PSA assures respondents of data privacy

THE Philippine Statistics Authority-Aklan assured the respondents of the confidentiality of information given to their data collectors as the agency conducts various surveys this July.

According to Provincial Statistics Officer Antonet B. Catubuan, all data provided by respondents in surveys are treated with utmost confidentiality and cannot be used for taxation, investigation or for other law enforcement purposes.

“No reference to an individual or a corporation will appear on the results because responses will be summarized into statistical tables,” Catubuan said.

She emphasized that whoever breached the confidentiality of information, whether by carelessness or improper behavior, will be liable as provided by Section 27 of RA 10625 (Philippine Statistical Act of 2013), and Section 7 of RA 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards of Public Officials and Employees).

“Responses to surveys are very crucial in generating quality statistics used in the formulation of policies and economic development plans,” Catubuan explained.

That is why PSA urged respondents to support their statistical undertakings by giving truthful and complete answers to data collectors.

The following are surveys currently conducted by PSA-Aklan:

• Labor Force Survey (LFS), which generates data on employment rate;
• Annual Poverty Indicator Survey (APIS), which produces statistics for the assessment and monitoring of poverty situation in the country;
• Backyard/Livestock Production Survey (BLPS), which measures the performance of livestock and poultry industry; and
• Palay and Corn Production Survey (PCPS), which generates estimates and forecasts on palay and corn area, production and yield.