MANILA, October 4, 2025 – The Mineral Economics, Information and Publication Division (MEIPD) of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau headed by its Chief, Engr. Romualdo D. Aguilos joined and supported the 16th National Convention held at the Manila Hotel from October 1-3, 2025.

 With this year’s theme, “Accelerating the SDG Pace of Progress: Mobilizing Data for All”, the Convention gathered statisticians, researchers, academe, and policymakers from across sectors. The MEIPD-MGB’s presence reflects its continuing commitment to advancing evidence-based policies and promoting the used of quality statistics in the minerals industry. 

As a key producer of Mineral Statistics, the MGB's technical team prioritized sessions within the "Sustainability, Environment and Natural Resources" track. The team's primary goal was to absorb new statistical methodologies crucial for rigorous resource and environmental reporting.

The convention began on October 1 with the Joint Opening Ceremonies of the 36th National Statistics Month (NSM) and the 16th NCS. The MGB delegation received strategic direction from Undersecretary Claire Dennis S. Mapa, PhD (National Statistician and Civil Registrar General of the PSA) and Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan, PhD of the NEDA, whose Keynote Address underscored the importance of accurate data for national development. This was followed by Plenary Session 1 on the Philippine SDG Pace of Progress. In the afternoon, the MEIPD team began their deep dive into technical requirements by attending the Scientific Session on Environment and Natural Resources Accounts and Statistics, chaired by PSA Assistant National Statistician Ms. Vivian R. Ilarina. Discussions focused on the foundational accounting frameworks, including SEE-Water Accounting, Economy-wide Material Flow Accounts, and Water Emissions Accounting, all vital for the MGB's compliance and reporting efforts.

On October 2, the MEIPD staff advanced their knowledge by attending sessions dedicated to expanding environmental statistics. The morning Scientific Session on Environment and Natural Resources Accounts and Statistics introduced new methodologies for Solid Water Accounts for Sustainability, developing SEEA-based Air Emission Accounts, and incorporating these into Sustainable Development Indices. The afternoon was dedicated to Ecosystem Accounts, chaired by Dr. Gem Castillo, focusing on the valuation of natural capital. Crucial topics included the Mangrove Accounts of the Philippines and the strategic shift From ENRA to PENCAS: Institutionalizing Natural Capital Accounting, which is essential for the MGB to properly measure and value the environmental impacts and benefits related to mining and resource development.

On the final day, October 3, the MEIPD team embraced the frontier of data analysis. The morning session on Computational Statistics, chaired by Dr. Kevin Carl Santos, exposed them to advanced statistical modeling techniques, such as Zero-Inflated Beta, Tobit and Latent Growth Mixture Models and methods for Enhancing Sample Size Determination Statistical Accuracy. The final scientific session, chaired by Assistant National Statistician Rene C. Mendoza, focused on government statistical innovation, specifically discussing Exchange, Integration and Data Ecosystem: Reinventing Government Statistical Processes and the use of web applications for generating official statistics.

Over the three-day convention, the MEIPD staff gained valuable insights into critical topics, including:

*   The application of Environmental Accounting principles to mineral resources.       
*   Leveraging Geoinformation Systems (GIS) for advanced geohazard and resource analysis.
*  The implementation of best practices for Data Dissemination and transparency across the Philippine Statistical System (PSS).                  

By securing these latest statistical developments, the MGB is now poised to ensure its official mineral statistics data is seamlessly and accurately integrated into the PSS, directly supporting the country's drive to measure and achieve its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) more efficiently.

Photo 1: MGB Delegation led by Engr. Romualdo D. Aguilos together with staff of the Mineral Economics, Information and Publication Division (MEIPD)