19/08/2026
ON THIS DAY: 86 years ago, Commonwealth Act No. 591 was signed into law, paving the way for the establishment of the Bureau of the Census and Statistics (BCS). 📊🇵🇭
Enacted on 19 August 1940, the law marked an important milestone in the development of the Philippine statistical system by consolidating the government’s statistical activities, including the collection of population, social, and economic data through direct enumeration and sampling.
From then, the country’s statistical system has continued to evolve, with advances in technology, data production, and statistical coordination—all toward one goal: producing timely, relevant, and reliable official statistics that guide policymaking and shape national development.
As we commemorate this milestone, we recognize the generations of statisticians, census workers, researchers, and public servants whose contributions continue to strengthen the country’s statistical system. 🫡