21 April 2021 – LA UNION. In collaboration with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) – La Union Provincial Statistical Office will conduct the April 2021 round of the Consumer Expectations Survey (CES) on April 21, 2021 to May 1, 2021.

The CES is a household-based survey on the consumers’ assessment of their family income, financial situation, and the economic condition of the country. It is a complementary survey to the Business Expectations Survey (BES) of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and is administered on a sample basis at the household level drawn through a stratified multi-stage random sampling with total sample of about 5,000 households.

The CES is a joint undertaking between the PSA and the BSP conducted on a quarterly basis. The PSA’s responsibility is to undertake the data collection while generation of tables and analysis of the results is done by the BSP.

The survey aims to provide a quick and regular assessment of the financial condition of consumers and economic condition of the country at present and in the near future, from the consumers’ own viewpoints; generate forecasts in the direction of the country’s economic activity based on consumers’ outlook in the current quarter, next quarter and the next 12 months; provide quick and regular assessment of consumers’ confidence in terms of their income and expenditures as well as their outlook on key economic indicators closely monitored by the BSP such as inflation, exchange rate and interest rates; provide quick and regular assessment of the saving condition of consumers at present; and provide a quick and regular assessment of the outstanding debt situation of the household head, their spouse/partner, their children and other family members at present.

PSA – La Union hired two Statistical Researchers (SRs) who underwent a two-day training on April 19 – 20, 2021. They will be enumerating a total of four barangays consisting 60 sample household.

The PSA enjoins the support of the Local Government Units (LGUs) and cooperation of sample households involved in providing truthful, complete and accurate information to the SRs. Like any other surveys undertaken by the PSA, the respondents are assured that the data that will be collected from the April 2021 CES shall be covered by the confidentiality of information clause under Section 26 of Republic Act 10625. The data that will be gathered in the survey are for statistical purposes only and will be published in summary forms.

Furthermore, PSA assures the public that minimum public health and safety standards against COVID-19 during all phases of the field operations will be strictly implemented. Hired SRs will likewise observe all protocols laid down by the Local Government Units (LGUs).

SGD DANITES E. TEÑIDO, Ph.D.
Chief Statistical Specialist