Philippine Statistics Authority

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) is the central statistical agency of the Philippine government, tasked with collecting, compiling, analyzing, and publishing official statistics on the country’s economic, social, demographic, and general affairs. It conducts major censuses such as the Census of Population and Housing, the Census of Agriculture and Fisheries, and the Census of Philippine Business and Industry, as well as regular surveys including the Labor Force Survey, the Family Income and Expenditure Survey, and the Annual Poverty Indicators Survey. In addition to statistical production, the PSA manages the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) and the Civil Registration System, ensuring the issuance of national IDs and the maintenance of vital records such as births, marriages, and deaths. These products and services support government planning, policy formulation, business decision‑making, academic research, and international reporting obligations.

Operating throughout the Philippine archipelago, the PSA serves all sectors of society by providing data that are disaggregated to regional, provincial, and municipal levels where applicable. Its headquarters is located in the Philippines, and it maintains a network of regional statistical offices that facilitate data collection and dissemination at the sub‑national level. The agency’s reach extends to local government units, private enterprises, civil society organizations, and development partners who rely on its timely and accurate statistics for monitoring socioeconomic conditions and tracking progress toward national and global development goals.

A distinguishing attribute of the PSA is its statutory mandate under Republic Act No. 10625, the Philippine Statistical Act of 2013, which merged the former National Statistics Office, Bureau of Agricultural Statistics, Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics, and the National Statistical Coordination Board into a single authority. This consolidation gives the PSA exclusive responsibility for producing official statistics, coordinating the Philippine Statistical System, and upholding standards of quality, confidentiality, and timeliness. The agency is also recognized for its expertise in demographic and socioeconomic statistics, its stewardship of the national identification system, and its role as the official source of data for international agencies such as the United Nations, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund.

Structurally, the PSA is an attached agency of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), operating under the Executive Branch of government. It is governed by a Policy‑Making and Coordinating Body headed by the Secretary of NEDA, with the National Statistician serving as its chief executive officer. The organization’s administrative structure includes various technical services responsible for census operations, survey management, statistical methodology, and information technology, enabling it to fulfill its nationwide mandate effectively.