NATIONAL STATISTICS OFFICE :: History :: The National Statistics Office (NSO) was first called Bureau of the Census and Statistics (BCS) when Commonwealth Act (C.A.) No. 591 was approved on August 19, 1940. Executive Order No. 314 transferred to the BCS the powers, functions, duties, personnel, appropriations, property and records of other statistical agencies effective January 1, 1941. Among these were the functions of the Division of Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor and of the Section of Vital Statistics of the Bureau of Health, Department of Instruction. Also transferred to the BCS were positions and employees of the following agencies: Division of Statistics of the Department of Agriculture and Commerce; Statistical Division of the Bureau of Customs; General Civil Registry Division of the National Library; Division of Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor; and Section of Vital Statistics of the Bureau of Health. Presidential Decree No. 418 issued on March 20, 1974 reconstituted the BCS into a new agency known as the National Census and Statistics Office (NCSO) under the administrative supervision of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA). In 1987, by virtue of Executive Order No. 121 entitled "Reorganizing and Strengthening the Philippine Statistical System and for Other Purposes," the NCSO was renamed National Statistics Office and was placed under the Office of the President. Executive Order No. 149 dated December 28, 1993 was issued by the Office of the President entitled "Streamlining of the Office of the President." By virtue of this order, the NSO was placed again under the administrative supervision of the NEDA for effective policy and program coordination and integration. :: Mandate :: The National Statistics Office (NSO) is the major statistical agency responsible in collecting, compiling, classifying, producing, publishing, and disseminating general-purpose statistics as provided for in Commonwealth Act No. 591. NSO has also the responsibility of carrying out and administering the provision of the Civil Registry Law as provided for in Act No. 3753 dated February 1931. More specifically, the NSO is tasked to: Prepare for and undertake all censuses on population, agriculture, commerce, and industry (Section 2, C.A. 591; Section 1, Batas Pambansa Blg. 72); Conduct statistical surveys by enumeration, sampling, and other methods (Section 2, Batas Pambansa Blg. 72); Compile and classify other statistical data and information (Section 2, C.A. 591); Conduct social and economic studies and make projections of population, agricultural production, income and the number of livestock (Section 2, C.A. 591); Publish and disseminate all information related to the above functions (Section 2, C.A. 591); Assist the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB), formerly the Statistical Advisory Board of the National Economic and Development Authority, in the formulation of a continuing comprehensive statistical program for the government (Section 5, Presidential Decree 418); Provide technical assistance and support to projects of other statistical agencies and institutions (Section 5, P.D. 418); Carry out and administer the provisions of Act. No. 3753, entitled “An Act to establish a Civil Register” (Section 2, C.A. 591) and other laws on civil registration; and Issue authorization to solemnizing officers in accordance with the provisions of Article 7 of the Family Code of the Philippines (Executive Order No. 209 effective August 3, 1988). :: Vision & Mission :: Vision. The Philippine National Statistics Office is a recognized world class provider of statistical and civil registration products and services. Mission. As the primary statistical agency of the government, the Philippine National Statistics Office produces and provides quality statistical and civil registration products and services.