Wednesday, July 4, 2007

NEDA mobilizes gov't agencies for population census 2007

Cebu, Philippines (2 July) -- The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) in the region (NEDA-7) convened the regional census coordinating board (RCCB) recently to mobilize government agencies and institutions to establish appropriate mechanisms for statistical coordination at the local levels (regional, provincial, city and municipal) to ensure the successful conduct of the 2007 Census of Population that will be conducted in August this year.

NEDA-7 regional director Marlene Rodriguez said, the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) issued several resolutions enjoining government agencies and institutions to assist the National Statistics Office (NSO) with available facilities, publicity and any form of assistance that it requires to conduct the POPCEN 2007.

NSO-7 regional director Atty. Lilia Tandoc on the other hand revealed that the NSO could not conduct the census of Population in 2005 due to budgetary constraints and the uncertainty of funds to support the remaining activities.

In lieu of this, the 2007 Census of Population was planned and the President proclaimed August 2007 as “National Census Month” to highlight the significance and importance of a census undertaking this year, Tandoc added.

In the same meeting, NEDA-7 regional director said that the RCCB shall assess and assist the needs of NSO in the region in terms of transportation, communication, security and publicity.

At the outset, state colleges and universities in the region that include Cebu Normal University, Cebu State College for Science and Technology, Siquijor State College and Negros Oriental State University will be used as venues for enumerators’ trainings in their respective provinces as well as recommend some students as census enumerators while the military, police, department of Agrarian Reform and local government units committed to provide whatever assistance needed by the NSO to secure and ensure the complete coverage of the areas for census.

As far as publicity and promotions are concerned, all government agencies and institutions were enjoined to include the POPCEN 2007 information in their respective offices’ gatherings, forums and or meetings.

The Philippine Information Agency (PIA-7) in the region has already lined-up the NSO and other members of the RCCB for tri-media (print, radio and TV) guesting in Cebu, Bohol and in Oriental Negros within the month of July 2007: July 2, NSO is guest at DYLA; July 3, at AGIO Forum; July 12, at Kapihan sa PIA in Bohol; July 18, at Kapihan sa PIA in Cebu and OrNeg (live over DYMR, delayed telecast at SkyCable 15 and RPN-9) and on July 27, at CCTN.

In the same development, Cebu City has also convened the Cebu City Census Coordinating Board said City administrator Francisco Fernandez in a media interview over the weekend. Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña issued an executive order creating the CCCB and this will be forwarded to the cebu City council for appropriate action.

Fernandez added that the CCCB is tasked to coordinate with the NSO to provide the agency with whatever assistance it needs for the full coverage of the Census of Population in the city. (PIA-Cebu/MBCN)

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