PSA By Year History of Vital Statistics Release from 2018 to 2022! 2021 Stands Out for Limited & Truncated Release. 2023 Stands Out for NO Data Release to Date!

The PSA follows the Philippines Government Transparency Seal. Wouldn't SOP dictate regular scheduled release of vital statistics? If that hasn't happened, who intervened to stop release and why?

I became interested in following Philippines vital statistics as published by the Philippines Statistics Authority (PSA) in 2021. I have followed the release of data since that time and have explored historical data.

While the PSA refers to “regular monthly releases” of vital statistics, that has not been exactly followed. The following table sets out the release of vital statistics from 2018 to 2023. Please note specifically that: -

• 2020 vital statistics were first released on 20th July 2020 (for preliminary data from Jan - June). The latest figures update was in the Final Report, which was released in early 2022.

• 2021 vital statistics were first released on 22nd July 2021 (for preliminary data from Jan - March). The latest vital statistics update was in August 2022, which was confirmed by FOI to be for registrations received as of 31 March 2022. This data was not further updated even in the early 2023 release of 2021 Report which was noted not to have been “adjusted for late registration”.

• 2022 vital statistics were first released on 17th May 2022 (for preliminary data from Jan - March). The latest vital statistics update was 12th September 2023, which presented registrations as of 31 May 2023. Final report for 2022 should be released early in 2024.

• 2023 vital statistics have no preliminary release even as of 17 September 2023. Final report for 2023 should be released early in 2025.

2021 vital statistics registered death data has been presented in 7 data releases; 3 in 2021 and 5 in 2022. Again, latest effectivity “as of 31 March 2022”. The figure demonstrates that it takes quite a few months (at least 4 - 5 months) for each month’s data to become substantially complete.

2022 vital statistics registered death data has been presented in 13 data releases; 7 in 2022, and 6 in 2023. Latest effectivity “as of 31 May 2023”.

2023 vital statistics registered death data has NOT been presented. I am concerned enough to beleaguer this point!

In conclusion:-

1. Vital statistics for 2020 through to 2022 started release between May and July of each respective year. Why is there still not 2023 data as of September 2023?

2. 2020 data was updated right up to the “final” report released early in 2022. Why was the 2021 data never updated after March 2022?

3. Are vital statistics sensitive information? Will they reveal population outcomes that certain (unknown) parties don’t want the Government leaders, health authorities, medical professionals, business and industry leaders, and the general public to see?

4. Does the PSA and their policy makers follow the Philippine Transparency Seal?

   

5. Am I writing this with no purpose, as there are simply no people concerned enough to take action and demand information release?

I hope and pray that there are people who see this, who have contacts and sway with authorities, who will be brave and concerned enough to run with this and demand answers that the Filipino people surely need and deserve!