The Philippine Delegation headed by Ambassador and Permanent Representative to UNESCAP Jocelyn Batoon-Garcia successfully pushed the Philippine Government’s position during the Ministerial Conference on Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) in Asia and the Pacific with the theme: “Get every one in the picture”, which was held from 24 to 28 November 2014 at UNESCAP in Bangkok. The delegation advanced Philippine policies on statistics including generation of quality vital statistics and the use of the statistical system for governance, among others.

The Philippines, as Chair of the UNESCAP Committee on Statistics, played a vital role in pushing for the convening and the successful hosting of the Ministerial Conference. In 2013, the Philippines sponsored UNESCAP resolution 69/15, which called for the convening of the regional intergovernmental ministerial meeting on CRVS in 2014. The resolution 1) calls for countries in the Asia Pacific region to conduct assessments of CRVS systems; 2) supports the Committee on Statistics’ endorsement of the Regional Strategic Plan for the Improvement of CRVS in the region; and 3) requests ESCAP to establish a regional steering group on CRVS.

Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) National Statistician and Civil Registrar-General, Ms. Lisa Grace Bersales, as the Chair of the UNESCAP Committee on Statistics, delivered the opening remarks at the Opening Session of the Senior Official Segment of the Conference. Ms. Bersales spoke on the urgency of addressing issues on CRVS and their relevance as countries of the world move towards the Post-2015 Development Agenda.

Ambassador Batoon-Garcia, as Head of the Philippine delegation, delivered the Philippine statement during the Ministerial Segment of the Conference. She highlighted the importance of CRVS and mentioned the Philippine Government’s efforts to strengthen the country’s civil registration system, along with efforts to build the capacity of relevant stakeholders.

Other members of the Delegation were Department of Health (DOH) Assistant Secretaries Dr. Enrique Tayag and Dr. Gerardo Bayugo, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Assistant Secretary Mr. Teodulo Romo, Jr., PSA Interim Deputy National Statistician Ms. Paula Monina Collado, and other officials from the PSA, DOH, DSWD and the Philippine Embassy in Bangkok.

The Philippine Delegation and other Filipino delegates to the CRVS Ministerial Conference at
the official photo booth encouraging governments to register everyone or “get every one in
the picture”.