Statements on the approval of the measure creating the open data law in Puerto Rico

Announcements
IEPR
29 December 2025

AUTHORIZED STATEMENTS BY DR. MARIO MARAZZI-SANTIAGO ON APPROVAL OF THE MEASURE CREATING PUERTO RICO'S OPEN DATA LAW

We thank the Puerto Rico Senate for the approval of Senate Bill 236, which to create the Puerto Rico Open Data Act. In its original version, the measure was drafted by researchers from the Institute and was later endorsed by the Institute's Board of Directors last year. The implementation of this Act does not cost the public purse an additional penny and, for the first time, mandates specific proactive data disclosure actions, which are essential elements of a culture of openness as a government custom (open by default). For example, for the first time, the publication of data in open computer-readable formats is mandated, one of the elements that gave Puerto Rico the most difficulty the last time Open Knowledge International evaluated the opening of our databases.

The amendments incorporated by the Senate Governance Committee address core aspects of the measure that ultimately complement and strengthen the measure. For example, for the first time, publicly funded official travel reports will be released. This in itself is a more effective way to control official travel expenses than the administrative control schemes that all governments use.

At the same time, as in any measure, there are always specific issues that could be improved. We are looking forward to the consideration of this measure in the House of Representatives. We are aware of the commitment of [Speaker of the House, Hon. Carlos “Johnny” Méndez Núñez, and the president of the House Governance Committee, Hon. Jorge Navarro Suárez, with the issues of transparency and access to public data, so we are sure that the House will give high priority to this measure.

In short, the Open Data Act proposed by the Institute of Statistics is a cornerstone in achieving the cost-effective, agile and transparent Government that we all want.

‍

Share this article:

Please let us know your satisfaction level with our services.

‍

Visit our Official Activities, and participate with us

Visit our Calls for applications and be part of the new opportunities we have for you.

If you have any questions or just want to contact us, visit the Contact Us section.

We are at your disposal. If you need custom statistics, do not hesitate to contact us.

Sign up for our online workshops. Connect with the experts and discover the power of data!

Visit our Blog and keep up to date with the latest news and topics of interest.

Visit our Press Releases and stay connected to the Institute.

Explore the Publication Calendar and keep up to date with Puerto Rico's statistics.

Complete the form for the selection of our Statistics Coordination Committee

Suscribe to receive news directly to your email.

Listen to the Official PRIS podcast and stay informed with the experts

They present economic and social indicators for Puerto Rico

They present economic and social indicators for Puerto Rico

In activity between the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics and the United States Census Bureau

San Juan, Puerto Rico. October 24, 2024. The Puerto Rico Statistics Institute, in collaboration with the United States Census Bureau, presented the conference “Economic and Social Indicators on Puerto Rico: Exploring the Economic and Social Reality of Puerto Rico”, in which they examined the main economic and social indicators that impact Puerto Rico. Experts from the United States Census Bureau and the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics presented key issues, such as the cost of living, labor force, community resilience and migratory flow, among others. The activity took place on October 4. “Knowing some of the indicators that reflect the economic and social reality of Puerto Rico is essential for the development of effective public policies. This collaboration with the Census Bureau helps us to have more accurate and reliable data that will help us better understand the challenges and opportunities facing Puerto Rico,” said the executive director of the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics, Dr. Orville M. Disdier.

For his part, Michael López-Pelliccia, (Chief of Staff, Economic Department) of the United States Census Bureau in Puerto Rico, said that, “The opening of the first Federal Center for Statistical Data Research in Puerto Rico (FSRDC) and events such as this conference are part of an ongoing effort to strengthen technical capacity in Puerto Rico. Through seminars, workshops, and webinars, we seek to provide local people with a more practical and accessible approach to using Census data. This type of technical assistance is key to ensuring that Puerto Rico can make the most of the wealth of information we offer.”

The conference included presentations by experts such as Ana G. Jara Castro, Clara E. Santiago Bello, Javier Gómez and Marijulie Martínez from the United States Census Bureau, who addressed issues such as building permit indicators and the “Census Business Builder” tool, among others. On behalf of the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics, Dr. Ronald G. Hernández Maldonado presented the Cost of Living Index, while Alberto L. Velázquez Estrada spoke about the migratory flow and the structure of the labor group in Puerto Rico.

Among the various indicators presented at the conference, the following stood out:

  • El Quarterly Workforce Indicators which includes 32 labor force indicators that cover employment, job changes and income. This is a single work-level data source that provides demographic information on the labor market.
  • The Community Resilience Estimates (CRE), which are modeled estimates of vulnerability factors in the population such as functional diversity, poverty level, access to vehicles and internet, employment, education, and others, combining data from the Community Survey.
  • The tool Census Business Builder, which is a customer-focused application. It provides access to data to develop business plans, request financial assistance, study economic development, plan strategies and create emergency plans.
  • The Internet page Puerto Rico Profile which links between its tools automated profiles for municipalities with data on employment, poverty, income, education and health, among others.
  • The Cost of Living Index (COLI). This reflected in the most recent results for Puerto Rico, that the cost of grocery items in San Juan, Bayamón and Caguas is 12.2% more expensive than the average of the participating urban areas in the United States.
  • Regarding the Migratory Flow and Structure of the Working Age Group in Puerto Rico, it was highlighted that emigration has been a constant in the history of Puerto Rico, but this has taken a deep toll on the working population in recent years. About 70% of working-age emigration occurred at ages 16 to 44.

The presentations and materials used during the conference are available through the following link: https://estadisticas.pr/en/Conferencia-Indicadores-Económicos-y-Sociales.

The Puerto Rico Statistics Institute is an autonomous governmental entity responsible for coordinating the Government's statistical production service to ensure that the data collection and statistics systems, on which public policies are based, are complete, reliable, and have quick and universal access.

For more information you can visit the website: www.estadisticas.pr or write to preguntas@estadisticas.pr. They can also follow social networks through Facebook (@estadisticas .pr), X (@EstadisticasPR), LinkedIn (Institute of Statistics of Puerto Rico) and Instagram (@institutodeestadisticas) accounts.

Authorized by the Office of the Electoral Comptroller OCE-SA-2024-12788

‍

Statistics Institute releases results of Survey on Food Consumption in Fast Food Establishments

Statistics Institute releases results of Survey on Food Consumption in Fast Food Establishments

Statistics Institute holds Expo Statistics 2015 in observance of World Statistics Day

Statistics Institute holds Expo Statistics 2015 in observance of World Statistics Day