ORATORICAL PIECE: DATA INNOVATION; KEY TO BETTER NATION.

To our honorable members of the board of judges, to my equally competent

contenders, to all our keen visitors, ladies and gentlemen, good morning.

Through the years, data plays a vital role in the day-to-day existence of people and also
organizations. Data, when processed, disseminated and utilized properly, becomes
sound basis for effective decision- and policy-making. The world of data changes every
day and every hour. New innovations have hugely increased the quantity of data and
the possibilities available to people and institutions who want to collect and use it. In
coming up with solid and effective plans and decisions, the provision of reliable and
timely data is essential which can further be guaranteed through data innovation. The
challenge, and the opportunity, is to make this new world of data useful and useable to
improve people’s lives. The theme highlights the importance of innovating statistical
systems, processes and technologies in coming up with quality statistics – statistics that
will be used by data users, especially planners, policymakers and program
implementers who are in the best position to shape the future of the country and of its
people. With better policies and programs based on quality statistics that are produced
through effective innovations, the Filipino people will be assured of the achievement of
the country’s long-term vision of a simple and comfortable life for all. There are several
nuances to note. For one, we recognize that the digital trace that is generated by
computers around the world spans a very wide range of activities, from sending an SMS
text message to making a financial transaction. To enable an apples-to-apples
comparison across the world, some use broadband per capita as a measure of such
breadth and complexity. Second, there are differences across countries in terms of how
private data is shared across agencies and whether there are digital identity frameworks
that can help connect individuals to their digital activities. These institutional factors
could make a difference to how data could eventually be pieced together. So why is
data innovation important? It is through data innovation that a business or management
has the quality information they need to make informed decisions from further analysis,
study, and research. Without data innovation, companies would stumble around in the
dark using outdated methods to make their decisions and without also data innovation
we will lose the privilege of being known and recognized our true identity. Data
innovation instead allows them to stay on top of trends, provide answers to problems,
and analyze new insights to great effect.

You can have the best technology in the world, but technology doesn’t work
without the people who know how to bring out the best in it. Big data talent can be
challenging to find, since the field is relatively new and not everyone who professes to
be a big data specialist has the in-depth knowledge, curiosity, and willingness to take
risks needed to truly innovate in this space. However, it’s essential that you make every
effort to find talent that is truly a fit for your organization and has the right mindset about
big data. Act on new data, being able to pivot quickly is essential in today’s fast-paced
business environment. While it’s still important to use big data for studying historical
data and making major strategy decisions, “fast data” is quickly becoming an
essential as well. Understand your environment, we often think about how big data can
be used to serve and keep customers. But new innovations make big data applicable for
improving internal processes, making systems more efficient, and understanding your
environment within the marketplace.

Geoffrey Moore once said “Without big data, you are blind and deaf and in the
middle of a freeway.”