Organized by the Philippine Statistical System (PSS) and spearheaded by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the 5th PSS Outreach Program was conducted on 18 October 2023 at the Bahay Aruga, Inc., as part of the month-long celebration of the 34th National Statistics Month (NSM).
Bahay Aruga Inc. provides temporary shelter to Philippine General Hospital (PGH) Pediatrics cancer patients and their parents. These patients come from different parts of the Philippines and are in Manila to get free treatment in PGH. Bahay Aruga, Inc. makes every effort to make the daily lives of patients comfortable, as cancer treatments are oftentimes challenging.
The Outreach Program aims to 1) promote camaraderie and teamwork while inspiring social awareness among PSS members, 2) provide an opportunity to strengthen the bond among PSS members in the context of social awareness and accountability, and 3) serve as venue for the PSS member agencies to provide assistance to the marginalized sectors of society.
The 5th PSS Outreach Program was formally opened by Ms. Viana Bonilla-Mata, Corporate Secretary of Bahay Aruga, Inc. In her message, she thanked the PSS member-agencies for their donations which can help the facility in providing the residents with their daily necessities. She also expressed hope that the outreach program will ignite the start of a new partnership between government and non-governmental organizations.
Ms. Lotis I. Ira of the PSA delivered the opening message, on behalf of PSA Officer-in-Charge (OIC) Deputy National Statistician (DNS) Minerva Eloisa P. Esquivias. She thanked the representatives from the member agencies of the 34th NSM Steering Committee and Subcommittee on Programs and Awards. She also applauded Bahay Aruga, Inc. for their advocacy on pediatric cancer care.
A ribbon cutting of the newly-renovated area of the facility was led by Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Romando S. Artes. The MMDA spearheaded the renovation and improvement of some structures and facilities in Bahay Aruga, Inc. such as dormitory restroom, party area, roofs, walls, and altar ceiling, to ensure the safety of its residents. In his statement, Chairman Artes promised the residents of Bahay Aruga, Inc. with free tickets to the Metro Manila Film Festival. Ms. Ira endorsed the cash and in-kind donations from various PSS member agencies to Bahay Aruga, Inc.
Ms. Jean Bonilla-Bernardo, Board Member of Bahay Aruga, Inc., delivered the closing remarks where she expressed gratitude to the PSA for organizing the outreach program and for the overwhelming support from various agencies.
Representatives from the Senate Economic Planning Office, Department of the Interior and Local Government, National Youth Commission, Philippine Statistical Research and Training Institute, MMDA, and PSA participated in the activity.
On behalf of the PSS, the PSA thanks all government agencies at the national and local levels, the private sector, state universities and colleges, and individuals, who supported the Outreach. PSA aspires to sustain and strengthen this outreach program for many more years of NSM celebration.
For more information/updates on the 34th NSM, kindly visit the following pages:
• NSM webpage - https://psa.gov.ph/nsm/
• NSM FB page - https://www.facebook.com/NSMPhilippines
• NSM twitter page - https://twitter.com/NSMPhilippines
- Standards Service, Censuses and Technical Coordination Office
