President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo recently signed Proclamation No. 2028, which declares May this year as National Census Month.
For the declaration, the President cited Batas Pambansa Blg. 72, which provides for the taking of an integrated census every 10 years beginning in 1980 and the requirement for an up-to-date and comprehensive data of the population at the local levels.
This is also in line with the national government’s thrust to decentralize functions to the local government units (LGUs)
President Arroyo enjoined all departments and other government agencies to implement and execute the operational plans, directives and order for the nationwide conduct of the 2010 Census of Population and Housing (CPH).
The National Statistics Office (NSO) is the lead agency in the conduct of the 2010 CPH that shall commence on May 17.
The census will take an inventory of the total population and housing units in the country and collect information about their characteristics.
The data that will be collected by the undertaking will be useful in the formulation of policies, plans and programs of the government relative to the delivery of basic health and social services to target beneficiaries and the general public, in determining business opportunities and industry status, in research and development, and in academic studies.
More specifically, data obtained from the census provides government basis for redistricting and apportionment of congressional seats, allocation of resources and revenues, and creation of political and administrative units.
The Philippines population was 76.5 million as of May 1, 2000 based on the 2000 CPH.
In 2007, a census of population (POPCEN 2007) was conducted by the NSO in order to get an updated population count for all barangays to serve as basis for the Internal Revenue Allocation (IRA) of the LGUs, among others.
Presidential Proclamation No. 1489 issued on April 16, 2008 made the results of POPCEN 2007 official and the country’s population was placed at 88,574,614 persons as of August 1, 2007.
The NSO will submit to the President of the Philippines for proclamation the population counts by barangay based on the 2010 CPH before the end of the year.
These data will be made available in print and electronic copies. (PIA-Bohol)
