Starting this year, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) addresses the demands for more granular statistics on the national accounts by delivering another statistical milestone the Provincial Product Accounts (PPA).

The PPA is a tool which is used to measure the economic performance of the province and highly urbanized cities (HUCs) at a given time. It monitors the economic development of the province/HUCs and evaluates the progress through time. It also serves as a metric to identify which sector or industry that needs intervention for its sustainability in the province’s economy. Further, the PPA intends to strengthen the planning and decision-making of provincial policymakers and stakeholders in crafting more informed economic policies and programs.

On December 1, 2021, the Philippine Statistics Authority Cebu Provincial Statistical Office successfully held  its first PPA Data Dissemination Forum on the results of the 2018-2020 Economic Performance of Cebu Province, and the three Highly Urbanized Cities (HUCs) of Cebu, namely Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City, and Mandaue City.

Amidst the pandemic, PSA Cebu pushed forward the one day dissemination forum in a blended format with a total of 198 participants of which 154 attended virtually while 44 physically attended. PSA Cebu also invited resource persons from the National Economic and Development Authority 7 (NEDA 7), Provincial Planning and Development Office of Cebu province (PPDO), and from the City Planning and Development Office (CPDO) of the Cities of Cebu, Lapu-Lapu, and Mandaue to provide insights on the economic performance of Cebu province and the three highly urbanized cities (HUCs).

The 2018 to 2020 Reports on the Economic Performance of Cebu Province and three Highly Urbanized Cities (HUCs) was presented by Chief StatisticalSpecialist of PSA Cebu Mr. Firmo C. Diputado including the economic performance of other Province’s in Central Visayas.

PSA 7 Regional Director, Engr. Ariel E. Florendo delivered his message during the dissemination forum, he said that the availability of the Provincial Product Accounts (PPA) is something to be thankful for region 7, through with it the planning and decision making of provincial policy makers and stakeholder will now be enhance. Through PPA we will now have suitable measures of economic performance at the provincial level, since in the past years only regional data are readily available. RD Florendo ends his message by the saying “coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress, and working together is success."

Undersecretary Dr. Claire Dennis S. Mapa, National Statistician and Civil Registrar General of Philippine Statistics Authority, congratulated the three regions that piloted the provincial product accounts and stated that the pandemic's quarantine restrictions did not prevent PSA in conducting its related operations and activities, which are critical in policy planning and program implementation. Usec. Mapa encourages his colleagues to share their experiences and offer suggestions on how to make the process better. Simultaneously, he expresses his gratitude to the respective local government units, other government agencies, and corporate establishments that responded to PSA's data requests and actively participated in the dissemination forum, allowing for a greater understanding of this historic endeavor. Usec. Mapa appreciates everyone's participation in this project. 

The Provincial Product Accounts (PPA) will not be possible without the support of the following data sources agencies: Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Bureau of Local Government and Finance (BLGF), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Cebu Ports Authority (CPA), Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), Commission on Audit (COA), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA), Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA), Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), National Electrification Administration (NEA), National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), National Irrigation Administration (NIA), National Meat Inspection Services (NMIS), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), Philippine Postal Corporation (PPC), Local Government Units (LGUs) of the Province of Cebu, City of Cebu, City of Lapu-Lapu, and City of Mandaue.