“Data Innovation: Key to a Better Nation”

Through the years, data plays a vital role in the day-to-day existence of people and
organizations alike. Data, when processed, disseminated and utilized properly, becomes sound
basis for effective decision- and policy-making. In coming up with solid and effective plans and
decisions, the provision of reliable and timely data is essential which can further be guaranteed
through data innovation.

“Data innovation refers to the use of new or non-traditional data sources and methods to gain a
more nuanced understanding of development changes.” 1 Innovations such as on business
intelligence (BI), analytics, visualization, data management, machine learning, internet of
things (IoT), have shown vast potential for the overall improvement of the data ecosystem,
particularly in the provision of better quality data. Given the huge and complex network of
data producers, providers and users, the Philippine Statistical System (PSS) continually adopts
new and innovative ways to meet the growing demands and challenges of an ever-expanding
data ecosystem.

The data revolution involving big data and new technologies is advancing very fast which
necessitates commensurate response from the PSS by way of gradually switching from
traditional to new methods and models to accurately measure progress and produce useful and
reliable data for planning. In response to the demands of the Philippine Development Plan and
other national, sectoral and local development plans, as well as international commitments,
such as the Sustainable Development Goals, the Philippine Statistical Development Program
2018-2023 emphasizes the need for data innovation to generate quality statistics with
relevant disaggregation from censuses, surveys, administrative data, and registers, among
others.

Thus, the 30th National Statistics Month and the 14th National Convention on Statistics aptly
adopt the theme, “Data Innovation: Key to a Better Nation.” The theme highlights the
importance of innovating statistical systems, processes and technologies in coming up with
quality statistics – statistics that will be used by data users, especially planners, policymakers
and program implementers who are in the best position to shape the future of the country
and of its people. With better policies and programs based on quality statistics that are
produced through effective innovations, the Filipino people will be assured of the achievement
of the country’s long-term vision of a simple and comfortable life for all.

1 UN Global Pulse
 Data Innovation as a key to a better Nation

Data Innovation indicates reaching all the major goals of sustainable

development programmes in order to bring all around development of
people and society and be able to meet up with all challenges.

The initiatives for data innovation for development or DI have been

quite seriously by the United Nations Development Programme. They
are sometimes seemed as analogous with big data analytics.

The concept of big data is new, however it is a mandatory step towards

the future as this kind of technology enables storing huge amount of
data. This makes it very useful for health and social care, educational
institutions, workplaces etc.

The world of data changes every day and every hour. New innovations
have hugely increased the quantity of data and the possibilities
available to people and institutions who want to collect and use it. The
challenge, and the opportunity, is to make this new world of data useful
and useable to improve people’s lives. Such innovations offer exciting
new opportunities, but also throw up big challenges around privacy,
public trust, and the potential abuses of data. The increasing use of
internet-enabled devices with sensors will provide still more
opportunities both to improve the way services are delivered and also
to harness that data to gain faster insights into whether interventions
are working.
 Data Innovation: big data and new technologies

The world of data changes every day and every hour. New innovations have
hugely increased the quantity of data and the possibilities available to people
and institutions who want to collect and use it. The challenge, and the
opportunity, is to make this new world of data useful and useable to improve
people’s lives.

In defining the Sustainable Development Goals to take us through to the year

2030, we have an opportunity to discover new ways of assessing wellbeing,
measuring global development and making swift interventions in times of
crisis. Looking at the changes over 15 years gives us an indication of how
different the world could be over the next 15.

Since 2000 when the Millennium Development Goals began, there has been a
surprisingly swift uptake of technology even in developing nations. In 2014,
the developing world accounts for more than three-quarters of the world’s
mobile phone subscriptions.

Today, in the private sector, analysis of big data – data sets too large and
complex to be studied without software- is commonplace – with consumer
profiling, personalised services, and predictive analysis being used to optimise
sales. Similar techniques could be adopted to gain real-time insights into
people’s wellbeing and to target aid interventions to vulnerable groups. Such
innovations offer exciting new opportunities, but also throw up big challenges
around privacy, public trust, and the potential abuses of data. Legal
frameworks have not yet caught up with rapidly advancing technology.

Public sector bodies are also starting to use big data and new technologies.
Public health researchers are gaining valuable insights from using anonymised
mobile phone data on human migration and linking this to the spread of
malaria and dengue fever.
 The increasing use of internet-enabled devices with sensors will provide still
more opportunities both to improve the way services are delivered and also to
harness that data to gain faster insights into whether interventions are
working. Mobile technology services are also drivers of information that can
empower citizens, be it apps that tell farmers when to optimally plant crops,
micro-loans for fledgling enterprises or medical information for front-line
health practitioners in remote settings.

Much of the big data with the most potential to be used for public good is
collected by the private sector. As such, public-private partnerships are likely to
become more widespread. The challenge will be ensuring they are sustainable
over time, and that clear frameworks are in place to clarify roles and
expectations on all sides.

The Independent Expert Advisory group welcomes input regarding how the
opportunities of emerging technology and methodologies can best be realised
for public good. In particular:

1. Creating incentives and regulatory structures to encourage private enterprises

to share data and pilot new ways of working.
2. Encouraging links between public and private sectors to research new
methods, pilot their use, and encourage dissemination.
3. Developing privacy frameworks that protect the privacy of individuals without
hampering life-saving uses of data science for public good
4. Capacity-boosting on new sources of data and the use of new technologies in
the field of international development, humanitarian assistance and statistics.
5. Examples of new innovations and methods that have demonstrated potential
for improving the frequency, reliability, accessibility and usefulness of data.
6. Examples of success in bringing together official and non-official data sources,
and traditional and non-traditional methods. What are the factors behind the
success stories, and what have been some of the challenges?
7. Supporting widespread adoption of new and innovative ways of working
which proven effective.
 30th NSM celebration in E. Visayas promotes data innovation

TACLOBAN CITY, Aug. 9 (PIA) – With the theme, “Data Innovation: Key
to a Better Nation,” this year’s National Statistics Month (NSM)
celebration in Eastern Visayas come October will highlight and
introduce data innovations and new methods in providing quality
statistics that are vital to data users for development purposes.

“Data innovation means new or non-traditional data sources and

methods to gain deeper understanding of development challenges,”
Wilma Perante, regional director of the Philippine Statistics Authority 8
(PSA-8) quoted a UNDP statement in a special meeting with other
government agencies Wednesday, August 7.

Perante mentioned that with data innovation, some of their services

and activities are now paperless, one of which is the use of tablets in
the conduct of Labor Force Surveys and Annual Poverty Indicators
Surveys.

“With this data innovation, we expect a more timely release of

information and statistics,” Perante said.

An added highlight during the NSM opening ceremony is the launching

of the Eastern Visayas Online Statistical Datashoppe at the PSA
website where the Eastern Visayas’ Agency Statistical Calendar will be
linked, among other data that will be made available to the public.

PSA is also inviting presenters from other agencies to share data

innovations to the public.
“The use of digital data derived from social media, web content,
transaction data, the use of GPS (Global Positioning System) devices
are some of data innovations,” added Perante.

This year’s NSM celebration in the region, which coincides with the
14th National Convention on Statistics, will be highlighted also with the
following activities at the regional level: press conference, fun run,
inter-agency statistical exhibit which will feature management
information systems and data systems, poster-making contest using
recyclable materials, interagency mangrove planting activity, Philippine
Statistics Quiz, Radio Stats Go! (pop quiz), Search for Best NSM Agency,
and the first Eastern Visayas Data Festival.

Perante likewise encouraged its partners in the statistical system to

support the NSM celebration by conducting also NSM-related activities
in their respective agencies and areas that are aligned with the theme.

Now on its 30th year, the NSM is an annual celebration of the

Philippine Statistical System in accordance with Presidential
Proclamation No. 647, series of 1990 declaring the month of October
of every year as National Statistics Month.

It is aimed to promote, enhance, and instill nationwide awareness and

appreciation of the importance and value of statistics to the different
sectors of society.

Likewise, it seeks to elicit cooperation and support of the general public

in upgrading the quality and standards of statistics in the country.
(LDL/PIA-8, Leyte)