DA eyes creation of new data gathering system

The Department of Agriculture is eyeing the creation of a new data gathering system after it slammed the current government data collection as inaccurate and outdated.

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol issued an order calling for a nationwide vali- dation of all agricultural data starting from the ground.

“We have started to conduct the food and national validation of agricultural statistics, which I’ve proven inaccurate and outdated. I saw the flaw and problem of the system that’s why we are correcting it,” he said.

The Agri chief emphasized the importance of a new system to come up with a better decision making for the different areas and sub-sectors of the department.

“We will not be able to do sound planning if the data that we use and statistics we rely on are not accurate,” Piñol said.

Meanwhile, Piñol declined to comment as to the credibility of the Philippine Statistics Authority, the central statistical authority of the government on primary data collection.

“I have no basis to question it,” Piñol said.

The department has yet to provide the amount that will be invested in the creation of the new data scheme.

“We don’t know yet. It will depend on the recommendations and requirements of the group (handling the creation of the system),” he said.