SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union, Aug. 29 (PIA) - - All enumerators for the 2020 Census of Population and Housing (CPH) will strictly observe the health protocol against COVID-19 on the census’ data gathering that will start on September 1, according to Attorney Shiela O. De Guzman, the Officer – In – Charge of the Philippine Statistics Authority- Regional Statistical Services Office Region 1 (PSA RSSO 1).
In a press briefing on Friday, De Guzman said that one of the components of the training conducted for the qualified enumerators was the health and safety protocol amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We provided our enumerators with personal protective equipment (PPE) like face masks, face shields, and alcohols,” she said.
In the face to face interview, the enumerators will strictly practice social distancing. They are not necessarily entered into the respondent’s house but they would rather interview at the house’s gate.
To further ensure the health safety of the enumerators, the PSA- RSSO 1 is closely coordinating the local government units (LGUs) to identify the high-risk areas on COVID-19.
If the physical interview with the respondents is not feasible, the enumerators will conduct the other alternative modes of data gathering such as a self-administered questionnaire of the respondents using telephone or cellphone, and data gathering online.
Each questionnaire has eight pages with 53 items for a respondent to answer.
“The enumerator will take 15 to 30 minutes to complete the interview of the respondents the eight-page questionaires,” she said.
For Region 1, at least 5,775 census enumerators will deploy in the four provinces for the 2020 CPH. Of the number of enumerators, 52% or at least 3,003 enumerators will assign in Pangasinan; 18% or at least 1,040 enumerators for La Union; 17% or 981 enumerators for Ilocos Sur; and 13% or at least 751 enumerators for Ilocos Norte.
The 2020 CPH is the 15th census of population, and the 7th census of housing in the Philippines since the first country’s population census conducted in 1903.
This year’s census, De Guzman said that all homeless and street dwellers are included in the data gathering.
The names or identities of all the census respondents are strictly confidential, only the tabulations of data or results of the census are open for public consumption.
The census is a nationwide government undertaking that involves the collection, compilation, evaluation, analysis, publication, and dissemination of data on population count, demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the population, housing characteristics, household characteristics, and barangay characteristics in each barangay, city/municipality, province and region in the country.
The results of the census will serve as references of the government executives, policymakers, and planners in the formulation of socio-economic development plans, policies, and programs.
According to Batasang Pambansa Bilang 72, Executive Order No. 352, and Republic Act No. 10625, the PSA is mandated to spearhead the conduct of the population census (POPCEN) every five years and every 10 years for the housing report.
“We are encouraging all our residents in the region to participate in the 2020 census as the most accurate data we gathered, our policymakers and planners would formulate the most accurate and most reliable policies benefitting our people. Sama na, Census na,” said De Guzman. (JCR/FGL, PIA 1)
Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)
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