The review process shall evaluate that such conduct of statistical activity shall ensure conformity with the standard definitions, concepts and classifications, and, consequently, the reliability, comparability and accuracy of statistics generated. At the same time, it shall minimize the burden of respondents, to effect economy in data collection, and to inform respondents about the survey and to enjoin their cooperation as well.

ARTICLE 51. The PSA shall maintain a database of surveys, which can be accessed by users.

ARTICLE 52. The non-compliance of SSRCS by other government agencies, LGUs and the GOCCs in the conduct of their statistical activities shall be subject to penalties as provided for under Sec. 27 of RA 10625 and Art. 60 of this IRR.

TITLE VII

Obligation to Provide Information, Confidentiality of Information and Penalties

RULE 29

Obligation to Provide Information and Confidentiality of Information

ARTICLE 53. The National Statistician shall determine whether a statistical inquiry or survey to be conducted is with or without an obligation to provide information. If such obligation is stipulated, all respondents whether natural or legal persons shall be liable to reply to the statistical inquiry or survey. This section applies to all statistical inquiries or surveys conducted by other statistical offices in the PSS. STHAID

The respondents under this Act are required to give truthful and complete answers to statistical inquiries or surveys of the PSA and other statistical offices of the PSS. The respondent is considered to have complied with the obligation only upon receipt of the duly completed statistical inquiry or survey forms. The government shall provide franking privileges, charges and postings to the survey offices, unless otherwise disallowed by law.

ARTICLE 54. The PSA is authorized to gather data from other government agencies for statistical purposes.

ARTICLE 55. Individual data furnished by a respondent to statistical inquiries, surveys and censuses of the PSA shall be considered privileged communication and as such shall be inadmissible as evidence in any proceeding. The PSA may release aggregated information from statistical inquiries, surveys and censuses in the form of summaries or statistical tables in which no reference to an individual, corporation, association, partnership, institution or business enterprise shall appear.

The confidentiality of information does not apply to:

a) Information in the form of a list or index of individual business firms, establishments or organizations that contain any or all of the following information: i) the name, address and telephone numbers; ii) the business and products that they are engaged in; and iii) the specific ranges of number of employees.

b) Microdata from statistical inquiries or survey form/questionnaire/schedule prepared by the PSA for purposes of research, with care to ensure that identities of a particular person, business or organization will not be disclosed in whatever form; and CcAITa

c) Access to census data after one hundred (100) years for historical, genealogical, scientific or other research purposes.

ARTICLE 56. The National Statistician and all staff of the PSA shall take a solemn oath regarding confidentiality of information.

RULE 30

Penalties

ARTICLE 57. Respondents of primary data collection activities such as censuses and sample surveys are obliged to give truthful and complete answers to statistical inquiries. The gathering, consolidation and analysis of such data shall likewise be done in the most truthful and credible manner.

ARTICLE 58. To ensure compliance, any violation of this Act shall result in the imposition of the penalty of one (1) year imprisonment and a fine of One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00).In cases where the respondent who fails to give a truthful and complete answer to such statistical inquiries is a corporation, the above penalty shall be imposed against the responsible officer, director, manager and/or agent of said corporation. In addition, such erring corporation or any other juridical entity, depending on the category of the enterprise or business concerned whether small, medium or large, shall be imposed a fine ranging from One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) to Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00).

ARTICLE 59. Any person, including parties within the PSA Board and the PSA, who breach the confidentiality of information, whether by carelessness, improper behavior, behavior with malicious intent, and use of confidential information for profit, are considered guilty of an offense and shall be liable to fines as prescribed by the PSA Board which shall not be less than Five thousand pesos (P5,000.00) nor more than Ten thousand pesos (P10,000.00) and/or imprisonment of three (3) months but not to exceed one (1) year, subject to the degree of breach of information.

ARTICLE 60. Failure to comply with the survey clearance provision shall be penalized by a fine of Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00) to One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00),depending on the gravity and seriousness of such noncompliance. IHTaCE

TITLE VIII

Miscellaneous Provisions

RULE 31

Statistical Advocacy

ARTICLE 61. To heighten awareness for the increased use of statistics in decision making and to inculcate awareness and appreciation of the importance and value of statistics in all sectors, all existing and emerging advocacy programs of the PSS shall be assessed by the PSA for endorsement to the PSA Board for its institution.

RULE 32

Civil Registration Advocacy

ARTICLE 62. To strengthen civil registration and vital statistics advocacy, all existing and emerging coordinating mechanisms and advocacy programs, including networks and partnerships in CRVSS development programs with development institutions, national government agencies and LGUs shall be assessed by the PSA for endorsement to the PSA Board for its institution.

RULE 33

Abolition and Transfer

ARTICLE 63. The NSO, the BAS of the Department of Agriculture (DA),the BLES of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE),and the NSCB are hereby abolished, and their personnel, appropriations, assets and properties, fixed and movable and all contracts, records and documents relative to their operations are hereby transferred to the PSA.

ARTICLE 64.All agreements and contracts entered into by the abolished agencies shall remain in full force and effect unless otherwise terminated, modified or amended by the PSA.

RULE 34

Transition

ARTICLE 65. The PSA shall carry out the reorganization of the PSS in such a manner that personnel of the agencies absorbed by the PSA shall continue to perform their respective duties and responsibilities in a holdover capacity so as not to unduly delay the production of statistics from ongoing censuses, surveys and processing of administrative records.

ARTICLE 66. Officials and employees of the merged agencies will be absorbed by the PSA, on the basis of merit and fitness and in accordance to the new staffing pattern of the PSA pursuant to the provisions of RA 6656 (An Act to Protect the Security of Tenure of Civil Service Officers and Employees in the Implementation of Government Reorganization); Provided, that officers and employees who shall be separated from the service as a result of the abolition and reorganization shall receive retirement and other benefits to which they are entitled under existing laws.

ARTICLE 67. Upon the effectivity of the IRR, the agencies under the PSS shall change their signages, letterheads, contact information, etc. into their new names as PSA or PSRTI. AaITCS

RULE 35

Designation of the Interim National Statistician, Interim Deputy National Statisticians, and the Interim PSRTI-ED

ARTICLE 68. The PSA Board Chairperson shall designate an interim National Statistician, interim Deputy National Statisticians and interim PSRTI-ED upon the effectivity of the IRR and until appropriate appointments for said positions have been made by the President of the Republic of the Philippines; Provided, such designation does not exceed one (1) year.

RULE 36

Early Retirement Scheme

ARTICLE 69. Personnel of the merged agencies who will not be absorbed into the new staffing pattern due to redundancy or failure to comply with the qualification standards; position being offered under the new staffing pattern but who decline such appointment due to diminution in rank, benefits and work conditions; position being offered under the new staffing pattern without any diminution in rank, benefits and work conditions but who decline such appointment, if qualified, shall be given the option to avail themselves of any of the following, whichever is beneficial to them:

a) Retirement gratuity provided under Republic Act No. 1616 (An Act Further Amending Section Twelve of Commonwealth Act Numbered One Hundred Eighty-Six, as Amended, By Prescribing Two Other Modes of Retirement and for Other Purposes), as amended, payable by the last employer of the affected personnel, plus the refund of retirement premiums payable by the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), without the incentive herein provided;

b) Retirement benefit under Republic Act No. 660 (An Act to Amend Commonwealth Act Numbered One Hundred and Eighty-Six, Entitled "An Act to Create and Establish a Government Service Insurance System, to Provide for Its Administration, and to Appropriate the Necessary Funds Therefore," and to Provide Retirement Insurance and for Other Purposes) or applicable retirement, separation or unemployment benefit provided under Republic Act No. 8291 (An Act Amending Presidential Decree No. 1146, as Amended, Expanding and Increasing the Coverage and Benefits of the Government Service Insurance System, Instituting Reforms Therein and for Other Purposes) if qualified, plus the following applicable incentives:

i) 1/2 month of the present basic salary for every year of government service and a fraction thereof, for those who have rendered twenty (20) years of service and below;

ii) 3/4 month of the present basic salary for every year of government service and a fraction thereof, computed starting from the 1st year, for those who have rendered twenty-one (21) to less than thirty-one (31) years of service; and

iii) 1 month of the present basic salary for every year of government service and a fraction thereof, computed starting from the 1st year, for those who have rendered thirty-one (31) years of service and above. aCSTDc

In addition, the affected personnel shall be entitled to the refund of PAG-IBIG contributions, and the commutation of unused vacation and sick leave credits.

RULE 37

Funds for Reorganization

ARTICLE 70. The amount necessary for the effective implementation of the provisions of this Act shall be taken from funds available to the affected agencies, as enumerated in Section 28 of RA 10625 and Art. 63 of this IRR.

ARTICLE 71. Additional requirements shall be charged to the appropriations under the current General Appropriations Act. Thereafter, such sum as may be needed for the continued implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

TITLE IX

Amendments to the Implementing Rules and Regulations

RULE 38

Amendments

ARTICLE 72. This Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) may be amended, modified or supplemented when necessary for effective implementation and enforcement of RA 10625.

ARTICLE 73. The PSA through the PSA Board may amend or modify these Rules as may be necessary in accordance with the laws.

ARTICLE 74. In order for any amendment to become fully effective and legally binding, publication of such in the Official Gazette or in a national newspaper of general circulation shall be made mandatory.

TITLE X

Final Provisions

RULE 39

Separability

ARTICLE 75. If any part or provision of this Act shall be declared invalid or unconstitutional, the other parts or provisions hereof which are not affected thereby, shall continue in full force and effect.

RULE 40

Repealing

ARTICLE 76. Executive Order No. 121 is hereby repealed. All other laws, decrees, ordinances, rules and regulations, other issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this IRR are hereby repealed or modified accordingly, including provisions of any rules and regulations or part thereof which are inconsistent with this Act and IRR are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. STHDAc

ARTICLE 77. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in the Act or this IRR shall diminish the powers and functions of the PSA as provided for under CA 591 and its mandate in carrying out the Law on Registry of Civil Status.

RULE 41

Effectivity

ARTICLE 78. These Rules shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in a national newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines.

Approved, December 11, 2013.

ARSENIO M. BALISACANChairperson, PSA Board

(Secretary of Socioeconomic Planning and Director-General, NEDA)

Published in The Philippine Star on December 14, 2013.