The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) – La Union Provincial Statistical Office conducts the January 2022 Labor Force Survey (LFS) together with its rider survey, the 2021 Family Income and Expenditure Survey (2021 FIES) Second Visit on January 10 to 31, 2022 integrating the Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) application using tablet as a method of data collection during field enumeration.

The January 2022 LFS is a nationwide quarterly survey of households conducted by the PSA to gather data on the demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the population.   The LFS aims to measure the current state of the country’s labor market and is used to calculate national and regional employment indicators to provide a quantitative framework for the preparation of plans and formulation of policies affecting the labor market. 

Meanwhile, the FIES is a survey on family income and expenditure of households undertaken by the PSA across the country. The 2021 FIES is the nineteenth survey conducted from the time it started in 1957.  It is the main source of data on family income and expenditures in the Philippines and is conducted every three years.  It aims to gather data on family income, sources of income, family expenditure and related information affecting family income and expenditure levels and patterns in the Philippines; to determine the income distribution, levels of living and spending patterns, and the degree of inequality among families; to provide benchmark information to update the weights used in the estimation of Consumer Price Index (CPI); and to provide inputs in the estimation of the country’s poverty threshold and incidence.   The data that will be generated from this survey shall be used to provide inputs in the estimation of the country’s poverty threshold and incidence and will serve as the basis of the government for its social and economic development planning and decision-making.

The 2021 FIES is conducted in two separate operations, as a rider to the July 2021 LFS last year, and the January 2022 LFS this year. The first round in July 2021 gathers data for the period January 1 to June 30, 2021 while the second round this January 2022 will gather data for the period July 1 to December 31, 2021. The 2021 FIES adopts the 2020 Philippine Classification of Individual Consumption According to Purpose (PCOICOP) in classifying the expenditure items of the family. 

The LFS gathers employment characteristics of the population based on a “past week” reference period while the FIES gathers data on the family’s income and expenditure on a semestral basis. The family members enumerated in the LFS will be the subjects of inquiry of the FIES. The same unique identification of the family/household will be used in both surveys.

Furthermore, the 2022 LFS and 2021 FIES Visit 2 has a national sample of approximately 180,000 housing units deemed sufficient to provide reliable estimates at the national, regional, provincial levels and selected Highly Urbanized Cities (HUCs).  In La Union, a total of 1,625 randomly selected housing units will be visited by 58 hired Statistical Researchers (SRs) and two Assistant Provincial Focal Persons.   In preparation for the conduct of said surveys, the hired field personnel attended a seven-day provincial level training on January 3 to 9, 2022 at Marand Resort and Spa, Baccuit Sur, Bauang, La Union.

The authority and mandate of the PSA to the January 2022 LFS and 2021 FIES emanates from Republic Act (RA) No. 10625 - creating and mandating the PSA to prepare and conduct statistical sample surveys on all aspects of socioeconomic life including agriculture, industry, trade, finance, prices and marketing information, income and expenditures, education, health, culture and social situations as well as the government and the political sector for the use of the government and the public.

The PSA appeals for the support of the Local Government Units (LGUs) and cooperation of sample households in this endeavor by providing truthful, complete and accurate information to the SRs.   Section 25 of RA 10625 (Obligation to Provide Information) stipulates that all respondents whether natural or legal persons are required to provide truthful and complete information to all statistical inquiries or surveys conducted by the PSA. 

Respondents for both surveys are assured that all personnel involved are required to keep in strict confidentiality any information obtained during the survey that pertains to any particular household or individual person as stipulated in Section 26 of RA 10625 and Section 8 of RA 10173 or the Data Privacy Act.  All data obtained herein shall be held strictly confidential, and will not be used for taxation, investigation, or law enforcement purposes.

The PSA assures the public that all personnel involved in this undertaking are in good health condition and will strictly follow minimum public health and safety standards against the COVID-19 in all phases of the field operation.  They shall likewise observe all protocols laid down by the LGUs.  ###

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

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