PSA-Guimaras completely enumerates 192 households for 2021 LFS October round

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)-Guimaras Provincial Statistical Office has completely enumerated the 192 sample Households (HHs) for the 2021 October Round Labor Force Survey (LFS) with rider questionnaires on the Survey on Overseas Filipinos (SOF), the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC), and the Philippine Competition Act (PCA).

The survey covered 12 primary sampling units (PSUs)/Enumeration Areas (EAs) in the province.

“The training was done October 5 to 7, and the enumeration round officially started on October 8, which finally concluded on October 31, 2020,” Philippine Statistics Officer Nelida B. Losare said.

The 192 pre-identified sample HHs were from the 12 EAs covering 12 barangays – Banban (30 HHs), and Tacay (13 HHs) in Buenavista; Alaguisoc (21 HHs), San Miguel (10 HHs), and Sinapsapan (22 HHs) in Jordan; Cabalagnan (13 HHs), Poblacion (4 HHs), and Napandog (17 HHs) in Nueva Valencia; Brgy. Constancia (16HH) in San Lorenzo; Brgy. Millan (14 HHs), San Isidro 001000 (22 HHs), San Isidro 002000 (10 HHs), in Sibunag.

“The rider questionnaire on SOF seeks to gather information on Filipino family members who traveled outside the Philippines within the period during the last five years. The survey also aims to obtain data on their socio-economic characteristics, including their contribution to the economy using the past six months as reference period,” Losare said.

“Specifically, this aims to provide estimates on the amount of cash and in-kind transfers received by the families and the mode of remittance,” she added.

Losare also expounded that the PCC and PCA Surveys aim to determine the households’ awareness about the PCC and its mandate and the PCA.  The survey results will guide PCC in designing strategies to enhance its advocacy and help educate the public on the relevance of market competition in improving consumer welfare.

The October Round LFS was administered despite the pandemic because of the data needs by the planners and policymakers. In support, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) issued Resolution No. 38 series of 2020, allowing the PSA to operate at a capacity following strict physical distancing and other health safety protocols,” Losare said.

The authority and mandate of the PSA to conduct statistical surveys emanated from Republic Act (RA) No. 10625 or the Philippine Statistical Act of 2013, which holds PSA primarily responsible for all national censuses and surveys, sectoral statistics, consolidation of selected administrative recording systems, and compilation of national accounts.

Losare also stated that during the field enumeration, the hired researchers of PSA- Guimaras, strictly followed the DOH protocols against the COVID-19 to include: the wearing of face mask/face shield, observing physical distancing, the proper hygiene and sanitation, and the wearing of PSA ID, and also, following all protocols laid down by the Local Government Units (LGUs).

The LFS is a nationwide quarterly survey of households conducted by the PSA to gather data on the demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the population, also aimed at providing a quantitative framework for the preparation of plans and policies affecting the labor market.

Losare also stressed that the PSA Statistical Researchers (SRs) and Team Supervisors (TS) should undertake the surveys in several modes: through a phone interview, online interview, or face-to-face interview using Computer Assisted Personal Interview (CAPI) or Pen-and-Paper Personal Interview (PAPI), done with adherence to physical distancing and strictly following health protocols.

“All information collected by the hired Statistical Researchers from the sample households shall be kept strictly confidential and shall not be used for purposes of taxation, investigation or regulation, as provided under Article 55 of Republic Act 10625,” Losare said.