The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) – La Union Provincial Statistical Office undertakes the 2021 Labor Force Survey (LFS)with School-to-Work transition rider questions of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and Gender-sensitive Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) related questions under the United Nations (UN) Women project on January 8 to 31, 2021 integrating the use of tablet with Computer Aided Data Collection System (CADaCS).

The LFS is a nationwide quarterly survey of households conducted by the PSAthat involves the collection of data on labor and employment and gathers demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the labor force.It aims to provide a quantitative framework for the preparation of plans and formulation of policies affecting the labor market.

The CHED’s rider questions on theschool-to-work transition aim to provide data support on the challenge to shorten the school-to-work transition and raise youth employment rate and determine the impact of COVID-19 on labor and school participation.  These will be asked to household members 17 years old and over who are at least college level from 2010 onwards.

Meanwhile, the UN Women’s rider questions aim to collect data on the gendered impacts or consequences of COVID-19 and will be asked to household members 15 years old and over.

The January 2021 LFS has a national sample of approximately 44,000 housing units deemed sufficient to provide reliable estimates at the national and regional levels.  In La Union, six hired Statistical Researchers (SRs) under the supervision of the Chief Statistical Specialist and the LFS Provincial Focal Personwill visit and interview randomly selected 397 sample housing units in 24 enumeration areas.

The PSA assures that all hired SRs are in good health condition and will strictly follow precautionary measures against COVID-19 such as observance of social distancing, wearing of face mask/shield, and proper hygiene and sanitation during all phases of field operation.

The PSA enjoins the support of the Local Government Units (LGUs) and cooperation of sample households in providing truthful, complete and accurate information to the enumerators. The information gathered will ultimately serve as a vital input in evidence-based planning and decision-making. The respondents are assured that data to be collected in the survey shall be covered by the confidentiality of information clause under Section 26 of Republic Act 10625.  Protection of privacy of participants is also ensured in accordance with the Data Privacy Act of 2012, wherein responses will be treated with utmost confidentiality.  ###

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