As part of its preparations for this year’s formulation of the next Regional Development Plan, the NEDA-CAR staff, led by Dir. Milagros Rimando and ARD Jade Aquino, had a technical session on GRDP estimation with the Philippine Statistics Office – CAR on September 29, 2016 at the RDC Hall, NEDA-CAR Baguio City.

In her opening message, NEDA-CAR Director Milagros Rimando underscored the importance of the activity, saying that a critical aspect in the formulation of the RDP is understanding how agency data are compiled and transformed to GRDP estimates. This, she said, is needed to be able to “target with confidence”.

Serving as resource persons for the half-day sharing activity were PSA-CAR’s Mr. Aldrin Federico Bahit, OIC Chief of the Statistical Operations and Coordination Division; Supvg Statistical Specialist Ms. Camille Beltran; and Ms. Ma. Gina de Guzman, Statistical Specialist II.

They presented the various subcomponents that comprise the three major industries of the economy (Agriculture, Hunting, Forestry and Fisheries; Industry; and Service) and the data that had to be gathered per industry and sub-industry.  They also discussed the methodology and processes by which the GRDP is estimated.

NEDA-CAR’s Ms. Olga Difuntorum  also presented the proposed GRDP and poverty targets for the Cordillera Regional Development Plan  2017-2022.   Together with the PSA staff,  the NEDA participants discussed the targets, nuances and the expected contribution of each industry to the region’s economy, noting that in 2015, Industry contributed 51 percent to the region’s GRDP, followed by Services with 40 percent, and the AHFF with 9 percent.

The NRO staff were also given a glimpse of how commodities not commonly enumerated in the GRDP estimates fared compared to the other items.  Options to improve data-gathering for hard-to-get data such as tourist arrivals were likewise discussed.

All in all, the activity was a learning and productive experience for the NEDA-CAR staff as they learned about how GRDP and poverty estimates are arrived at.  It was also an opportunity for them to share some light enjoyable bonding moments with some staff of an agency belonging to the NEDA family.  xxx