The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) have reinforced their collaborative framework to advance the quality, timeliness, and utilization of national agriculture and fisheries statistics in support of evidence-based policy, national food security, and economic growth.
In a high-level meeting held at the DA Headquarters in Quezon City, PSA officials led by Undersecretary Claire Dennis S. Mapa, PhD, National Statistician and Civil Registrar General, met with DA key leadership, headed by Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr., to align priority initiatives across data collection, cross-agency sharing, and system modernization.
“We want to assure the Department of Agriculture that we are generating reliable and accurate statistics. The accuracy of data is critical in supporting sound policymaking,” said PSA Usec. Mapa, emphasizing that the agriculture and fisheries sectors remain vital drivers of national employment, food supply, and economic stability.
As the central statistical authority overseeing end-to-end data processes—from collection to validation and dissemination—the PSA outlined several ongoing projects aimed at modernizing administrative reporting and empowering local stakeholders:
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Digital Transformation with LaPAD System: Launched in October 2025, the Livestock and Poultry Administrative Data (LaPAD) Reporting System provides a streamlined digital platform to collect, consolidate, and manage LGU and DA administrative records.
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LGU Equipment Support: To accelerate system rollout, the PSA recently approved the transfer of over 1,000 tablets to select Local Government Units (LGUs). This equips Locally Registered Meat Establishments, Meat Inspectors, and Reporting Officers to deliver efficient, timely, and complete field data.
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Technical Assistance & System Enhancement: The PSA reaffirmed its commitment to review DA data collection methods and forms, offering capacity-building initiatives to bolster the DA’s internal administrative data infrastructure.
Through these continuous technical and logistical inter-agency efforts, both the PSA and DA aim to ensure that national food security decisions are grounded in robust, real-time statistical insights.
