CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA)–A total of 1,509 census personnel are deployed in the five provinces of Northern Mindanao to conduct the 2022 Census of Agriculture and Fisheries (CAF).
The CAF is a nationwide statistical undertaking to determine the structural characteristics of agricultural and fisheries sectors; provide insights into various crop farming, livestock, poultry, culturing of worms and insects, and fishing operations; and collect information on the available facilities and services in the barangays.
For Region 10, 1,046 enumerators and 106 reserve census-takers were deployed for data collection from September 4 to October 25, 2023. They will be supervised by 211 team supervisors, 73 assistant census area supervisors, and 73 census area supervisors.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)-10 said these census personnel will conduct field interviews in 1,003 barangays all over the region and 816,881 households, of which 220,640 households have agricultural and fisheries operators.
“Our enumerators are trained for data collection. They will be going door-to-door to carry out the interviews using the computer-assisted personal interview (CAPI) method,” said PSA-10 Officer-in-Charge (OIC) Janith Aves.
In cases where the CAPI is not feasible, she said the census takers will do the paper-and-pen interview (PAPI).
“Another alternative is the telephone interview using a mobile phone, tablet, or landline, and using the tablet provided by the PSA for recording the responses. This will be used for respondents who do not want to be interviewed face-to-face or may not be available for personal interviews during the enumeration period. Enumerators and supervisors may also use this method for verification of inconsistencies during data validation,” Aves elaborated.
PSA-10 Officer-in-Charge Janith Aves shares that a total of 1,046 enumerators and 106 reserve census-takers were selected for data collection from September 4 to October 25, 2023 for the 2022 Census of Agriculture and Fisheries. They will be supervised by 211 team supervisors, 73 assistant census area supervisors, and 73 census area supervisors. The enumerators also underwent three levels of training for them to be ready for census. (DCC/PIA-10)
The OIC added that a self-administered questionnaire may also be offered for respondents who are not available for personal interview within the enumeration period, or those usually not at home and do not have their mobile number, or who do not have a stable network or signal at home.
She said household members who are operators of crops, livestock, poultry insects/worms culturing, aquaculture, and/or fishing activities from January 1 to December 31, 2022 are to be interviewed. Moreover, punong barangays or any incumbent barangay officials will be interviewed on the infrastructure and services available to the farmers and fisherfolks at the community level.
Aves likewise stated that Bukidnon is one of the three provinces nationwide that will have full coverage in the 2022 CAF due to its production volume and value in the country’s agriculture industry.
For all other provinces of the region, she said all the municipalities are covered, but not all barangays in covered municipalities are included.
The PSA meanwhile assured the public that responses to the 2022 CAF are treated with utmost confidentiality. (APB/PIA-10)
Attendees to the 2022 Census of Agriculture and Fisheries Press Launch in Northern Mindanao perform the “CAFarmer, CAFisher. Tayo ang Bida!” steps during the launching ceremony, September 1, 2023. (DCC/PIA-10)
