PSA-Guimaras gets ready for 2020 census

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)- Guimaras Provincial Statistical Office now getting ready for the new schedule of the 2020 Census of Population and Housing (CPH) enumeration in September 2020.

“The original schedule of 2020 CPH enumeration is actually on the 4th day of May until the first day of June, however, due to the recent COVID-19 outbreak and the subsequent community quarantine the timetable was changed, likewise, the census trainings in various levels were also moved to July until August of the current year,” PSA-Guimaras Provincial Statistical Officer Nelida B. Losare said.

In preparation for said activity, the PSA Guimaras will hire office-based employees, enumerators, Census Area Supervisors (CAS) and team supervisors preferably residents of Guimaras and their municipality of assignments.

“Originally, the Department of Education (DepEd) teachers are supposed to be the enumerators and this was based on Section 7 of Batas Pambansa No. 72 states that public school teachers shall be employed for enumeration work every decade census, nevertheless, due to the pandemic, the classes are rescheduled in conflict with the 2020 CPH and with this, the PSA, a government agency mandated to conduct the census, resorted to hire non-teacher enumerators to be trained,” Losare said.

A series of trainings were also scheduled. The 1st level training for Provincial heads, SOCD Chiefs and regional focal persons all over the country was completed based on the original schedule last March 9 to 14, 2020.

The second level training for Regional and Provincial PSA employees involved in the 2020 CPH was moved from March 30 to April 4 to July 20-25, 2020. The 3rd level training for the CPH hired employees and Census Area Supervisors is August on 03-08, and the fourth level trainings for hired enumerators and Team Supervisors on August 10-15 (1st Batch) and August 17-22 (2nd Batch).

“We are thankful to the Local Chief Executives of the five municipalities of Guimaras province for the provision of training venues that could accommodate at most 25 persons to maintain social distancing and adhere to the relevant protocols on the preventive measures against COVID-19 and for the assistance committed by the Provincial/Municipal Census Coordinating Board (P/MCCB) members to ensure the smooth operation and successful conduct of the 2020 CPH,” Losare said.

The 2020 Census of Population and Housing’s main objectives includes providing government executives, policy and decision makers and planners with updated population and housing data as bases to their social and economic development plans, policies and programs.

In line with this, the PSA urges the general public to support and actively participate in the 2020 CPH.