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.
