Dry run for population, housing census in C. Visayas

CEBU CITY – The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in Central Visayas will conduct the pilot for 2020 Census of Population and Housing (CPH) from May 20 to June 17 in Barangays Banilad and Talamban in Cebu City.

PSA Regional Director Ariel Florendo said the pilot census will be carried out to ensure sound design for data collection, minimize the burden placed on respondents, effect economy in statistical data collection, eliminate duplication in statistical data collection, and achieve better coordination of government statistical activities.

Florendo said this will be the first census to adopt the Computer-Assisted Personal Interview (CAPI) technique that will use an electronic questionnaire installed in computer tablets.

Florendo said the 2020 Census of Population and Housing is a nationwide government undertaking that involves the collection, compilation, evaluation, analysis, publication, and dissemination of data on population count.

“The census also includes the demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the population, housing and household and barangay characteristics in each barangay, city/ municipality, province and region in the country,” he added.

It also aims to provide government executives, policy makers, and planners with population and housing data on which to base their social and economic development plans, policies and programs, he said.

Next year’s census is the 15th national census on population and the seventh on housing.

The first Philippine census was in 1903, Florendo said.