TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, July 1 (PIA) -- Up to the task of enriching government data for policy decisions and economic development planning, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) gathered business and industry representatives to explain and secure their partnership in this year’s data survey and its riders.

During the Annual Survey of Philippine Business and Industries (ASPBI), Philippine Identification System and Civil Registry System Forum at the Kew Hotel on June 30, PSA Bohol Statistician Jessamyne Anne Alcazaren highlighted the importance of providing key measures on the levels, structure, performance, and trends of businesses and industries.

The ASPBI for 2021, which started in April, is in line with Republic Act (RA) No. 10625 or the Philippine Statistical Act of 2013 which authorizes the office to prepare and conduct periodic annual censuses on various sectors of economy.

Executive Order No. 352 also mandates the conduct of ASPBI every year.

Alcazaren rallied for support from the 45 sample business and industry representatives of the 485 business and industries registered in Bohol.

Already the 43rd in the series of annual surveys undertaken by the PSA since the 1956 Annual Survey of Manufacturers, the ASPBI which is ongoing in Bohol can be accessed online in the PSA website or by physically filling in the forms.

Since the filling in of honest, complete, and truthful information is important, PSA has assured respondents that the data furnished in the survey form would be treated in strict confidentiality as mandated by law.

The statement also came in the context that some representatives fear that the data they provide during the survey would also be used by the government against them, especially in cases of taxation where the business and industry tend to underreport sales to save on taxes.

The PSA also updated the representatives on the current implementation of the Philippine Identification System (PhilSYS).

Alcazaren bared that about 1.04 million Boholanos have gone through Step 2 or the basic registration and biometrics, and are already awaiting the release of their ID cards.

On the other hand, about 500,000 Boholanos have already received their PhilSYS cards. (RAHC/PIA7 Bohol)