Authorized statements by the Executive Director of the Institute for Statistics regarding approval of reorganization plan #7

Announcements
IEPR
29 December 2025

PRESS RELEASE
DR. MARIO MARAZZI‐SANTIAGO
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

April 3, 2018

AUTHORIZED STATEMENTS BY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE STATISTICAL INSTITUTE REGARDING APPROVAL OF REORGANIZATION PLAN #7

Last night, the Senate approved Reorganization Plan #7 to reorganize the Department of Economic Development and Commerce, merging into it several government entities, including the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics.

We agree that several statistical divisions from different entities can be consolidated to achieve cost-efficiencies, and the Institute is ready to assume those functions under the right circumstances. In fact, we are under the orders of the Governor and the Legislative Assembly to develop a Plan for the Reorganization of the Statistics System that consolidates these functions into an independent institution.

However, the aforementioned Reorganization Plan #7 also proposes to eliminate all the Institute's independent governance structures and transfer them to the Secretary of the Department of Economic Development and Trade, and then “outsource” the statistical functions. This is not the way to solve problems with Puerto Rico's statistics.

Thousands of people, 16 members of Congress, the Private Sector Coalition, the Transparency Network, the American Statistical Association and even the Fiscal Oversight Board have recommended that the Institute remain an independent entity of the Government of Puerto Rico, free from political intervention. We urge the Legislative Assembly to carefully weigh the bills. We are once again at your disposal.


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Press Contact: Sandra Morales Blanes (787) 688-0401

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Net migration was estimated at 35,000 people in 2019

During the calendar year 2019, it was estimated, in net terms, that nearly 35,000 people immigrated to other jurisdictions in the United States. This is revealed by the most recent data from the Community Survey.

Data released by the U.S. Census Bureau covers the 2019 calendar year. The new data has been published through the new platform data.census.gov. As the local entity liaising with the U.S. Census Bureau, the Institute of Statistics shares several findings from the new 2019 data:

  1. In 2019, Puerto Rico's migration indicators showed the following changes compared to previous years:
    • Around 35,000 people immigrated to other jurisdictions in the United States in net terms, representing a decrease compared to previous years (2011-2018) where the net balance ranged from 49,000 to 113,000 people migrating annually based on information from the Community Survey.
    • 31,144 people immigrated from the United States to Puerto Rico, contrasting with an increase in immigrants of 49% compared to 2018, where an estimated immigration of 20,900 people was estimated.
    • 66,021 people immigrated to other jurisdictions in the United States, showing a decrease from the record number in 2018, which amounted to 133,451 people.
  2. Regarding various socioeconomic characteristics for Puerto Rico during 2019:
    • Some 684,655 people or 21.6% of the population (3,169,528) reported having a disability.
    • Around 77,000 grandparents live with their grandson or granddaughter under 18 and 32.2% of these are responsible for them.
    • For the population aged 25 and over (2,301,735):
      • 78.8% had a higher education or higher education
      • 27.2% had an education attained at the baccalaureate level or higher
    • 39.5% and 43.5% of families and individuals, respectively, are below the poverty line.
    • The median household income was $20,474.
    • The median household income was $25,388.
    • The GINI index, which measures income inequality, where the value of 0 indicates that there is perfect equality and the value 1 total inequality, places Puerto Rico with an indicator of 0.5509, being the highest when compared to the states.
    • As for households (1,170,982), it was estimated that:
      • 76.3% had a computer
      • 68.2% had access to an internet subscription (broadband)

“In terms of migration, published data for 2019 point to a reduction in net migration compared to previous years. However, the fact that nearly 35,000 people have emigrated means that 1% of Puerto Rico's population declined through emigration in a single year, which has been the drastic trend throughout the decade 2010-2020,” said Alberto L. Velázquez-Estrada, Manager of Statistical Projects at the Institute.

See more details, data and information about the 2019 Community Survey at: data.census.gov. In addition, you can consult about the transition to the new platform for accessing census data, available at the following links, webinars: https://cutt.ly/Cw7v9fI, SDC-PR and tutorials: https://www.census.gov/data/academy/data-gems/2019/visualize-data.html.

Thirteen municipalities have a median age of 40 years or more

Thirteen municipalities have a median age of 40 years or more

The Puerto Rico Statistics Institute creates a section with data and graphics on COVID-19 statistics in Puerto Rico

PRESS RELEASE

The Puerto Rico Statistics Institute creates a section with data and graphics on COVID-19 statistics in Puerto Rico

The Puerto Rico Statistics Institute created a new section with graphic representations or Dashboard on its website, called “COVID-19,” in which citizens will have access to official data on the impact of this virus in Puerto Rico, according to data provided by the Department of Health, said the Institute's executive director, Dr. Orville M. Disdier.

Among the data that users will be able to access in the Dashboard the following are included: the total number of people evaluated or under evaluation, their average age, number of positive, negative and pending cases, as well as the distribution by sex and health region. In addition, raw data can be obtained through this section, so that researchers could carry out their own statistical analyses. It is expected that as the Department of Health provides more information, the tool will continue to be updated and improved.

“Having a detailed, up-to-date statistical tool accessible to all citizens is crucial right now. We urge that the Department of Health continue to provide us with updated data on a continuous and expeditious basis to, in turn, make them accessible to all citizens,” said Dr. Disdier.

The new Dashboard about COVID-19 can be accessed through the following link: COVID-19 Indicator Platform

To learn more about the Institute of Statistics, you can access the website: www.estadisticas.pr.gov. On social media through Facebook (@estadisticas .pr), Twitter (@EstadisticasPR) and LinkedIn (Institute of Statistics of Puerto Rico) accounts.

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Contacts:

Idia M. Martinez, R-28, 787-603-3200

Lourdes Burgos, R-27, 787-562-2932