70K census takers to be deployed starting July 15
President Marcos has declared July as National Census and Community-based Monitoring System Month in support of the nationwide census to be conducted starting July 15.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said it would begin deploying 70,000 enumerators beginning on Monday to conduct a population census.
In Proclamation 627 dated July 9, Mr. Marcos urged the public to cooperate with the PSA and “provide truthful and complete information in response to census questions, subject to existing laws, rules and regulations.”
He stressed the importance of the census as it “equips government executives, policymakers and planners with current and comprehensive population data to develop informed social and economic development plans, policies and programs.”
The President earlier called for a census update on the list of beneficiaries in the government’s social protection programs.
The update will be done through the PSA’s community-based monitoring system, which will be integrated with the Census of Population ahead of the original schedule in 2025.
8.05 million more
The last census was done in May 2020, which revealed that the country’s population at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic was 109,035,343. The figure was higher by 8.05 million compared with 2015’s population of 100.98 million.
Executive Order No. 352 issued in 1996 mandated the conduct of nationwide censuses and surveys every five years and the maintenance of administrative-based records on a regular basis.
Proclamation No. 627, on the other hand, tasked the National Economic and Development Authority and PSA to lead, coordinate and supervise activities in relation to the observance of the National Census and Community-Based Monitoring System Month.
More challenges to democracy ahead