About the Conference
The PSAI holds its 2026 Annual Conference on 19-21 October 2026 under the theme Breaking the Mold: Beyond the Current Growth Paradigm through Innovation, Institutional Reform and Economic Transformation. This year’s conference provides an important platform for us to reflect on the evolving role of statistics in addressing the challenges and opportunities facing our country.
Recent developments have exposed the limitations of the Philippines' current growth paradigm, underscoring the need for innovation, institutional reform, and economic transformation to achieve more resilient and inclusive development. The Annual Conference captures the urgency of rethinking the country's development trajectory. It recognizes that achieving sustainable and inclusive growth requires more than incremental reforms; it demands bold ideas, institutional innovation, and collaborative action across government, academia, industry, and civil society.
As we navigate a rapidly changing world, statistics and data continue to play a vital role in understanding complex issues, informing evidence-based policies, strengthening institutions, and supporting meaningful economic and social transformation. Beyond producing numbers, our work as statisticians is about generating insights that can contribute to better decisions and, ultimately, better outcomes for our communities.
This conference brings together experts, practitioners, researchers, educators, and students who share a common commitment to advancing the statistical profession. We hope that the discussions, presentations, and exchange of ideas throughout these two days will inspire new perspectives, encourage collaboration, and open opportunities for innovation.
Conference Sessions
Appreciation Course 1: Measuring What Matters: Impact Evaluation for Better Business Decisions ≫
Appreciation Course 2: Data Visualization in the Age of AI (Artificial Intelligence) ≫
Breaking the Mold: Tao ang Puso ng Pag-unlad ≫
APPRECIATION COURSE 1 - Measuring What Matters: Impact Evaluation for Better Business Decisions
19 October 2026, Monday | 9:00am - 12:00nn | Venue: Philippine Statistical Research and Training Institute
About the course: This three-hour appreciation seminar introduces participants to the fundamental concepts, principles, and practical applications of Impact Evaluation (IE) in the private sector. It emphasizes how companies can determine whether programs, policies, projects, or business interventions actually produce their intended results. The seminar distinguishes impact evaluation from routine monitoring and performance assessment. It introduces the concepts of Theory of Change, outcomes and impacts, attribution, counterfactuals, comparison groups, and basic impact evaluation designs. Private-sector examples will be used throughout the seminar. The course is designed as an appreciation-level seminar; hence, emphasis is placed on conceptual understanding, practical application, and management use of evaluation results rather than on advanced statistical computation.
Melba V. Tutor
Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist
Melba V. Tutor is a monitoring and impact evaluation specialist who has worked on various evaluation projects with government and international organizations. She completed a Master in Development Economics at the University of the Philippines School of Economics and is currently taking her PhD in Development Studies at the University of the Philippines Los Banos. She is currently engaged as an M&E Specialist of the World Bank for the Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (SPLIT), implemented by the Department of Agrarian Reform. Her research interests are poverty, agrarian reform, human capital development, social protection, and electrification. Read more >>
Presentation: 
APPRECIATION COURSE 2 - Data Visualization in the Age of AI (Artificial Intelligence)
19 October 2026, Monday | 1:00pm - 4:00pm | Venue: Philippine Statistical Research and Training Institute
About the course: From Data to Decisions: Smarter Data Visualization with AI is a three-hour seminar designed to introduce participants to the principles and practical applications of data visualization enhanced by artificial intelligence. The seminar demonstrates how AI tools can assist users in identifying patterns, selecting appropriate visualizations, generating charts and dashboards, interpreting results, and developing compelling data narratives. Participants will learn that effective visualization goes beyond producing attractive charts—it requires choosing the right visual representation, maintaining statistical accuracy, highlighting meaningful insights, and communicating findings according to the needs of decision-makers and other audiences.
Through demonstrations and practical examples, participants will explore how tools and AI-assisted visualization platforms can accelerate the transformation of raw data into understandable and actionable information. The seminar will also emphasize responsible use of AI, including data privacy, validation of AI-generated outputs, avoidance of misleading visualizations, and the continuing importance of human statistical judgment.
Jose Pedro E. Cuartero
Finance Manager, Foodpanda Philippines
Jao Cuartero is a Finance Manager at Foodpanda Philippines, where he leads vendor finance operations, oversees wastage budget utilization, and drives the resolution of complex vendor financial cases. In this role, he serves as a strategic point of contact for internal and external stakeholders, managing end-to-end financial relationships and discourse for restaurant and shop partners.
Prior to joining Foodpanda, Jao served at the Philippine Statistical Research and Training Institute (PSRTI) within the Training Division as a Training Coordinator, Resource Person, and Administrative Officer. His background in state-level statistical training and capacity building honed his key competencies in stakeholder management, data-driven decision-making, and administrative leadership.
Mr. Cuartero holds a Bachelor of Science in Statistics from the University of the Philippines Diliman. Read more >>
Presentation:
Workbook: 
WELCOME REMARKS
20 October 2026, Tuesday | 9:00am - 9:15am | Venue: Auditorium, UP School of Statistics
Dr. Lisa Grace S. Bersales, PhD
PSAI President
Chair of the 2026 Annual Conference
Executive Director, Commission on Population and Development
KEYNOTE ADDRESS
20 October 2026, Tuesday | 9:15am - 10:30am | Venue: Auditorium, UP School of Statistics
Mr. Diwa C. Guinigundo
Former Deputy Governor, Bangko Sentral ng Pilpinas
Presentation:
PLENARY SESSION 1 - Counting From Above: GeoAI for Census Statistics
20 October 2026, Tuesday | 11:00am-12:00nn | Venue: Auditorium
Mr. Tristan Julius T. Cleofe
Geodata Systems Technologies, Inc.
Tristan Julius T. Cleofe is a Remote Sensing Specialist from the Remote Sensing and Data Science Division of Geodata Systems Technologies, Inc. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Geography, magna cum laude, from the University of the Philippines Diliman, with an undergraduate thesis on the socio-spatial effects of railway development in Southern Luzon. His work focused on the infrastructure sector.
His competencies cover end-to-end imagery workflows across optical, SAR, and drone datasets, reality mapping, and general spatial analysis. His technical work includes photogrammetric processing in ArcGIS Drone2Map, object-based image analysis and deep learning for feature extraction, and multitemporal change detection.
Beyond his technical work with the Remote Sensing and Data Science Division, Mr. Celofe also serves as an instructor for advanced remote sensing courses in ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Drone2Map.
Read more >>
DAY 2: PARALLEL SESSION 1A - Best Student Paper
20 October 2026, Tuesday | 1:30pm-3:00pm | Venue: Lecture Hall 1
Session Organizer/Chair:
Presenters:
Kristine Joli S. Redondo
University of the Philippines Diliman
Capturing Air Quality Dynamics: A Spatio-Temporal Ordinal GAM Framework for AQI Forecasting in the Philippines
by Angeles, Royette N. Rebese, Kristine Joli S. Redondo, Joshua Gabriel D. Romano
Presentation:
Shan Rencis R. Fernandez
University of the Philippines Visayas, Miagao, Iloilo
Modeling Municipal Fisheries Production in the Philippines: A Comparative Time Series Analysis of Traditional, Machine Learning, and Deep Learning Approaches
by Shan Rencis R. Fernandez, M.A. Andres, K. Tribiana
Presentation:
Joshua Gabriel D. Romano
University of the Philippines Diliman
The Anatomy of a Filipino Basket: A Pseudo-Panel Machine Learning Approach to Household Consumption Typology and Price-Responsiveness
by Joshua Gabriel D. Romano, Rainier A. Cabantog, Royette N. Rebese, and Kristine Joli S. Redondo
Presentation:
Panel of Judges:
Rosalinda P. Bautista
Philippine Statistics Authority
Carmelita N. Ericta
Philippine Social Science Council
Diwa C. Guinigundo
Former Deputy Governor, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
DAY 2: PARALLEL SESSION 1B - Economics and Social Statistics
20 October 2026, Tuesday | 1:30pm-3:00pm | Venue: Auditorium
Session Organizer/Chair:
Jade Eric T. Redoblado
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
Presenters:
Manuel Angelo M. Casalan
Philippine Statistics Authority
Nowcasting Gross Domestic Product of The Philippines Using Nonfarm Payroll and Monthly Indicators Through Mixed Data Sampling
by Manuel Angelo M. Casalan
Presentation:
Neriza C. Chow
De La Salle University
Monthly Deflator-Based Inflation Measures Complement CPI-Based Inflation
by Neriza C. Chow and Andrew Adrain Y. Pua
Presentation:
DAY 2: PARALLEL SESSION 1C - Data Science and AI
20 October 2026, Tuesday | 1:30pm-3:00pm | Venue: Lecture Hall 2
Session Organizer/Chair:
Ferdinand S. Co
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
Presenters:
Lizelle Ann V. Cruz
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
Between Crisis and Recovery: Economic Narratives and Systemic Risk in the Philippines
by Lizelle Ann V. Cruz
Presentation:
Jorjin F. Godoy
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
Structural Cracks and Cyclical Tremors: A Large Language Model Analysis of Financial Stability Reports in Asia-Pacific
by Veronica B. Bayangos, Liselle Ann V. Cruz, Jorjin F. Godoy and Christofer A. Martin
Presentation:
Gabriel A. Masangkay
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
Beyond Sentiment: Measuring Intensity in Business Expectations Survey Responses
by Gabriel A. Masangkay
Presentation:
DAY 2: PARALLEL SESSION 2A - Innovation and Digital Transformation
20 October 2026, Tuesday | 3:30pm-5:00pm | Venue: Lecture Hall 1
Session Organizer/Chair:
Francisco De Los Reyes
UP School of Statistics
Presenters:
Jorjin F. Godoy
Bangko Sentral ng Pilpinas
Network-Based Measures of Credit Stress Contagion in ASEAN Banking
by Jorjin F. Godoy
Presentation:
Jessa Mae D. Andal
University of Santo Tomas
Digital Media and Consumer Behavior in ASEAN-6 Through Akerlof’s Theory of Information Asymmetry
by Ederliza V. Magpantay, Jessa Mae D. Andal and Pam Ashley C. Fale
Presentation:
Pam Ashley C. Fale
University of Santo Tomas
DAY 2: PARALLEL SESSION 2B - Sustainable Development
20 October 2026, Tuesday | 3:30pm-5:00pm | Venue: Auditorium
Session Organizer/Chair:
Presenters:
Nikkin L. Beronilla
Philippine Statistics Authority
Impact of K-12 Reform on Functional Literacy
by Nikkin L. Beronilla, Jocelyn F. Abrenica, Adrian A. Cerezo, Dennis S. Mapa
Presentation:
Kianna Mae C. Tuazon
Philippine Statistics Authority
Is Intimate Partner Violence Associated with Having More Children Than Desired?Evidence from the 2025 Philippine National Demographic and Health Survey
by Kianna Mae C. Tuazon, Nikkin L. Beronilla, Teodoro M. Orteza, John Paul L. Gito
Presentation:
Jamie T. Castro
Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology
Understanding Adolescent Awareness of Ecological Footprint and Associated Eco-Psychological Consequence
by Jamie T. Castro
Presentation:
DAY 2: PARALLEL SESSION 2C - Statistical Methodologies
20 October 2026, Tuesday | 3:30pm-5:00pm | Venue: Lecture Hall 2
Session Organizer/Chair:
Jade Eric T. Redoblado
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
Presenters:
Kent Emmanuel C. Soria
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
Visualizing Reorganization in Financial Market Momentum through Phase-Space Reconstruction
by Kent Emmanuel C. Soria and and Yra B. Turingan
Presentation:
John Rayven DC. Surio
Philippine Statistics Authority
Small Area Estimation: Model Selection and Methodological Approaches
by John Rayven DC. Surio
Presentation:
Melecio A. Sy, Jr.
University of Mindanao
Framework Development and Validation of Logistics Perfect Order Fulfullment in the Retail Industry
by Melecio A. Sy, Jr.
Presentation:
DAY 3: PARALLEL SESSION 3A - Evidence-based Policy Making Governance
21 October 2026, Wednessday | 8:30am-10:00am | Venue: Auditorium
Session Organizer/Chair:
Presenters:
Jorjin F. Godoy
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
Banking System Resilience in ASEAN: Evidence from Normalized SRISK Measures and Stress Scenarios
by Jorjin F. Godoy
Presentation:
Danzel A. Ocenar
Mindanao State University
Bayesian Spatio-Temporal Modeling with Change-Point Analysis of Crimes in SOCCSKSARGEN
by Danzel A. Ocenar
Presentation:
Franco G. Jubilo
Commission on Population and Development Region 1
Breaking the Mold: Understanding the Innovation Resistance Behind Low PRIME-HRM Adoption in High-Performing Local Governments
by Franco G. Jubilo
Presentation:
DAY 3: PARALLEL SESSION 3B - Economics and Social Statistics
21 October 2026, Wednessday | 8:30am-10:00am | Venue: Lecture Hall 1
Session Organizer/Chair:
Presenters:
Arnie Joy C. Vallejo
Commission on Population and Development (CPD) Region VI
Experiencing Mental Distress: Youth Mental Well-Being in Western Visayas
by Arnie Joy C. Vallejo, Harold Alfred P. Marshall, Roilo Vincent G. Laguna, and Cristabel Rose F. Parcon
Presentation:
Francis Yestin Javiero
University of the Philippines Visayas
Trends of Suicidal Ideation Among Filipino Adolescents: Evidence from Five National GSHS Surveys, 2003–2019
by Glenn Ivan D. Macitas, Jhoanne Marsh C. Gatpatan, Francis Yestin V. Javier, Jace Grant D. Cayot, Franque A. Gilo & Lawton L. Cornelio
Presentation:
Daryl A. Azura
Philippine Statistics Authority
The Cost of Decent Life: Exploring Approaches to Living Wage Estimation in the Philippines
by Daryl A. Azura and Nikkin L. Beronilla
Presentation:
DAY 3: PARALLEL SESSION 3C - Official Statistics
21 October 2026, Wednessday | 8:30am-10:00am | Venue: Lecture Hall 2
Session Organizer/Chair:
Romeo S. Recide
Philippine Statistical Association, Inc.
Presenters:
Loreto B. Soriano
Migration And Development Policy Center
Beyond Remittances: Measuring the Development Contribution of Returning and Returned Overseas Filipino Workers Through the National Inventory of Returning And Returned OFWs of the Philippines (NIROP)
by Loreto B. Soriano
Presentation:
Alexander A. Makinano
Commission On Population and Development
Strategic Policy and Resource Targeting for Climate-Resilient and People-Centered Local Governance in the Philippines: A Multidimensional Subnational Typology Based on Official Statistics, Administrative Data, and Published Evidence
by Alexander A. Makinano
Presentation:
Dionito F. Mangao, Jr.
Division of Cavite Province, Alternative Learning System, Department of Education
Understanding Out-Of-School Learners Mindsets: Sentiment Analysis on Political Polarization and Disinformation among ALS Learners
by Dionito F. Mangao, Jr.
Presentation:
PLENARY TALK - Breaking the Mold: Tao ang Puso ng Pag-unlad
21 October 2026, Wednesday | 10:30am-12:00nn | Venue: Auditorium
Romeo S. Recide
Moderator
Dr. Lisa Grace S. Bersales, PhD
PSAI President
Chair of the 2026 Annual Conference
Executive Director, Commission on Population and Development
Presentation:
