Accurate statistics needed for effective devt planning

ACCURATE and good quality statistics are important when it comes to government development plannings, an official said.

National Economin Development Authority (Neda) 11 assistant regional director Mae Ester T. Guiamadel, who delivered the speech of Neda 11 Director Maria Lordes D. Lim, said that accurate and good quality statistics helped them formulate effective advices that are based on evidences to government planners.

“As government planners, statistics play a big role in the analysis of existing socioeconomic and physical/spatial stituation by examining the trends and comparing these to becnhmark the first step in planning,” Guiamadel said.

She said that knowing the trends allows them to analyze and prepare for the causes and effects of socioeconomic conditions and their outcames.

Also knowing the statistics of development challenges will help them formulate appropriate interventions or strategies to address it.

Guiamadel also said that with the gathered statistics and information they are able to properly formulate plans and policies that are responsive to development needs.

She cited statistics on population, production, family income and expenditures as some of the relevant datas they use for formulating plans and policies.

She also said that statistics support the monitoring and eveluation of government initiatives like the MDG.

“Successful i mplementation of plans and program are partly contributed by effective and responsive plans. Quality statistics and information in these plans enable us to make evidence-based policies and strategies. When we see the results of good planning through better quality of life of our people, we call it good governance,” Guiamadel said.