Friday, May 31, 2019

Premonitions :: essays research papers

Gracie lives in Washington State with her Aunt Shay and cousin Diego. Her father deserted her when she was a young girl, and her draw was killed a year and a half ago. She makes no effort to listen to her best friend Emily, and thats one of the reasons Gracie feels bad when Emily disappears. Another reason is because Gracie has forebodings. Theyve been with her since earlier her mother died. She never knows if she is seeing the past, the present, or the future. But she did see Emily. Gracie did not know where or when the premonition took place, but she felt the fear in Emilys body. No news of Emilys disappearance goes on for days, but as the days go on, Gracie sees a premonition here and there. A waterfall here, a passing light there, but they make no sense. Gracie goes to a computer camp where Emily was supposed to register. She has a feeling that there is some sort of companionship with the camp because another girl disappeared who was a member of it. She sees more premonition s, but all they do is confuse her even more than she already is. One premonition shows her that another girl is going to be kidnapped at a park. Gracie convinces her cousin to take her there. Dora, a girl from the camp, is the girl from her vision. She tells her she is psychic and she has to leave the park in front she is kidnapped. Dora leaves, and the head of the camp, Jonah Castle, believes that Gracie is Dora. Gracie plays along and she is led to a boat. She knows that somewhere in her visions, there was a boat. She feels close, and she doesnt pick up any bad interpreting from Jonah. When they get to the boat, she runs on to find out that she is being kidnapped. Gracie had not seen Dora in her vision. She has seen herself. Jonah soon comes and explains his way of taking underprivileged children and putting them together in a secluded home. It has every essential a child could want, but the children are taken from their normal lives. Inside the house, she finds Emily, along wit h other children. Gracie soon realizes that there is no hope of escaping. And shes the only one who cares. Gracie quickly becomes a favorite of Jonah.

Thursday, May 30, 2019

American Execptionlism on Country Music Essays -- US culture, histor

American Exceptionlism is basically the idea that we are different then other countries in the world. Which I believe is bogus because the U.S has these rules but there not really writing down rules there just like norms that American should have. There are certain attributes that a American should have there are things you should know as a American. Now what am I talking ab issue it could be many things such as knowing who the president is in the big chair in D.C or having a huge truck that can drive up heels. Having the U.S flag out on Memorial Day. So many things can be things that make American. What I want to solely focus on is the idea that country practice of medicine is what it is to be an American and accepted in the U.S. Now I know for myself I am not a big country music fan. I know the normal country music singers such as Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw, Keith Urban, Rascal Flats and etc. Country music I believe is what makes an America America. Now subscribe in the 19 centur y days being an American was being discolor and having property and being male. (Foner,) Now when you compare country music to that, nearly country singers are male and white. And to be a country singer its only right if you have large sums of land to own with a big house on it. Its funny how these two ideas relate to each other in two different centuries. Being male and white can really get you ahead in society. Its idea that isnt right but its the reality of our country. Country music sets the standards on what an American should be life. If you ever google country music the rendering of it would say something like an American popular music in the south. (Definition) Key word in the definition AMERICAN and also fiddles. Now all they had in the 1700s was fiddles to play whe... ...c shouldnt be seen as what America is like cause its not. The U.S is supposed(a) to be the great American melting pot with diverse people and music and jobs and lives and homes and lifestyles. But no one is expressing this cause being different isnt welcome and that it might be suspicious to other people because you are not doing what theyre doing.References Yahoo. (December 6, 2006). Country Music and Hip Hop Theyre Not so Different After All. Retrieved from http//voices.yahoo.com/country-music-hip-hop-they-re-not-so-different- 127930.html?cat=33D. (November 28, 2013). American Exceptionlism will fail the republic will fail and black men will succeed. Retrieved from http//hiphopandpolitics.com/2013/11/28/today-american-exceptionalism-will-fail-black-men-will-succeed/Dictionary. Country music. http//dictionary.reference.com/browse/country+music

Wednesday, May 29, 2019

A Tyrants Cruelty in Pakistan :: essays research papers

I declare emergency The screen of the TV blurred and then, it went pitch-black, shut down to the millions of stunned expressions across Pakistan, their ears echoing its terminal call. It was time. He had done this before, but now, hed simply crossed the line. The Constitution pronounced its final vows, justice was heartlessly cremated, lives bid farewell with a lonely tear, and not even the ashes of liberty were able to be whiffed in the monoxodized morning sky. Pakistan and its civilians had plunged into deepest mourning as an onyx blanket leisurely wove its tendrils over the nation, plaguing it, depriving the once-united country of its birthright. Was this an epidemic like the bubonic Plague, a warfare like the WWII, a revolution like its own, a natural disaster like a large numberive earthquake, or perhaps mass wipeout under the hands of terrorists. Staggered as you may be, the ultimate choice is the closest possible answer. Under its hands, we have suffered so much?it murders without regret, it knows no bounds of means to quenching its thirst for power, it throws ministers, judges, and the poorest alike into the relentless walls of prison. It says that emergency occurred to PROTECT Pakistan, since it was supposedly under threat of disunity. Emergency is replaced by a more arrogate term for the events happening there now, MARTIAL LAW, as it purely and apparently is. It has given a new face to Hitler, releasing bombs in the houses of God, little children and huffaz perishing without mercy, it has created destruction and chaos amidst a cloud of weeping citizens, straining his teacup of those who timidly agree with him and callously disposing of the remnants. It is known by titles of both President and General. It is quoted to have utter We dont want anyone in agitation mode, and I will tell Negroponte and the US that Pakistan comes first, and there are certain realities on the ground -- extremism and terrorism -- that made me square off to go with emer gency law. It took over in a 1999 coup, swearing oath in the name of integrity, constitutional law, and endless loyalty. And here we are, nearly a decennary past, and where have those promising words been concealed during that lingering epoch? Those who have the courage to fight in the name of independence are flung into the dim enfold chambers of jail, comparable to rubbish on the streets, though they are persistent and determined to overcome this deadly poison.

Animal Testing Journal Articles :: Animal Testing

This article is summarized as the experimentation to observe the intelligence and mental abilities of the Baboons. The achievements of the experiment atomic number 18 to advance our understanding of the high mental processes of animals, chiefly Primates. The experiment entailed two baboons and two humans in a couple of relation experiments on a computer. two pairs were subjected to the find correlations and relations on a computer screen and then using a joystick point in the direction of the discipline answer. The correct answer would result in a smell food pellet for the baboons and the wrong answer would result in a 7-second timeout.In the APA guidelines they outline almost very important issues sot the animals involved in the experiments are not abused. The first one I looked at is that research should be undertaken on animals exactly for a clear scientific purpose, I believe this rule will discourage random testing. The second guidelines of the APA is that the research ha ve a significance able to stand use and testing of animals. This also includes a clause on human pain is the equivalent of animal pain. The final guideline of the APA that I researched is discussion section E which describes the psychologists behaviors as a monitor for the animal(s) welfare through out the research.My views on animal testing both psychological and other must be done under two conditions (1) the animals are being used for the purpose of bettering humanity or the human condition and (2) the animals must be treated if not like humans than better. The first condition is my way of saying that my experiment really does not follow my guidelines. The experiment was there just to see whether baboons (Papio papio) are capable of doing complex tasks, this has nothing whatsoever to do with bettering the human condition today which is in need of desperate aid. The second condition was once over again broken by the use of food as the motivating factor behind the experiment, t his means the animal was put in this situation hungry and HAD to be involved in order to acquire a must for survival, food. The ethical problems in this experiment were minimal so the treatment of Baboons. The protocol is normal to allow the baboons enough space in which to be comfortable and the experiment did not involve deception or possible injury or physical harm.

Tuesday, May 28, 2019

The Impact of Domestic Violence on Children Essay example -- Violence

Depression and post traumatic stress disorder are two of the main illnesses seen in children after being exposed to domestic effect. Among depression and post traumatic stress disorder, there are multiple sub-categories to assist place the severity of the disorder. Many influences atomic number 50 change the severity of a disorder in the child including but not limited to length of exposure, flake of exposure, and time-lapse since the exposure. Domestic violence is defined as violence between members of a household such as that of a married couple or a parent to ones child. Some cases of domestic violence can just be through witnessing while some of the more scarring events occur at once to the child. Domestic violence can be separated into three smaller categories physical abuse, sexual abuse, and psychological abuse. The most common type of domestic violence is done through physical abuse. This can include hitting, kicking, punching, choking, etc. Physical abus e can be minor in that it just leaves bruises or a bad memory, but physical abuse can also be as serious as broken bones, time in the hospital, or as serious as death. Sexual abuse is also a very common type of abuse. Pressuring a child to do sexual acts, child pornography, and unwanted penetration to a childs genitals are all forms of sexual abuse. mental abuse is the least common form of abuse performed. Psychological abuse does exactly what the name states. Its abuse to someone through their mind such as telling someone they are fat or that they are ugly. Domestic violence can be scary for the young children who witness it. Depending on the situation, domestic violence can have negative outcomes that can stay with the child for the rest of his... ...ional Journal 34 (2010) 448-453. EBSCO.Smith, exceptbera E., Laura B. Nickles, Darlanne Hoctor Mulmat, and Heather J. Davies. Helping Children Exposed To Domestic ViolenceLaw Enforcement And Community Partnerships. Washingt on D.C American Bar Association, 2000. Print.The Facts on Health Care and Domestic Violence. Family Violence Prevention Fund. University California, San Francisco, n.d. Web. 7 Oct. 2014. .Turning pass Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services. Turning Point Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Sept. 2014. .Volpe, Joseph S. Effects of Domestic Violence on Children and Adolescents An Overview. American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress. N.p., 1996. Web. 7 Sept. 2014. .

The Impact of Domestic Violence on Children Essay example -- Violence

Depression and post traumatic stress disorder are two of the main illnesses seen in children later on being exposed to domestic violence. Among depression and post traumatic stress disorder, there are multiple sub-categories to help place the severity of the disorder. Many influences puke change the severity of a disorder in the child including but not limited to length of exposure, type of exposure, and time-lapse since the exposure. home(prenominal) violence is defined as violence between members of a household such as that of a married couple or a parent to ones child. round cases of domestic violence keep just be through witnessing while some of the more scarring events occur directly to the child. Domestic violence burn be separated into three smaller categories physical exclaim, sexual plague, and psychological abuse. The most common type of domestic violence is done through physical abuse. This can include hitting, kicking, punching, choking, etc. Physic al abuse can be minor in that it just leaves bruises or a bad memory, but physical abuse can also be as serious as broken bones, time in the hospital, or as serious as death. Sexual abuse is also a very common type of abuse. Pressuring a child to do sexual acts, child pornography, and unwanted penetration to a childs genitals are all forms of sexual abuse. Psychological abuse is the least common form of abuse performed. Psychological abuse does exactly what the name states. Its abuse to someone through their mind such as telling someone they are fat or that they are ugly. Domestic violence can be scary for the young children who witness it. Depending on the situation, domestic violence can have negative outcomes that can stay with the child for the rest of his... ...ional ledger 34 (2010) 448-453. EBSCO.Smith, Barbera E., Laura B. Nickles, Darlanne Hoctor Mulmat, and Heather J. Davies. Helping Children Exposed To Domestic ViolenceLaw Enforcement And Community Partnerships. Washington D.C American Bar Association, 2000. Print.The Facts on Health Care and Domestic Violence. Family Violence Prevention Fund. University California, San Francisco, n.d. Web. 7 Oct. 2014. .Turning Point Domestic Violence and Sexual offend Services. Turning Point Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Sept. 2014. .Volpe, Joseph S. Effects of Domestic Violence on Children and Adolescents An Overview. American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress. N.p., 1996. Web. 7 Sept. 2014. .

Monday, May 27, 2019

Carter Cleaning Company Essay

1. Jennifer asks that you make a list of five specific HR problems you commemorate Carter Cleaning will have to grapple with.1. High Turnover. Carter Cleaning Company will much than likely face the HR issue of high disorder because of the nature of the backing. Most service industry/retail jobs result in high turnover rates due to the demanding workload and hours in return for undersize compensation. Since the laundromat/ dry cleaning business does not require skilled labor, the employees are not committed to the development of their careers and therefore are much more willing to look for better employment.2. Lack of training. Due to the nature of the employment, the workers are unskilled laborers and therefore lack any training whatsoever in regards to the business functions with the exception of their daily responsibilities.3. Employees not working at their peak performance. Since the employees are not skilled laborers they therefore lack drive and determination to work at th eir top levels of performance. They may not necessarily be unmotivated to work at all but they would more than likely be inclined to do the bare minimum to collect a paycheck.4. Grievance/employee dissatisfaction. Service/retail jobs function under very similar qualifications that tend to arouse discontent and disillusionment pay, time/hours, and work-load. I do not expect that Carter Cleaning Company will be immune to this.5. Economic trends. It is my experience that service industries, especially those not considered a necessity, tend to be subject to economic trends such as booms and depressions. A laundromat/dry cleaning business is not overwhelmingly considered a must-have and therefore will be subject to changes in the economy and dispensable or spendable cash.2. And she asks, what would you do first if you were me, Jennifer Carter?If I were Jennifer Carter the first thing I would do as a trouble shooter/ problem solver would be to conduct a performance appraisal on three una like levels to gauge any problem areas that need attention at the store level for profitability, at the focusing level to discern effective/ineffective management practices, and at the employee level to determine employee satisfaction and productivity levels. Although these three levels are interconnected in business practice, examining each independently first would allow for easier vox populi of problematic issues and areas that need remedying. Jennifer Carter could use this information to diagnose and cure the potential for loss of profits, inefficiency, and customer dissatisfaction at any store that showed these symptoms as well as implement not only corrective but preventative HR practices across the board.She could also train managers who needed the redirection in their practices regarding basic managerial responsibilities, employee relations, or any other issues deemed needing adjustment as well as reward exceptional managers based on their assessments. Furthermore, Ms. Cart er could evaluate employees who showed potential for increased responsibility and advance as well as provide useful training for those who demonstrated a lack of skill. An evaluation and appraisal overall would be beneficial because there is always room for improvement in any business, none excluded. By recognizing problem areas and areas of success steps could be taken to fix those problems and also draw out upon the things that are going right.

Sunday, May 26, 2019

Bag of Bones AUTHOR’S NOTE

To an extent, this novel deals with the legal aspects of child custody in the State of Maine. I asked for help in understanding this subject from my friend Warren Silver, who is a fine attorney. Warren guided me carefully, and along the way he also told me about a quaint old device called the Stenomask, which I immediately appropriated for my receive fell purposes. If Ive made procedural mistakes in the story which follows, blame me, not my legal resource. Warren also asked merather plaintively if I could maybe determine a good lawyer in my book. All I can say is that I did my best in that regard.Thanks to my son Owen for technical support in Woodstock, New York, and to my friend (and fellow Rock Bottom Remainder) Ridley Pearson for technical support in Ketchum, Idaho. Thanks to Pam Dorman for her sympathetic and perceptive reading of the first draft. Thanks to barf Verrill for a monumental editing jobyour personal best, Chuck. Thanks to Susan Moldow, Nan Graham, Jack Roman s, an d Carolyn Reidy at Scribner for care and feeding. And thanks to Tabby, who was there for me again when things got hard. I love you, hon.S.K.Yes, Bartleby, stay there behind your screen, thought II shall persecute you no more you are harmless andnoiseless as whatsoever of these old chairs in short, I never feelso private as when I know you are here.BartlebyHERMAN MELVILLELast night I dreamt I went to Manderley again . . .As I stood there, hushed and still, I could swear thatthe house was not an empty shell but lived and breathedas it had lived before.RebeccaDAPHNE DU MAURIER Mars is heaven. lance BRADBURY

Saturday, May 25, 2019

Indian Past Is A Land Of Treasure English Literature Essay

Indo-nostalgia can non be defined in a individual sentence. It is more a thing of realisation, of perceptual experience. It does non catch wizs breath in alien content but in the head behind the organisation of that content. Whether one writes abtaboo apples or flowers or Mangifera indicas or mountains. The draw a bead on life attitudes , modes of perceptual experience is of import in this connexion. In other words, It is India in microcosm . It is the sum sum of all that is reflected in the manner of life of Indian people- their thought procedures and mentality on life and their demands, purposes and aspirations. Furthermore it is an foreign esthesia. Indian consciousness is deep-seated doctrine hence there is no better yardstick than Indo-nostalgia to mensurate the civilization of the state and to value Indian fiction. Furthermore, Indo-nostalgia is a fictional technique to project the image of India, non bargonly to convey with her ain cultural individualisation but besid es to make an consciousness of this individuality in the heads of her ain people and the remainder of the universe.Indo-Nostalgic Writing- A Novel ExperimentIndian novels are good Indian in intervention and esthesia. What characterizes the Indo-nostalgic seedship is really the head, the psyche behind the organisation of the content, the life-attitudes and manners of perceptual experience. Rooted in the native psyche, the Indian author struggles to get by with the spirit of the modern universe and puts Forth its ain curious fruit. Bhabani Bhattacharjee says in an interview that the fruit-bearing- has non merely been traditionalaaaaaa author can non populate with prohibited roots. An Indian author deeply concerned with lives of the people can non acquire transplanted from the Earth of centuries-old traditions despite full icon to alien influences. Indian side authors are nourished by the foreigner consciousness. They province how they have been in the Indian surroundings and compose about their experiences of instantly s Indian society without losing the national individuality. Indian English literature is greatly conditioned by Indian geographics, Indian manner of life, and civilization and holler wonts in different lingual countries. An Indian author can asseverate he is right in researching himself as an Indian English writer- that his landscape is Indian, his thought process is moulded by his political, societal, economic and philosophical scene, so on and so forth. What they see is the Indian scene- the flowers, the fruits the trees, the mountains, the gardens, the temples, the huts, the trough, the motley, multi-lingual people and what they feel the effervescence of the Indian dis power. Professor Srinivasa Iyengar justly points out the true Indian consciousness as To be Indian in idea and feeling, emotion and experience, yet besides to tribunal the graces and submit to the subject of English for look, is a noel experiment in originative mutant. There are successes and failures, and the failures are possibly more legion than the successes. All the same there are the cook forces and adult females who have courageously run the race and reached the end, and they deserve due acknowledgment. I have chosen some representative novels of Shashi Tharoor for scrutiny, analysed and evaluated the selected novels against the background of the societal, political, cultural and literary scene of India to get at the much desired decision. I have tried to do it clear in my study that the construct of Indo-nostalgia is neither a replacement for subject nor even a deliberate chase to make a sort of self-mystification. It is the self-generated flow of the heritage of Indian civilization and non merely a fast one that develop an inventive endowment. It is an artistic engagement that affects the Indian originative spirit.i.e. Conscious fictions and wistful symbols to detect Indo-nostalgia.Myth as a item characteristic technique of Indo-nostalgia The word Myth has been so invariably used in literature of the universe over the last few decennaries that it has now pass something of a cliche of the literary unfavorable judgment. Besides its drill in literary unfavorable judgment, the term is besides used in a commixture of significances in sociology, anthropology, psychological science, doctrine and in comparative faith, each field of survey puting it with different intensions. But its usage in literature is more widen now-a-days and involvements the literary critics more widely than anyone else.One basic inquiry mom harvest up as to why are romances of import in the survey of literature? Why do myths run so strongly in the modern literary plants? Why are myths and legends a important factor in the thought form of the authors? The reply to these inquiries is non hard to happen. It is really interesting to theorize why poets and authors have ever been drawn towards myths and fables. The first and first ground may be their quality of eternity and antiquity. Myths are old faraway distant things of course they lend enchantment and appeal to the modern people. The appeal of the Indian mythologic narratives, in malice of their distance from contemporary world does hold a sort of cardinal significance. The Indian authors are cognizant of this and recreated the myths with all their literary possibilities. another(prenominal) ground is that myths along with common people narratives and ancient fables provide abstract narrative forms. Northrop Fry has made a important comment on this Writers are interested in ( them ) for the same ground that painters are interested in still life agreements because they illustrate indispensable rules of story-telling. There is another ground in favor of the presence of myths in literature. This position may non be accepted by all but its importance can non be ruled out entirely. It is the nature of all myths. Writers and poets are ever attracted to myths-mainly because myth is literature. Myth ethical, philosophical, spiritual and cultural. Indian myths are portion of Indian literature we can therefore depose that myth embodies the nature and spirit of full literature. Hence, Shashi Tharoor makes extended usage of myths in his fiction.At first, I make a comprehensive analysis of the differentiation surrounded by the witting and unconscious usage of myth. In literature, there are chiefly two ways in which myths are used. Of the two utilizations, the witting usage of myth is a popular literary device and portion of the modern universe. This is the method used by Eliontt in The Waste Land by James Joyce in Ulysses , by E. M. Forster in A Passage to India and by Oneill in Mourning Becomes Electra etc. All these authors differ widely in their techniques and purposes, but there is one common component in their diverse methods. Each of them uses fabulous or classical state of affairss or characters in a modern context, thereby seeking to light the qua ndary of modern-day adult male, sing him in a larger position of clip. The naive reader reads the narrative for its ain interest, but when the unreal or classical analogue is recognized, his response to the work is enriched by an component of acknowledgment.To run into our terminals in this affair, we shall see non merely the literary myths used by them such as narratives from the Mahabharata, the Ramayana and the Puranas- but besides from the local fables, folk-lore every bit good as crude rites like the ritual for rain, for crop or birthrate and confusable other beginnings in order to add to the novels a particular feature of Indo-nostalgia.The Scope of Myth in making Indo-nostalgiaThe thing may non look to be hard at all because the people of India are closer to their mythology than the modern Irish or British people are to Celtic or Greek fables. The Indian people are profoundly consciousness of their civilization their rich yesteryear. They still grow up absorbing the myt hs and fables of the state. Here it is about a usage to declaim the fabulous narratives to the kids and along with their growing they of course develop a strong captivation to this aureate exchequer of the myths. The public recitation of narratives from the Ramayana, Mahabharata and Puranas indicating out its modern-day relevancy is even now a life tradition. The influence of the heroic poems in our national life is so ascendant and far-reaching that if a universe position is required to do literature meaningful in footings of shared human experiences so the Indian Epics offer a widely accepted footing of such a common background which permeates the corporate unconscious of the whole state.Thematic Preoccupations of Indo-nostalgiaIndian novel reveals the Indian character and Indian life. The author and his audience portion a similar background and common experiences because the cultural units in India tend to be aliened on thematic lines such as faith, civilization, ethnicity etc. T he creative activity of Indo-nostalgia in Indian novels is a fresh experience and the procedure by which it has been done is one of progressive ego find for the state. This creative activity of a all the way Indian consciousness and its appropriate look in art distinguishes Indian fiction from that of another state. In fact, these novels achieve a cosmopolitan vision through with(predicate) the representation of a existent piece of Indian life.

Friday, May 24, 2019

Humanist and Normative Approach

Soft HRM follows the harvard toughie considers human capital as assets rather than resources. Hard HRM follows the michigen model enforces the interests of the organisation rather than the progress of individuals. Humanist Approach SOFT HRM (Harvard) Philosophy A fair sidereal days work for a fair days pay. Organisational behaviour and the focus on corporate social responsibility. Companies see themselves as ethically conducted. Business objective Increase productivity and profitability. Quality is secondary. They scent to achieve optimum results Quality objective Adequate quality to remain in personal line of credit. Staff driven quality improvement approaches Information sharing restrict information sharing as needed for job execution. Major decision makers Manager, shareholders, customers, employees Employee involvement Programme suggestions , plans individual employee awards, no formal system. Education and training On the job training, feedback on the job performan ce Results orientated, they measure results and evaluate them. Tend to look at the return on enthronisation hard to prove. g if in 2012 a company sells 600 products and in 2013 after training and development of staff this number increases to 1200, can we prove that this is in fact return on investment and due to the training. Reward structure Design and administered by management Job security Labour consider as a variable cost. Lay-off common during business downturn Use of symbols eg apple, Mcdonalds and Legal & General (Umbrella) Focus on personalities and attitudes- behavioural based. Encourages self assessment through appraisals. rawing up your own development plan and managers component employees to achieve these or to make progress rather than managing people out when they are not meeting objectives. Source http//www. shvoong. com/business-management/human-resources/1861903-comparison-traditional-human-resource-approach/ixzz2ONUzQ2fR Normative Approach HARD HRM (Michi gan) The normative perspective of human resource management bases itself on the concepts of hard HRM and soft HRM, on which the foundations of human resource management rest. http//www. brighthubpm. om/resource-management/76151-exploring-different-perspectives-of-hr-management/ Concentration on strategic supplying with vertical and horizontol integration of policy. Organisational culture with a key objective of retaining competitive advantage. ensuring all of the policies and procedures are current innovation Administration is become a band more innovative adapting/changing to current times. A lot of admin is now online using systems such as ADPs HR. Net holiday etc is now quest and approved online rather than using a paper system. Employee benefit and reward often takes the form of welfare systems for example gym memberships and paid sick get out Tend to have industrial relations eg trade unions and workforce representatives. Humanist approach tends to have more conce rn regarding employees progress, employee engagement and training/development of employees that may not necessarily directly improve the organisations output/productivity. Whereas a normative approach is more aligned with business strategy and integration of policy.

Thursday, May 23, 2019

Lessons from Rs Mcnamara

Walking Along a Familiar Path In Errol Morris documentary obnubilate of contend Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara, we follow the life and times of former United States Secretary of Defense, Robert McNamara. The insightful piece follows his life from birth during World War I, his success at college, cunning business career at Ford Motor Company, to his involvement in World War II and his contr all oversial semipolitical career during the Kennedy and Johnson presidential terms.Morris highlights the documentary around these eleven lessons that McNamara passes through during an interview for the film. In my opinion some of these lessons are merely some opinions of McNamara and some depend to be spurred along by Morris, who is asking the questions in the background. I believe it is through some of these lessons that Morris uses McNamaras success and failures to relate them to current issues such as the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and how we seem to be treading down a fa miliar path.LESSON 5 PROPORTIONALITY SHOULD BE A GUIDELINE IN WAR? In order to provide a war should you kill 100,000 people in one night, by firebombing or any other way . . . Proportionality should be a guideline in war. Killing 50% to 90% of the people of 67 Japanese cities and then bombing them with two nuclear bombs is not proportional, in the minds of some people, to the objectives we were exhausting to achieve. Robert McNamara This comment by McNamara resonated through out the film. I knew that there was some bombing in Japan but not to this extent.Morris puts forth one of the near powerful uses of imagery to captivate the audience and bring these death tolls to a whole other level. McNamara resentfully cites a series of Japanese cities that were partially or largely destroyed and matches them to American cities of comparable size, and asks us to imagine those U. S. communities similarly ravaged. Its a strong point, graphically supported by Morris on screen by flashing na mes and statistics at accelerating speed. In that single night, we burned to death 100,000 Japanese civilians in Tokyo men, women, and children. McNamara. Through this outrages example, I believe Morris was alluding to the large deployment of forces launched to fight small forces in Afghanistan and Iraq. Having twenty-five thousand troops fighting insurgent forces made up of small groups of guerrilla particularions can be stage setting in some eyes as excessive and ill proportioned.LESSON 6 GET THE DATA and LESSON 7 BELIEF AND SEEING ARE BOTH often WRONG. At one point, the commander of the ship said, Were not certain of the attack. At another point they said, Yes, were absolutely positive. And then finally late in the day, admiral Sharp said, Yes, were certain it happened. So I reported this to Johnson, and as a result there were bombing attacks on targets in North Vietnam. McNamara The important fact from McNamara is that the escalation of the Vietnam War started based on a misinformed from a single crew thinking they had been torpedoed. This seemed to be a decent excuse to start bombing runs, come up troops and deploy them in to South East Asia.The parallels between these chain of events leading to the Vietnam War and the actions taken by the US government in intromission campaigns against Afghanistan and Iraq are very similar. While the terrorist attacks on 9/11 were a violent catalyst to the conflict in Afghanistan, it was an isolated attack by a handful of terrorist. The US turned 9/11 into a raid on Afghanistan harboring factions of these terrorists, eventually overturning the government in power. Another similar lesson in which McNamara states we should get at the data, can be strongly related to the US governments poor excuse to invade Iraq.The speculation that Iraq was in the process of making or in possession of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) was largely fabricated ordeal backed by speculation and no quantifiable evidence. Since 2003, th e US has still not found WMDs and have quickly skirted this issue under the rug time they change their war song as an action of freedom against tyrannical Iraki government. LESSON 8 BE PREPARED TO REEXAMINE YOUR REASONING. ?Were those who issued the approval to use Agent Orange criminals? Were they committing a crime against humanity?Lets count on at the law. Now what sort of law do we have that says these chemicals are acceptable for use in war and these chemicals are not. We dont have clear definitions of that kind. I never in the macrocosm would have authorized an illegal action. Im not really sure I authorized Agent Orange. I dont remember it but it certainly occurred, the use of it occurred while I was Secretary. Another one of McNamaras strong comments that relate to that there is a consequence to every action we take and that we must live with that consequence.His play was tough, and he had to make some critical decisions for the ware fare of millions in which he, Neve r had hindsight in making decisions at the time. This, I believe, was Morris big punch in the mouth to the powers of the George W. Bush administration and their actions surrounding the invasion of Iraq. Now, at the time of release of this documentary the Iraq war was still in the infant stages of development- Morris had no suggestion how the war would turn out but left us with a strong statement that someone would have to be accountable for starting an inequitable war.I was once told in a high school history class that, History is written by the victors. McNamara sums this quote up with a brilliant look back into some of his actions during World War II General Curtis LeMay said if we had lost the war, we would have been prosecuted as war criminals. And I think hes right . . .. What makes it immoral if you drift off and not immoral if you win? Morris alludes through this lesson that someone will have to answer to these actions and wash the blood off their hands. Can we learn fro m history? be we fated to repeat the mistakes that weve made in the past, again and again?Or can we learn from history and from the past? These are some serious questions I believe Morris forces us to ask ourselves. I believe that Morris was trying to bring up similarities of the past rather than actually relating the Vietnam War specifically to the Iraqi War, show us that we are still treading upon our past mistakes. If we dont learn from history and the events that pass we will be doomed to repeat history, over and over again. Dont make the same mistake twiceone mistake can destroy a nation. Robert Strange McNamara

Wednesday, May 22, 2019

Dadsa

THE EVOLUTION OF THE PHILIPPINE statistical SYSTEM* CONTENTS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Introduction The Filipino statistical arranging Through the Years The Present statistical organization Recent Initiatives of the Philippine statistical System Lessons Learned, Ch solelyenges and Opportunities ______________________________ Philippine country paper prepargond by the National statistical Coordination be on and disseminated during the Seminar on the Evolution of National Statistical Systems organized by the United Nations Statistics Division in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the United Nations Statistical Commission held on 23 February 2007 in New York, USA. 1 THE EVOLUTION OF THE PHILIPPINE STATISTICAL SYSTEM COUNTRY PAPER By The National Statistical Coordination board, Philippines1 1. INTRODUCTION This country paper endues the history and existing features of the Philippine Statistical System (PSS).It besides articulates the schemas recent initiatives as well as the lessons lea rned through the geezerhood and the ch in allenges and opportunities currently faced by the system. The Philippines is nonpargonil of galore(postnominal) countries with a decentralized statistical system. The PSS has evolved through some(prenominal) stages in response to the prevailing political, economic and social policies of the political sympathies. The emphasis on phylogenesis cooking in later(prenominal) years led to the creation of look and statistics divisions in existing departments to provide for their selective wear outment and knowledge require.As a result, a decentralized system emerged whereby statistical go atomic number 18 managed and supervised by the several(prenominal) agencies with overall coordination by a national body. The present PSS is the result of a comprehensive review of the system that was low debaten in 1986 by a multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral committee naturalized by the Philippine political science. The review was withal down the stairstaken in line with a administration-wide reorganization which saw the need for necessary and proper changes in the bureaucracy in order to promote efficiency and effectiveness n the delivery of universe services. The recommendations of the committee, which accepted the need to maintain a decentralized statistical system characterized by independence, objectivity, and ace to make it more responsive to the requirements of national development, provided the basis for the reorganization of the PSS in 1987. Its mission is to provide timely, accurate and useful statistics for the government and the habitual, especially for preparation and decision making.With the inadequate resources and an opposite(prenominal) constraints, the PSS continues to seek for alternative measures and strategies toward responding to the current and emerging shoots of the respective(a) clientele and stakeholders. The PSS besides continues to effect improvements in its capacity to provide step statistical products and services. Likewise, it recognizes the need to conform to international standards, comparisons and practices, and it provides hold up and cooperation to the statistical endeavors of the international community. Dr. Romulo A.Virola is the Secretary General of the National Statistical Coordination Board, Philippines (ra. emailprotected gov. ph). 1 2 2. THE PHILIPPINE STATISTICAL SYSTEM THROUGH THE YEARS2 Government statistical activities in the country have gone a long way from the Spanish regime to the present statistical system. From the simple attempts of the Spanish monarchy to collect tuition on the country and its resources, the PSS has evolved to reverse a decentralized system with a strong organize body to serving the more complex necessitate of polity formulation and decision making.The following were the significant developments in the countrys statistical system at conglomerate periods and stages. 2. 1 Spanish Regime (1571 1898) During the Spanish regime, there was no regular and systematic information collection in the country except in the later years of the colonial period. Information on the people, villages, app beltlements, tributes collected, judicial cases settled and the natural resources were obtained by the governors-general upon instructions from the King of Spain to the Spanish governorgeneral in the Philippines.From about the middle of the eighteenth century, the priests kept records of baptisms, marriages and deaths, making possible some population estimates. The start-off number under the Spanish regime was conducted in 1877 with the event of a royal ordinance ordering the enumeration of the population. Succeeding censuses were conducted in 1887 and 1897. The results of the first-class honours degree census were published in Archipelago Filipino en la Oceania Censo de Poblacion Verificado in 1887 but those of the latter were neer published.The Spanish colonial statistical system began when an Officiana Central de Estadistica was established in the Direccion General de Administration courteous in 1889. The priests were obliged to report births, marriages and deaths which occurred within their parish to this office. The progeny of the Boletin de Estadistica de la Ciudad de Manila, a monthly journal, was started in 1895, making available population and vital statistics. 2. 2 American Regime (1898 1946) The onset of the American regime brought with it a more systematized data collection system.This was marked by the creation of a statistical unit in the dominance of Customs to collect, tabulate, and disseminate statistics on imports and exports. Although no statistical units were formally created in other government offices during the time, information were nevertheless collected and draw upd by them for administrative purposes. The office staff of Agriculture, created in 1902, compiled data on the repress of farms, irrigated beas, and cultivated land.The positi on of chore, created in 1908, gathered data on the number and membership of industry organizations and labor cases. Vital readjustment likewise improved during this period. The first census under the American regime was conducted in 1903, with the next censuses undertaken in 1918 and 1939. Different organizations carried out the censuses each time. The PSS Composition, Organization and Coordination, NEDA, 1980 decision maker Summary of the Phase 1 Report of Decentralization and the PSS Project, 1994 History of the PSS http//www. ire. it-u. ac. jp executive Order No. 121 Reorganizing and strengthen the PSS and for otherwise Purposes, 1987. 2 3 The surgical incision of Public Information carried out the 1903 census and the United States number Bureau processed the statistics while the ad hoc Commission of Census conducted the 1939 census. In 1918, the Bureau of Commerce and effort was created (with a statistics division) under the segment of Commerce and Communication. For t hirteen years, this division served as the clearing house of all statistical information in the country.The data were published yearly in statistical bulletins, which served as the comprehensive and authoritative sources of statistical information during the period. The first attempt to consolidate statistical authority and responsibility in the country came about with the manoeuver of the Bureau of Commerce and Industry to the segment of Agriculture and Commerce, which was organized in 1932. A special statistical division in the department was created which absorbed the Bureaus statistical functions as well as those of the Bureau of Agriculture.The statistics produced were published in the Philippine Statistical Review. The centralization of all statistical activities in one internal representation was realized when the Bureau of the Census and Statistics (BCS) was created by rural argona feat No. 591 in 1940 under the business of the President. All major statistical units of the Department of Agriculture and Commerce, Department of Labor, the Bureau of Health, the Bureau of Customs, the National Library, Department of Public Information and the 1939 Commission of Census were merged to the new Bureau.The move to centralize the statistical system was interrupted because of World War II. 2. 3 Postwar recovery period starting in 1946 When the Philippines gained independence from the U. S. in July of 1946, the urgent need for data with which to plan and implement rehabilitation programs for a war-ravaged economy manifested itself. The BCS remained under the Office of the President until 1947 when it was placed under the newly organized Department of Commerce and Industry for administrative purposes.In 1948, the BCS conducted the first postwar census. The creation of the Central intrust of the Philippines in 1949 and the Agricultural stintings Division in the Department of Agriculture in 1953, as well as the return of the Labor Statistics Division to the De partment of Labor, ushered in a period of great activity. With the expansion of government activities in the fields of benevolents health, education, social welfargon, public administration, crop subsidies, monetary stabilization, and agro-industrial development, statistical units gradually resurfaced.Consequently, the need for a decentralized statistical system with a central authority liable for coordinating all the statistical activities of the government was recommended. 2. 4 Reorganization in 1956 Through the Government Survey and Reorganization Commission created in 1954, a set of recommendations was formulated which provided the framework for the administration of a coordinated decentralized statistical system.These recommendations brought about two significant changes in the statistical system, as follows (a) the emergence of the Office of 4 the Statistical Coordination and Standards (OSCAS) and (b) the transfer of some statistical functions from the BCS to other governme nt agencies. The decentralization of statistical activities was carried out in 1956 with the creation of a central coordinating authority, the OSCAS under the National Economic Council (NEC) by virtue of decision maker Order No. 119.Among the functions of this body was to oversee the coordination of all statistical activities of five major statistical operating agencies and more than a hundred administrative agencies which carry out statistical activities as part of their administrative and regulatory functions. The five agencies were the following (1) Bureau of the Census and Statistics, (2) Bureau of Agricultural Economics, (3) Department of Economic Research, Central Bank of the Philippines, (4) Labor Statistics wait on, Department of Labor, and (5) Disease Intelligence Center, Department of Health.Later, more government agencies surfaced to become major producers of primary statistics to equate the increasing needs of government planners for statistical data. Likewise, all st atistical functions pertaining to agriculture and natural resources, banking and finance, labor, vital registration, and education were transferred from the BCS to other government agencies, which by nature of their administrative and regulatory functions and for highly well-organized statistical units, were better qualified to undertake them.This set up existed for about a decade and a half until another government-wide reorganization of the executive branch of the government was introduced based on the Integrated Reorganization Plan (IRP) in 1972. 2. 5 Reorganization in 1972 The implementation of the IRP in 1972 abolished the NEC and set up in its place the National Economic and pay offment Authority (NEDA) headed by a Director-General. One of the offices under NEDA was the Statistical Coordination Office (SCO), which was made up of two staff units drawn from the three branches of OSCAS.Meanwhile, in 1974, the BCS under the Department of Commerce and Industry was reconstituted an d renamed National Census and Statistics Office (NCSO) and placed under the administrative command of the NEDA. During this time, only one official served as the NEDA Deputy Director-General for SCO and, concurrently, as administrator Director of NCSO. The official overly acted as Chairman of the Statistical advisory Board (SAB), which was the forerunner of the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB). The existence of SCO, NEDA brought about a number of developments in statistics, particularly through its Statistical Development Fund.Among them were the following (1) expansion in standardization work as exemplified by the publication of the Manual on the Philippine System of National Accounts, Frameworks, Sources and Methods (2) first Philippine Statistical Development Program and (3) development of statistical frameworks, such as Input-Output Tables (in collaboration with NCSO), Flow-of-Funds Accounts (in collaboration with the Central Bank), Social score Matrix, and Agriculture Economic Accounts (in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture). . 6 Reorganization in 1987 Recognizing the need to further enhance the efficiency of the statistical system and improve the seasonableness and accuracy of statistics for planning and decision making, a comprehensive 5 study and review of the PSS was conducted by a special committee in 1986. The committee recognized the need to maintain a decentralized statistical system with a strong coordination characterized by independence, objectivity, and integrity to make it more responsive to the requirements of national development.Thus, the PSS was restructured with the issuance of executive director Order No. 121, entitled Reorganizing and Strengthening the Philippine Statistical System and for other(a) Purposes on 30 January 1987. The executive director Order provided the basis for the present structure of the decentralized PSS. By virtue of this order, the NSCB as the highest policymaking and coordin ating body on statistical matters was created in 1987, replacing the NEDA Statistical Coordination Office and the Statistical Advisory Board.The Statistical Research and Training Center (SRTC) as the research and reproduction arm of the PSS was also established. The NCSO was renamed National Statistics Office (NSO) and was tasked to be the major statistical agency responsible for generating general-purpose statistics and undertaking such censuses and surveys as whitethorn be designated by the NSCB. The demands of national economic recovery after the EDSA Revolution in 1986 necessitated changes in the organizational and functional structure of the entire bureaucracy. Under Executive Order No. 16 issued on 30 January 1987, the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) was established as one of the seven bureaus of the Department of Agriculture to take charge of the production of statistics on agriculture, fishery and related fields. The BAS has assumed most of the functions of its pred ecessor, the Bureau of Agricultural Economics. It was also on 30 January 1987 when the Department of Labor was reorganized anew under Executive Order No. 126 and one of its commissariat was the abolition of the Labor Statistics Service and the creation of the Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics (BLES) as one of the six bureaus of the Department.The other departments have keep the statistical units within their respective offices. Meanwhile, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) created its Department of Statistics on 20 March 2005 to assume the statistical functions lodged before at its Department of Economic Research. 3. THE PRESENT STATISTICAL SYSTEM 3. 1. LAWS AND OTHER LEGAL provisions FOR STATISTICAL ORGANIZATION AND SERVICES3 The following be the laws that govern the trading operations of the PSS 3. 1. 1 Executive Order No. 121 Reorganizing and Strengthening the Philippine Statistical System (PSS) and for Other Purposes issued on 30 January 1987 3. 1. 2. Commonweal th piece No. 91 An Act to Create a Bureau of the Census and Statistics to Consolidate Statistical Activities of the Government issued on 19 August 1940 Other legal provisions concerning the statistical affairs in the country are the following 3 Agency websites. 6 3. 1. 3. Executive Order No. 116 Renaming Ministry of Agriculture and Food as Ministry of Agriculture, Reorganizing Its Units, Integrating All Offices and Agencies Whose Functions Relate to Agriculture and Fishery into the Ministry, and for Other Purposes issued on 30 January 1987, which accommodates the creation of the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics within the Ministry 3. . 4. Executive Order No. 126 Reorganizing the Ministry of Labor and Employment and for Other Purposes issued on January 30, 1987, which embroils the creation of the Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics within the Ministry 3. 1. 5. Executive Order No. 135 Providing for the Establishment of A Well-Coordinated Local Level Statistical System is sued on 6 November 1993 3. 1. 6. Executive Order No. 352 recognition of Statistical Activities That Will Generate Critical info for Decision-Making of the Government and the Private Sector issued on 1 July 1996 3. . 7. Executive Order No. 406 Institutionalizing the Philippine EconomicEnvironmental and indispensable Resources Accounting (PEENRA) System and Creating Units Within the Organizational Structure of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), and National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) issued on 21 March 1997 3. 1. 8. Proclamation No. 647 Declaring the Month of October of Every Year as the National Statistics Month signed on 20 phratry 1990 3. 1. 9. Proclamation No. 93 Declaring the Month as National Census Month signed on 7 June 1995 of September 1995 3. 1. 10. Proclamation No. 248 Adopting the Philippine Statistical Development Program (PSDP) for 1999-2004 issued on 24 February 2000 3. 1. 11. Proclamation No. 1140 Adopting the Philippine Statistical Development Program (PSDP) 2005-2010 issued on 19 September 2006 Board resolutions and memorandum orders/circulars are likewise issued as necessary by the NSCB Executive Board when there are new statistical frameworks and indicator systems, new mechanisms for statistical coordination, new methodologies or concepts, etc. or adoption and implementation by the various stakeholders of the system. 3. 2. THE COMPONENTS OF THE PHILIPPINE STATISTICAL SYSTEM The PSS consists of statistical organizations at all administrative levels, its personnel and the national statistical program. Specifically, the organizations comprising the system include the following A policy-making and coordinating body the National Statistical Coordination Board A individual(a) general-purpose statistical agency the National Statistics Office 7A research and prepare arm the Statistical Research and Training Center Units of government engaged in sta tistical activities either as their primary function or as part of their administrative or regulatory functions all departments, bureaus, offices, agencies, and instrumentalities of national and topical anesthetic governments and all government-owned and controlled corporations and their subsidiaries The major statistical agencies in the PSS include the NSCB, NSO, SRTC, the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) of the Department of Agriculture, the Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics (BLES) of the Department of Labor and Employment, and the Department of Economic Statistics of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). Other data producers in the government include research and statistics divisions/units usually within the planning service of the various departments and bureaus. The major statistical agencies and all other data producers are situated in various administrative hierarchies of the country with each unit collecting and aggregating data. The said administrative are as include the national, regional, eclogue, city, municipal and barangay levels. In addition, the local government units (LGUs) in each province, city, municipality or barangay are rich sources of data.The enactment of the Local Government Code of 1991 which mandated the devolution of basic government services to LGUs had some implications on the data generation activities of the dissembleed sectors. The chart below shows the linkages among the various institutions and players in the PSS. Framework for the Management and Coordination of the PSS 3. 2. 1. The policy-making and coordinating body 8 National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB)4 The NSCB was created as the highest policy-making and coordinating body on statistical matters in the Philippines. It is under the administrative supervision of the National Economic and Development Authority. The NSCB formulates policies, delineates responsibilities, sets anteriorities and standards on statistics and administers the one-stop statistical information center.It also maintains multi-sectoral statistical frameworks and indicator systems which serve as bases for the improvement of statistical coordination. It provides links and fora for coordination between and among these key players. It also serves as the statistical clearing house and liaison for international statistical matters. Foremost among the objectives of the NSCB is to develop an orderly PSS capable of providing timely, accurate, relevant, and useful data for the government and the public for planning and decision-making. The major goal of the NSCB is to promote the independence, objectivity, integrity, relevance and responsiveness of the PSS. The powers and functions of the NSCB as defined under constituent 5 of Executive Order No. 21 are as follows Promote and maintain an efficient statistical system in the government Formulate policies on all matters relating to government statistical operations Recommend executive and legislative measures to enhance the development and efficiency of the system, including the internal structure of statistical agencies Establish appropriate mechanism for statistical coordination at the regional, provincial and city levels Approve the Philippine Statistical Development Program Allocate statistical responsibilities among government agencies by designating the statistics to be collected by them, including their periodicity and study Review budgetary proposals involving statistical operations and submit an integrated budget for the Philippine Statistical System (PSS) to the Department of compute and Management (DBM) Review and clear, prior to passage, all funds for statistical operations Develop, prescribe and maintain appropriate framework for the improvement of statistical coordination and Prescribe uniform standards and variety systems in government statistics. The NSCB as coordinator is not engaged in primary data collection. The Executive Order further provides that the decisions of the NSCB on statistical matters shall be final and executory.At the helm of the NSCB is the NSCB Executive Board which is placid of the undersecretaries of the different departments and heads of major statistical agencies and chaired by the Secretary of Socio-Economic Planning. The NSCB Executive Board holds quarterly pull togetherings. The NSCB has a Technical Staff which performs the following functions allow proficient and secretariat support to the NSCB Serve as the statistical clearing house and liaison for international statistical matters and Executive Order No. 121 Reorganizing and Strengthening the PSS and for Other Purposes issued on 30 January 1987 NSCB website http//www. nscb. gov. ph 4 9 Perform other functions as may be assigned by the NSCB and as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of Executive Order No. 21 The products and services provided by the NSCB Technical Staff are the following Statistical policies and measures to resolve specific issues and pro vide policy directions in the PSS National Accounts and related economic accounts to assess the economic mathematical operation of the country Economic and social indicators Standards and classification systems to prescribe uniform standards in government statistics Statistical publications and CD Roms to disseminate the most relevant data produced by the PSS and to make statistics more accessible to the public The PSDP to serve as a blueprint of priority programs and activities to be undertaken to improve the PSS in the medium term Services Coordination of inter agency concerns Coordination of subnational statistical systems Statistical survey review and clearance system Development of statistical standards and classification systems Designation of statistics Local and international data requests Technical services Advocacy for statistical awareness One stop statistical information centers On line statistical service thru the Internet (www. nscb. gov. ph) 3. 2. 2. Data P roducers In the government, the major agencies that produce statistics as their primary function are as follows National Statistics Office (NSO)5 The NSO is the major statistical agency responsible in collecting, compiling, classifying, producing, publishing, and disseminating general-purpose statistics as provided for in Commonwealth Act No. 591. The NSO is under the administrative supervision of NEDA. It overprotects data on population, housing, agriculture, fisheries, business, industry, prices and households through periodic censuses and sample surveys.NSO also has the responsibility of carrying out and administering the provision of the Civil Registry Law as provided for in Act No. 3753 dated February 1931. It also processes and compiles administrative-based statistics on domestic and foreign trade, business permits and vital statistics from the civil registration system. More specifically, the NSO is tasked to Prepare for and undertake all censuses on population, agriculture, commerce, and industry (Section 2, C. A. 591 Section 1, Batas Pambansa Blg. 72) 5 NSO website http//www. census. gov. ph 10 conduct statistical surveys by enumeration, sampling, and other methods (Section 2, Batas Pambansa Blg. 2) compile and classify other statistical data and information (Section 2, C. A. 591) conduct social and economic studies and make projections of population, agricultural production, income and the number of livestock (Section 2, C. A. 591) publish and disseminate all information related to the above functions (Section 2, C. A. 591) assist the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) in the formulation of a continuing comprehensive statistical program for the government (Section 5, Presidential Decree 418) provide technical assistance and support to projects of other statistical agencies and institutions (Section 5, P. D. 418) carry out and administer the provisions of Act. No. 753, entitled An Act to establish a Civil Register (Section 2, C. A. 591) and other laws on civil registration and issue authorization to solemnizing officers in accordance with the provisions of Article 7 of the Family Code of the Philippines (Executive Order No. 209 effective August 3, 1988). Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS)6 The BAS, which is under the Department of Agriculture, produces agricultural statistics. It generates statistics on crop production, prices of agricultural commodities, volume and look upon of livestock traded, farm income and expenditure, farming systems, agricultural finance, through sample surveys. Section 16 of Executive Order No. 16 defines the functions of the BAS as follows to collect, compile and release official agricultural statistics to exercise technical supervision over data collection centers and to coordinate all agricultural statistics and economic research activities of all bureaus, corporations and offices under the Department of Agriculture. Further, Section 41 of Republic Act No. 8435 or Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act of 1997 approved on December 22, 1997, mandates the BAS to serve as the central information source and server of the National Information Network (NIN) of the DA and to provide technical assistance to end-users in accessing and analyzing product and market information and technology. In 2000, the BAS structural organization was strengthened and reoriented pursuant to the relevant provisions of DA Administrative Order No. series of 1998 in compliance with the provisions of the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act or RA8435 of 1997. This law designates BAS as the central information source and server of the National Information Network (NIN) of the DA. Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics (BLES)7 6 7 BAS website http//www. bas. da. gov. ph BLES website http//www. bles. dole. gov. ph 11 The BLES, which is under the Department of Labor and Employment, produces labor and employment statistics. It generates establishment-based labor data, such as labor turnover, labor practices, organizations, occupational injuries and illnesses and wage rates. Section 21 of the Executive Order 126 andates the BLES to carry out the following functions Formulate, develop and implement plans and programs on the labor statistical system in order to provide the government with timely, accurate and reliable data on labor and employment Conduct nationwide surveys and studies which will generate trends and structures on labor and employment Develop and prescribe uniform standards, nomenclatures and methodologies for the collection, processing, presentation and analysis of labor and employment data Establish appropriate mechanisms for the coordination of all statistical activities in the Department and for collaboration with other government and mysterious agencies including international research organizations in the conduct of surveys and studies in the area of labor and employment circularise statistical information and provide statistical serv ices/advice to the users by establishing a data bank and issuing the Bureaus statistical materials and research findings Develop and undertake programs and projects geared towards the enhancement of the technical competence of the Department on theories, techniques and methodologies for the improvement of the labor statistical system Monitor and exercise technical supervision over the statistical units in the Department and its agencies and Perform such other functions as may be provided by law or assigned by the Secretary. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)8 The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is the central bank of the Republic of the Philippines.It was established on 3 July 1993 pursuant to the provisions of the 1987 Philippine Constitution and the New Central Bank Act of 1993. The BSP took over from the Central Bank of Philippines, which was established on 3 January 1949, as the countrys central monetary authority. The BSP enjoys fiscal and administrative liberty from the Nati onal Government in the pursuit of its mandated responsibilities. The BSP has supervision over the operations of banks and exercises such regulatory powers as provided in the New Central Bank Act and other pertinent laws over the operations of finance companies and non-bank fiscal institutions performing quasi-banking functions.The BSP, through its Department of Statistics, monitors and compiles various statistical series on monetary, financial and orthogonal variables useful for the formulation and analysis of monetary, banking, credit and exchange policies. To increase public awareness on various economic and financial issues, as well as promote transparency in its operations, the BSP releases various publications, reports, media releases and other relevant resource materials. The BSP also conducts the Business Expectations Survey and the Consumer Expectations Survey. 8 BSP website http//www. bsp. gov. ph 12 Other Data Producers In addition to the above statistical agencies, vari ous other departments, including the bureaus and attached agencies under them, also generate statistics as by-products of their primary functions.The following are the departments with stronger statistical units and more statistical outputs Agriculture, Agrarian Reform, Education, Energy, Environment and Natural Resources, Finance, Health, Labor and Employment, Science and Technology, Social Welfare and Development, Tourism, and Trade and Industry. Other sources of data are the following departments Budget and Management, Interior and Local Government, Justice, National Defense, Public Works and Highways, and Transportation and Communications. 3. 2. 3. Statistical Training, Education and Research Institutions Statistical Research and Training Center (SRTC)9 As the training and research arm of the PSS, the SRTC conducts short-term courses in statistics and related fields and researches to enhance existing methodologies, concepts and systems utilise in statistical operations. As spec ified in Section 10 of Executive Order No. 21, the functions and responsibilities of SRTC are as follows Develop a comprehensive and integrated research and training program on theories, concepts and methodologies for the progress of the statistical program Undertake research on statistical concepts, definitions and methods Promote collaborative research efforts among members of the academic community, data producers and users Conduct non-degree training programs to upgrade the whole tone of statistical manpower base in support of the needs of the statistical system and Provide financial and other forms of assistance to enhance statistical research and development. The SRTC has a Governing Board which formulates policies for the management and operations of the agency.This Board is composed of the Secretary-General of the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) as Chair with the following as members the executive director of the National Statistics Office (NSO), the Dean o f the UP give instruction of Statistics (UPSS), the Director of the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS), a Director of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), and the Executive Director of the Philippine Social Science Council (PSSC). The Executive Director of SRTC serves as exofficio member of the Board. In 2005, the SRTC conducted 29 statistical training courses/programs, equivalent to 1,145 training hours, with a total of 643 participants.Three research projects were also completed Executive Order No. 121 Reorganizing and Strengthening the PSS and for Other Purposes issued on 30 January 1987 SRTC website http//www. srtc. gov. ph 9 13 during the year. The training was conducted not only for the major statistical agencies and other data producers in the central/regional offices but also for the local government units. The SRTC has also embarked on partnership with the United Nations Statistical Institute for Asia and the Pacific for statistical training as we ll as with other international organizations, such as the German Development Cooperation, UN FAO and UNFPA for the conduct of training courses.Academe On gentlemans gentleman resource supply, the PSS relies on the academic institutions offering Statistics/Applied Statistics courses and related fields such as Economics, Mathematics, calculator Science/ Information Technology, Demography, Public Administration, and Business Administration/ Management. Several universities throughout the country are offering undergraduate and graduate degree courses in statistics, with the University of the Philippines School of Statistics in Quezon City, Metro Manila and the University of the Philippines Institute of Statistics in Los Banos, Laguna as the leading universities in terms of course offerings in statistics. Statistical researches in the system are usually undertaken in close collaboration with the academia.The PSS benefits from the strong collaboration and partnership between the offici al statisticians and the members of the academic and research communities who sit as chairpersons/members of various interagency/technical committees, serve as consultants in research activities and projects implemented by the PSS and act as advocates of statistics in general. 3. 2. 4 Data Suppliers/Respondents Collection of data is through with(p) either thru sample surveys, censuses or reporting forms. Respondents can be individuals, households, business establishments/enterprises, government or non-government institutions. The extent and character of data supplied by the respondents critically affect the quality of statistics produced by the data producers.To strengthen the relationship with the respondents, the data producers conduct dialogues and communication programs to advocate support to data collection activities. 3. 2. 5. Subnational Statistical System The NSCB regional Divisions perform the mandate of coordination at the subnational level using mechanisms such as those mentioned above as well as providing technical assistance to the data producers and users in the regions. Due to the budgetary constraints of government, these units are physically present only in ten (10) regions Regions 1, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR). They also manage and administer the regional branches of the National Statistical Information Center (NSIC), one-stop shop of statistical information and services.Providing assistance to the NSCB in terms of statistical coordination at the subnational level are the regional Statistical Coordination Committees (RSCCs). The RSCCs formulate policies and programs particular to a regional statistical system. The members include agency regional directors, provincial planning and development coordinators and a representative from the private sector. These Committees are chaired by the NEDA Regional Director and are coordinated by the NSCB Regional Divisions. 14 The NSO has its regional, provinci al and municipal offices. Likewise, the BAS has provincial offices. The other departments have their subnational offices at different levels.These offices gather data at the subnational levels and forward thm to the central offices for consolidation. They also serve as outlets for dissemination. In addition to the statistical agencies and the various departments of the national government, the local government units (LGUs) also generate statistical information covering their respective areas or constituents. They also conduct surveys and process data from local administrative forms for their planning and monitoring purposes. Most of the data generated by the LGUs are municipal and barangay data since these are not available from the national surveys except in the Census of tribe and Housing where data are generated down to the barangay level. 3. 3.MECHANISMS FOR STATISTICAL PLANNING AND COORDINATION, INFORMATION DISSEMINATION AND protagonism Different mechanisms for statistical pla nning and coordination, information dissemination and protagonism being implemented by the NSCB Technical Staff are being advocated to the agencies in order to improve their effectiveness in servicing the data needs of the various stakeholders and users for development planning, policy formulation and monitoring of the progress of government programs. Other initiatives and measures are also continuously being undertaken to improve the organization and operations of the PSS, thereby enhancing the quality of the statistical products and services. STATISTICAL PLANNING AND COORDINATION 3. 3. 1 Statistical PoliciesStatistical policies may be in the form of acts, executive orders, presidential proclamations, and resolutions and circulars issued by the NSCB Executive Board which are intended to guide agencies and other stakeholders in terms of organization and implementation of concepts, definitions, methodologies, new systems, best practices and others. The implementation of and complian ce with the statistical policies are being monitored by the NSCB Technical Staff. 3. 3. 2 Statistical Frameworks and Indicator Systems The NSCB is chiefly tasked to develop and maintain appropriate frameworks and indicator systems to serve as tools for statistical coordination. This includes the System of National Accounts (SNA) that produces estimates of the Gross National Product (GNP) and Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The SNA is maintained by the NSCB with data inputs coming from various agencies including private institutions.The compilation of the SNA by the NSCB has given it a powerful tool for statistical coordination that allows the identification of data gaps that need to be addressed by the PSS. Other frameworks/indicator systems that are maintained by the NSCB include the Leading Economic Indicators, Foreign Investments Information System, Gender and Development Indicators, Philippine National Health Accounts, Poverty Statistics, Food Balance Sheet, quarterly Economic In dices and Economic and Social Indicators, the STATDEV which is a tool for monitoring the targets under the 15 Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan and the Millennium Development Goals (MDG). The NSCB also serves as the repository of the MDG database for the Philippines. 3. 3. 3 Philippine Statistical Development Program (PSDP)The PSDP articulates the vision, direction, strategies and priority statistical programs and activities to be undertaken in the PSS for the medium term in order to meet current and emerging needs of the national and local planners, policy-makers and data producers. The formulation of the sectoral statistical development programs was spearheaded by the NSCB through the various inter-agency committees, task forces and working groups composed of the key players and stakeholders in the PSS. Indicative budget requirements for the programs and activities are also included. The PSDP which is prepared every six years is designed to provide vital information support to the Medium-Term Philippine Development Program and to promote efficiency of statistical operations through optimum use of available resources and adoption of cost effective measures.It envisions a PSS with great capacity to provide excellent service and high quality statistical information for better use in policy analysis and decision-making to meet the changing needs of the stakeholders, data users, society and the international community. Several PSDPs were formulated in the past and the current one is the PSDP 2005-2010 which is the 7th PSDP developed by the system. This is the Philippine version of the National Strategy for the Development of Statistics (NSDS) being advocated by PARIS21 or Partnership in Statistics for Development in the 21st Century. 3. 3. 4 System of Designated Statistics (SDS) Executive Order No. 52 was issued in July 1996 to implement the System of Designated Statistics (SDS) as a mechanism for the identification and generation of the most crucial and substantial statistics for administrators, planners, policy makers, and decision makers in the government and private sectors. It is also an important tool in addressing problems, such as data makers in the government and private sectors. It is also an important tool in addressing problems, such as data gaps, duplication, delayed release and inaccessibility of important sets of statistics, and as a framework for setting priorities in data production. The designation includes the implementing agency, frequency of collection, geographic disaggregation and schedule of data dissemination.At present, there are 60 activities/statistics designated however, it is a dynamic system that allows modifications to respond to changing needs and priorities and to emerging capabilities of statistical offices. The statistics under the SDS form the core of official statistics that constitute a set of public good that the designated data producers must be responsible for. These include censuses, surve ys, administrative data systems, derived data systems and statistical indicators. As a result, these designated statistics receive priority attention in the preparation of the national budget and duplication of statistical efforts is minimized, if not eliminated.Relatedly, the Philippine government has been subscribing to the International Monetary Funds Special Data Dissemination Standards (SDDS) since 1996. The SDDS covers economic and financial data and their releases are monitored through the advance release calendar and metadata. The NSCB serves as the coordinator for the SDDS. 16 3. 3. 5 Statistical Budget Review One of the functions of the NSCB is to review budgetary proposals for statistical activities of agencies. For many years now, the annual Budget Call issued by the Department of Budget and Management provides that the NSCB endorse agency budget proposals involving the System of Designated Statistics.Budgetary thrusts are formulated for the centering of the major stati stical agencies and other data producers. In the review of statistical budget proposals, the PSDP and a number of minimum targets/measures aimed at enhancing/ensuring the quality of data and talent building of agencies serve as the criteria. 3. 3. 6 Statistical Survey Review and Clearance System (SSRCS) The SSRCS involves the substantive review of the design and instruments of statistical surveys or censuses sponsored and/or to be conducted by government agencies including government corporations at the national and/or subnational level. Recently, the scope of the SSRCS has been expanded to include administrative recording systems.The system aims to ensure the quality of the data to be generated from the inquiry, to avoid unnecessary duplication in data collection and to elicit the cooperation of data providers and respondents. Some of the review criteria adopted include (1) essentiality and appropriateness (2) reporting burden (3) adequacy of survey and forms design (4) clarity of questions and nstructions (5) use of standard classifications and definitions (6) completeness and adequacy of tabulation plans and (7) schedule and manner of disseminating results. On the average, the NSCB clears near 18 surveys annually which include regular, periodic and one-shot surveys with individuals, households or establishments as respondents. 3. 3. Statistical Standards and Classification Systems The standard classification systems serve as instruments for promoting the comparability and consistency of statistics generated by data producers. These standard classification systems can also be used in the organization of databases and information systems. Annex 1 shows the list of the existing statistical classification systems in the Philippines. Other standards include the prescription of standard concepts and definitions in the various sectors to ensure the comparability of statistics generated. 3. 3. 8 Technical and Inter-Agency Committees on Statistics (TCs/IACs) and T ask Forces (TFs)The TCs/IACs/TFs are created (1) to assess and evaluate the quality, usefulness and timeliness of sectoral data and determine areas of duplication, discrepancies and gaps (2) to review the concepts, techniques and methodologies used in the collection, processing and reporting of data and (3) to recommend an efficient and possible scheme for the allocation of agency responsibilities in the production of statistics. Thru these committees, weaknesses in sectoral statistics including those affecting data quality can be addressed. The committees recommend policy measures to the NSCB Executive Board. The TCs/IACs/TFs are composed of some(prenominal) data producers and users including the private sector and members of the academic and research communities. 17 To date, the committees created by the NSCB include six TCs, ten IACs and two TFs. Annex 2 shows the list of the committees and task forces. 3. 3. 9. Agency Statistical Calendars Agency statistical calendars are use ful guide to data users in their search for statistical information from government sources.The statistical calendar contains information on the statistical activities of the agency, such as the frequency, outputs to be generated, expected date and mode of release, and contact person. 3. 3. 10. Bilateral Meetings Bilateral meetings are conducted between two agencies for the purpose of discussing, clarifying and resolving specific problems of the agencies in terms of data production and dissemination, among others. 3. 3. 11. Performance Measurement Scheme for Statistical Agencies and Other Data Producers A Performance Measurement Scheme for Statistical Agencies and Other Data Producers was institutionalized in 2002 after it was pilot tested in 2001.It determines the capabilities of agencies in responding to the needs of their clients and other stakeholders thru a set of indicators of agency performance in terms of relevance, timeliness, accuracy, reliability, transparency and integri ty, comparability, effectiveness, accessibility and client orientation. Through the scorecard that will be maintained for each agency, the public will be made aware of the success of the agency in accounting for its commitment to the public. Ultimately, the results will be used for advocacy, promoting public accountability and benchmarking purposes as basis for pursuing improvements in the quality of outputs and services.The performance scheme which is proposed to be conducted every two or three years is also seen as an approach in measuring the quality of products and services of the PSS. The criteria considered to assess the performance of national statistical offices are as follows (a) relevance (b) timeliness and accessibility (c) accuracy and reliability (d) transparency (e) independence and integrity (f) comparability (g) quality of research program and training materials, facilities and resource persons (h) effectiveness of coordination and (i) quality of financial and manpow er resources, equipment and facilities for statistical operations. Indicators based on these criteria were identified. 3. 3. 12.Hosting of International Conferences/Meetings The NSCB spearheads the hosting of international statistical conferences/meetings by the Philippine government. Topics discussed include developmental/emerging concerns in the field of statistics. This is being done in coordination with international organizations. STATISTICAL INFORMATION DISSEMINATION 3. 3. 1. National Statistical Information Center The National Statistical Information Center (NSIC) was first established in the country in 1993 through a project jointly implemented with the Statistics Sweden and the Swedish 18 International Development Agency (SIDA). The NSIC, which serves as a one-stop shop for statistical information in the country, is lodged at the NSCB.To date, several branches of NSIC have been established in selected regions where there are NSCB Regional Divisions. Services provided includ e frontline and library services, bookshoppe and technical services. 3. 3. 2. Government Statistics Accessibility Program (GSAP)/General Standards for Statistical Information Dissemination (GSSID) The GSAP was implemented in 1998 with the vision of making statistical information and services in the country highly accessible to users nationwide and worldwide. Its conceptualization was anchored on the fundamental principle that information is used for decision-making and therefore the timeliness and integrity of the information should be ensured.The components of the program include the organization of an inter-agency consortium, issuance of an executive measure providing for the program as a flagship project of the government, investments on technology upgrading, systems and human resource development, adoption of honey oil policies and standards, and alliance with the private sector. The GSAP paved the implementation in 1999 of the General Standards for Statistical Information Diss emination (GSSID) in the PSS. The GSSID was designed as a mechanism of the government in setting appropriate and acceptable standards of reliability, integrity, timeliness, transparency, and accessibility of government statistics.Specifically, it promotes adherence to these standards in the dissemination of statistical information and greater utilization of data, fosters adoption of generally accepted data dissemination practices, and involves active participation of users in making statistics more accessible and useful. Worth noting is the standard on the dissemination in advance of the calendar of release of the various statistical products of an agency. In the long-term basis, the GSSID also serves as a tool to address data gaps and spur continuing improvements on data dissemination. The GSSID was inspired by the SDDS prescribed by the International Monetary Fund. 3. 3. 3 Press releases/articles/websiteThe issuance of press releases and articles by the major statistical agencies and other data producers on the latest available data or emerging concerns that would be relevant to national planning and development is another mechanism for statistical information dissemination. These press releases and articles are in print form and/or posted on the agency websites. STATISTICAL ADVOCACY 3. 3. 1. National Statistics Month The NSM is being observed annually during the month of October, following a Presidential Proclamation, as a vehicle for soliciting the support of the public at large in improving and enhancing the quality and standards of statistics in the country.The NSM, which has just completed its 17th year in October 2006, has become an effective venue for strengthening and consolidative the Philippine statistical community and in instilling nationwide awareness and appreciation of the importance of statistics. Every year, the NSM focuses on a particular theme to set off the statistics pertaining to the theme. The major activities undertaken by governmen t agencies and some private institutions include symposia and 19 training/seminars/lectures, information dissemination using print and broadcast media and statistical bouts. A much-awaited event among fourth year high school students is the Oratorical Contest which is held annually as part of the NSM celebration of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and Department of Education.It has gained popularity because the oratorical contest has served as a venue for promoting awareness in statistics, for instilling pride in the Philippine culture and for hearing the voice of the young. During NSM celebration, other contests held catering to students and the young include statistical quizzes, poster-making and slogan writing contests. 3. 3. 2. Statistical Conferences The National Convention on Statistics (NCS) is held every three years to provide a forum for exchanging ideas and experiences in the field of statistics, in both theoretical and practical applications, and for discussing recent sta tistical developments and prevailing issues and problems of the PSS.It further aims to elicit the cooperation and support of statisticians and professionals in related fields from the government, academe and private sector towards a more responsive statistical system. The 10th NCS will be held in October 2007. Statistical congress is conducted annually in horse opera Visayas which started in 2001 and in Mindanao which was first held in 2004. The statistical congress aims to gather producers and users of statistics as well those from the academe in order to share a common knowledge and understanding of recent developments in the statistical system and address prevailing and emerging statistical concerns in their respective regions.The Philippine Statistical affiliation (PSA), the professional statistical organization in the country with chapters in selected regions, conducts quarterly/annual conferences to serve as venue for discussing current statistical issues. There are also int er/intra university conferences, such as the Student-Faculty Conferences. 3. 3. 3. Philippine Statistics Quiz (PSQ) The PSQ is an annual contest that aims to test the knowledge of statistics of first-year college students and is held nationwide. It further aims to contribute to the building of scientific and technological manpower by helping identify and nurture talents in the field of statistics. It is organized jointly by the National Statistics Office and the Philippine Statistical Association. 3. . 4. Press conferences, producers and users fora Press conferences are held by the major statistical agencies to present latest available data for critical indicators, such as the national accounts, pretension rate and core inflation. Producers and users fora are also conducted to enhance awareness and appreciation of available statistics and to gather feedback towards the improvement of PSS products and services, and to communicate ongoing developments and plans. 3. 3. 5. Feedback/ ev aluation mechanisms 20 Feedback/evaluation mechanisms are necessary to solicit comments and suggestions from the data suppliers and providers and data users.Their comments and suggestions would serve as useful inputs towards the improvement of the statistical system. 3. 4 STATISTICAL MANPOWER One of the essential conditions for the PSS to achieve its goals and objectives is the formation of a core of qualified personnel to undertake statistical work and to contribute to the progressive development of its statistical activities. Although there are other factors that play important roles in the ability of an agency to manage its statistical operations, it is the capability of the statistical manpower in the organization that eventually determines the performance of the agency. Statistical manpower includes personnel involved in the collection, processing, compilation, dissemination and publication of data.It includes statisticians, mathematicians, economists, accountants, engineers, i nformation technology specialists, and subject matter specialists in various fields who make the statistical knowledge needed to plan and carry out statistical programs, projects or researches and who use the science of statistics in analyzing data. 3. 4. 1. Manpower Resource As shown in Table 1, the number of personnel engaged in statistical work of the government as of 2003 based on figures from six (6) statistical agencies and 11 selected other data producers totals 5,725 with 2,290 (40 percent) personnel employed in the central offices and 3,435 (60 percent) in the regional/field offices.It is important to note that of the 3,435 personnel in the regional/field offices, those from the NSO and BAS which take charge of conducting regular censuses and surveys account for almost 79. 0 percent of them. 10 Table 1. Statistical Manpower in Statistical Agencies and Selected Other Data Producers, Philippines, as of 2003 Agency Statistical agencies (6) Selected other data producers (11) T otal Total 4,535 1,190 Central 1,784 506 Regional 2,751 684 5,725 2,290 3,435 There are a few professional statisticians in the PSS as majority of those holding statistical positions acquired their skills through training and experience. As of 2003, those with degrees in statistics, whether undergraduate or graduate, account for only 4. percent of the total number of statistical personnel. Hiring professional statisticians and keeping them is a continuing challenge for the PSS. An inevitable problem encountered is the succession and turnover in statistical posts typically due to resignations or retirement. much(prenominal) turnovers may lead to difficulties especially if there are skill shortages. 10 Results of the 2003 Performance Measurement Scheme for Statistical Agencies and Other Data Producers. 21 In many ways, motivation is the key to the success of statistical human resource management and development. In addition, most government workers perceive that they are not correct ly financially compensated for the work they perform.The low salaries of statisticians in the government have actually contributed to the exodus of trained official statisticians to the private sector, the international organizations and even to statistical agencies of foreign countries. Thus, it is important to maintain high morale among statistical personnel, and enhance their loyalty and esprit de corps. 3. 4. 2. Management and Development The PSS recognizes the importance of statistical capacity building such that there is a need to continually build the human capacity of the agencies in order to be more effective and efficient in responding to the ever-increasing demand for statistical data by planners and decision makers from all sectors. With qualified and competent statistical personnel, the capability of an agency to undertake statistical work is strengthened.There should be more concerted efforts and innovative approaches in building the capacities of the agencies to effec tively manage the statistical activities and to respond to the demands of the stakeholders. Aside from training, other factors in the area of personnel management include good compensation, pleasant working conditions, proper motivation and a dynamic profession. Meanwhile, an inevitable problem encountered with respect to newly-trained staff is the increase in employee turnover. With the new skills acquired by the staff, their marketability increases and if the organization cannot match the attractive offers received by the trained staff, which is often the case, the staff is lost. Capacity building is mostly done through non-degree training which aims to develop statistical expertise at various levels of competencies.Participation in training programs/courses is funded from own agency budget or by availing of training grants/programs sponsored/conducted by local or international institutions. Furthermore, most locally-funded and foreign-assisted projects undertaken by the statistic al agencies normally include a training component for the project staff. The SRTC, as the training arm of the system, contributes heavily to create/strengthening the knowledge and skills of statistical workers on the various aspects of statistical work, such as survey design, data collection and processing, database management, and data analysis, presentation and dissemination.These regular programs are meant to enable civil servants at the central and regional/field offices to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to enable them to improve their performance in producing, analyzing, and disseminating statistical information for public consumption. Aside from SRTC, other statistical agencies such as the NSO, NSCB, BAS and BLES also conduct in-house statistical training and special-purpose statistical seminars/training for advocacy and/or technical assistance purposes. Opportunities are also available for the statistical personnel to pursue advanced degrees in statistics, such a s masters and doctorate degrees, both in local and foreign universities through scholarship grants/fellowships.Also through the Philippine Statistical Association (PSA), the professional organization of statisticians in the country, short training courses are offered to the members as well as the private sector. 22 Despite the conduct of these training activities, there continues to be a number of challenges in building human