22 October 2026

Benguet State University (BSU), in partnership with the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the Department of Tourism, and the Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS), hosted the 2026 KomuniAksyon with the theme “Statistics as Building Blocks for a Better Future”.

The activity gathered representatives from government agencies, local government units (LGUs), and the academic community to highlight the importance of reliable data in addressing community needs, strengthening local governance, and promoting evidence-based decision-making in the Cordillera Administrative Region.

The program featured presentations on the use of statistics in community development, including discussions on the CBMS, the PSA’s TUKLAS and CBMS Portal, and the utilization of statistical data by local government units. These sessions highlighted how reliable information can support planning, improve public service delivery, and guide development initiatives responsive to community needs.

In his message, BSU President Kenneth A. Laruan emphasized that building a better future begins with reliable information and collective action. Citing the principle commonly attributed to Peter Drucker, “What gets measured gets managed,” he stressed that understanding community conditions is essential to developing effective solutions.

Laruan illustrated this through a vegetable supply monitoring initiative developed through collaboration among development workers, LGUs, the university, and the Department of Agriculture. The application gathers data on vegetable production across municipalities to help forecast market supply and support informed decision-making.

He also highlighted the importance of accurate field data in improving the reliability of forecasts and emphasized the need to understand how information is collected, analyzed, and translated into practical solutions. For Laruan, statistics become meaningful when they help identify community needs, monitor progress, and guide effective programs.

The BSU president reaffirmed the university’s commitment to bringing research and knowledge beyond the classroom and into communities, underscoring the importance of translating information into meaningful development initiatives. He also expressed gratitude to the PSA for its partnership and optimism for future collaborations.

In addition to its role in promoting data-driven development, the PSA provides civil registration services, including requests for birth, marriage, and death certificates, CENOMAR (Certificate of No Marriage), and CENODEATH (Certificate of No Death). It also offers consultations on civil registration concerns and National ID services, including registration, demographic information updates, and the printing and issuance of paper forms.//NSudaypan