CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Philippine Statistics Authority in Central Visayas (PSA-7) revealed that they have already covered 99.73 percent of their ongoing Census of Population and Housing which started in September 2020.
Engr. Ariel Florendo, regional director of PSA-7, said that in Central Visayas, Cebu City and Lapu-Lapu City are the remaining areas where census activity is still ongoing.
Florendo explained that knowing the country’s population is important so that the government can strategize and line their policy makings, and implementation of programs, projects, and services.
“So when it comes to planning, down to the barangays and municipalities, there’s no other data but the Census. So very important gyud that’s why we have some businesses nga matukod because of the data, we have policy-making, programs, projects from the LGUs and the government because of the data gathered in the Census,” Florendo explained.
Florendo also admitted that they have experienced difficulties in gathering data especially in condominiums, and exclusive subdivisions, because of the intensified security protocols in these areas due to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
“We will ask the public, kung kinsa tong wala pa ma-enumerate, count, or wala pa ma-census, to please visit or call us,” he added.
He added that the agency is targeting to complete the census on April 2021, wherein the president is expected to make a declaration of the country’s population./rcg
PSA-7 regional director Engr. Ariel Florendo | CDN Digital photo by Futch Anthony Inso