Gov’t statistics units work on ways to attain ‘inclusive growth’

MANILA, Philippines—The government’s statistics units are working on ways to ensure that the country will attain full “inclusive growth.”

The National Statistical Coordination Board and National Statistics Office will soon form a technical working group to enable the agencies to accurately measure growth that directly benefit the people.

According to Jose Ramon Albert, secretary general of the NSCB, the technical working group is a follow-through to the first dialogue between the NSCB and NSO, apart from other data users such as policy advisors, research centers, the academe and civil society groups.

“We need to have further engagements to see whether what we are doing is enough to help the government achieve inclusive growth,” Albert said in an interview.

“Inclusive growth” refers to the equitable distribution of the fruits of a country’s economic prosperity. The framework has gained support as a model for economic development, which the Philippines has adopted as its own development framework for the medium term.

In the dialogue held in Intramuros, statisticians stressed the need to develop tools that could paint an accurate picture of the plight of the poor.

Some participants also suggested that the government, with the help of private organizations, should come up with a report about the people “excluded from growth.”

“We should work smarter,” NSO administrator Carmelita Ericta said, noting that policymakers have yet to maximize the vital data that have already been collected.

Johannes Jütting of PARIS21, a French organization that helped organize the forum, urged government agencies to set up research centers in municipalities that could undertake quick surveys on employment, poverty and assess how policies are implemented.

“What is happening at the local level is often overlooked. If you’re going to assess a policy, you must go down to the municipality,” Jütting said.