

On 01 October 2025, Dr. Finaflor F. Taylan, Dean of the Faculty of Management and Development Studies (FMDS) at the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU), was invited to serve as Session Chair and Discussant at the 16th National Convention on Statistics, organized by the Philippine Statistics Authority, held at The Manila Hotel.
Organized biennially by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), this year’s convention carried the theme “Accelerating the SDG Pace of Progress: Mobilizing Data for All.” It convened statisticians, policymakers, researchers, and development practitioners to highlight the role of statistics and data in accelerating progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
As session chair and discussant, Dean Taylan guided the exchanges among presenters and participants, underscoring the importance of gender statistics in advancing evidence-based policies and inclusive programs that promote equality and development. She also provided her insights and perspectives on the topics presented (Work from home arrangement for gender equality and women fertility in the Philippines) using her lens as a social worker, researcher, and staunch gender advocate and professional.
Dean Taylan’s participation in the 16th NCS reaffirms UPOU’s commitment to PSA as UPOU’s partner for mainstreaming gender perspectives in national development work and statistics, and in the country in general, in line with its mission of democratizing education and promoting social responsibility through open and distance e-learning, and while advancing the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

Written by Dona Lyn M. Piamonte • Edited by Larry N. Cruz