Mapa joins Aklan aquafarm listing for better data

KALIBO, AKLAN – Neither the scorching heat nor the remoteness of aquafarm sites stopped Undersecretary Claire Dennis S. Mapa, national statistician and civil registrar general of the Philippine Statistics Authority, from joining PSA Aklan data collectors in the nationwide Updating of the Listing of Aquafarms.

The activity, known as ULAF, officially began June 29, 2026, and seeks to update the government’s list of aquafarms for use in official fisheries statistics.

Mapa visited selected aquaculture farms in New Washington and Batan, two municipalities in Aklan with some of the highest numbers of aquafarms, to observe the data collection process and identify gaps that need to be addressed to improve the activity’s implementation.

During the field visits, Mapa interviewed several aquafarm owners and caretakers to gain firsthand insights into their aquaculture operations.

He also held a dialogue with data collectors to gather their observations and recommendations, which will help enhance the data collection system and support the generation of quality statistics.

Among the information gathered during the updating activity were the operational characteristics of identified aquafarms, including the culture system, management system, species cultured, water environment, and farm area.

The data will serve as essential inputs in the continuous development and updating of the PSA’s statistical sampling frame, which is used in conducting quarterly aquaculture surveys under the fisheries statistics sector.

Mapa’s field participation underscored the PSA’s commitment to ensuring the quality and accuracy of collected data, which serve as the foundation for producing reliable and timely aquaculture statistics every quarter.

His field engagement also helped ensure that data collection standards and protocols were properly observed while allowing the PSA to identify operational issues requiring immediate attention during field operations.

During a meeting with PSA Aklan personnel, Mapa emphasized the importance of accuracy, timeliness, and data quality at every stage of the data collection process.

He reminded field personnel to remain diligent in conducting validation checks to ensure that information gathered by hired data collectors is complete, consistent, and reliable.

The PSA Aklan Provincial Statistical Office hired 35 data collectors to conduct the ULAF across various barangays in the province, covering about 4,287 aquafarms.

The nationwide enumeration will run from June 29 to Aug. 7, 2026.

The PSA encouraged all aquafarm owners and respondents to fully cooperate by providing truthful and accurate information to authorized data collectors.

The agency also assured the public that all information collected will be kept strictly confidential and used solely for statistical purposes in accordance with existing laws on data privacy and confidentiality.