2020 LFS April round now ongoing in Guimaras

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)-Guimaras Provincial Statistical Office is now conducting the 2020 April round Labor Force Survey (LFS) covering 12 primary sampling units (PSU’s)/Enumeration Areas (EAs) in the Province.

The LFS started April 20 and will end on May 16.

The survey covers 192 identified sample households in 12 EAs under 12 barangays – Avila (15 households), Salvacion (20), Umilig (10) and Zaldivar (23) in the Municipality of Buenavista; Balcon Maravilla (3), Poblacion (15), and San Miguel (13) in Jordan; Brgy Sebario (25) and Suclaran (13) in San Lorenzo; Magamay (17), and Tando (16) in Nueva Valencia; and Sebaste (22) in Sibunag.

The LFS April Round has rider questioner on the Consumer and Business Rapid Assessment of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) which aims to asses the impact of COVID-19 and Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) on consumer behaviors and patterns and its effect to the labor market.

“This will serve as a basis in formulation of economic policies and programs to stimulate regain from economic crisis brought by COVID-19, likewise, the surveys are vital in lawmakers, government executives, and decision makers to come up with sound decisions especially in this time of crisis,” according to Nelida B. Losare, Philippine Statistics Officer (PSO) of PSA-Guimaras.

On April 10, 2020, the IATF granted PSA an exemption through IATF-EID Resolution no. 22 series of 2020 to gather data related to COVID-19 and implement the Philippine Identification System. At the provincial level, however, the Local Chief Executive allowed PSA employees/Statistical Researchers (SRs) to cross municipal borders provided they are bonafide residents of Guimaras, not a PUM or PUI, shall wear PPEs with alcohol or hand sanitizer and to strictly observe social distancing in conducting face to face interview,” Losare added.

The survey is conducted either through phone interview, online interview, or face-to-face interview using Computer Assisted Personal Interview (CAPI) or Pen-or-Paper Personal Interview (PAPI) with adherence of physical distancing.

The LFS activity is a nationwide quarterly survey for households conducted by the PSA to gather data on the demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the population that provide accurate information as basis for the policy formulation and crafting of programs on the creation and generation of gainful employment and livelihood opportunities; reduction of unemployment and underemployment; and enhancement of the welfare of a working person.

With the current national crises due to the COVID-19 pandemic which brought stoppage of work, businesses, transport, etc, highlights the need for continuing supply of data particularly on the labor force to provide evidence-based narratives on the extent of impact of the crises on labor and employment.

Losare asked the support of all sample households by providing accurate and reliable data and guaranteed that all information gathered will be treated with utmost confidentiality and will be used as reference on the levels and trends of employment, unemployment, and underemployment in the province.