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Sen. Tolentino questions PH Statistics Authority, says data may be 'erroneous'

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Jauhn Etienne Villaruel, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Sen. Francis “Tol” Tolentino. Bibo Nueva España/Senate PRIB" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/life/11/09/sen-francis-tolentino.jpg"/><figcaption>Sen. Francis “Tol” Tolentino. Bibo Nueva España/Senate PRIB</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA -- Senator Francis Tolentino on Wednesday said he doubts the Philippine Statistics Authority&#x27;s (PSA) data and methods following its report on the state of unemployment in the country. During the Senate&#x27;s deliberation on the proposed P5.268 trillion budget for 2023, Tolentino raised the possibility that the PSA is producing &quot;erroneous data&quot; on which the government is basing its policies.&quot;Kasi po lahat ito umaasa sa statistics na bigay ng PSA. I&#x27;m beginning to doubt the veracity of the basis because there are claims of erroneous data,&quot; he said.&quot;Meron po bang nagsu-supervise sa PSA?&quot; Tolentino added. PSA is an attached agency of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA). Its primary function is to collect, compile, analyze, and publish statistical information on the Philippines.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/08/22/proposed-2023-budget-reaches-senate-plenary-debates-to-kick-off-wednesday">Proposed 2023 budget reaches Senate plenary; debates to kick off Wednesday</a></li></ul>According to Tolentino, he began to doubt PSA after they published the latest data on the unemployment rate, which slid to 5 percent in Sept.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/11/08/22/jobless-rate-eases-but-underemployment-climbs-in-sept">Unemployment eases to 5 pct but underemployment climbs to 15.4 pct in Sept</a></li></ul>&quot;I still cannot grapple with the validity of this. Ang sinasabi po nila ay marami daw pong nag-enroll, nag-aral. But we look at the records of CHED hindi naman ganon kalaki... If this is now considered as gospel truth, it will change the equation in terms of our expenditure,&quot; Tolentino said. The senator then warned of the consequences of PSA providing wrong data.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/07/06/22/show-basis-for-doubting-61-pct-inflation-marcos-told">Marcos should show basis for &#x27;disagreement&#x27; with 6.1 percent inflation rate: think tank</a></li></ul>&quot;It permeates all data that we now use and argue and debate on, which might be wrong in the first place... Baka iba na po &#x27;yung data na pini-provide ng PSA, thereby leading to a different data which is being used now by our financial authorities,&quot; Tolentino said.&quot;Mukang ang PSA naka-fixed na lang sa isang datos na sila ang tama at hindi puwedeng magkamali. At baka maligaw tayong lahat kung yun lang ang sinusundan natin,&quot; he added. Senate Finance panel chairperson Sen. Sonny Angara, tasked to defend the proposed 2023 budget, said PSA is &quot;not perfect&quot; but they issue an erratum when needed.&quot;There&#x27;s science of course in the method of the PSA. Statistics is based on science. But as you know scientific method is never certain, in fact, they are constantly falsifying, trying to falsify what they know in pursuit of better science,&quot; Angara said.Angara then asked Tolentino to raise his concerns directly to NEDA and PSA.RELATED VIDEO<figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pZwhcCjTK2U?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

Senator Francis Tolentino on Wednesday said he doubts the PSA's data and methods following its report on the state of unemployment in the country. 

Sen. Tolentino questions PH Statistics Authority, says data may be 'erroneous'

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Sen. Tolentino questions PH Statistics Authority, says data may be 'erroneous'

Jauhn Etienne Villaruel,

ABS-CBN News

Published November 09, 2022 06:54 PM PHT

Read More:

Senate

senator

senators

2023 budget

budget hearing

Francis Tolentino

Sonny Angara

NEDA

PSA

Philippine Statistics Authority

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