The Survey of Innovation Activities by Establishments (SIA) was granted clearance on June 29, 2010 by the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) under its Statistical Survey Review and Clearance System (SSRCS). 
The new survey to be conducted by the National Statistics Office (NSO) in collaboration with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), aims to generate information on innovative behavior of establishments in selected areas and industries in the Philippines in order to determine the factors that drive their innovation performance, and to mainstream innovation-system approach in national policy-making.

The DOST designed the SIA as a systems-oriented and policy-relevant survey on innovation in response to the concern raised by the Filipinnovation Network on the urgency to measure innovation in the country, particularly in industries and sectors that drive the Philippine economy.  The objective is to provide empirical basis for designing policies consistent with the Philippine National Innovation Strategy as well as monitor their impacts over time.

The major data items to be collected from the survey include:  (1) type of products/process innovation; (2) expenditures by type of innovation activity; (3) sources of information and cooperation for innovation activity;
(4) effects of innovation activity; (5) factors hampering innovation activity;
(6) intellectual property rights for goods; (7) type of organizational/marketing/ knowledge management innovation introduced; (8) response to government innovation-related policies; (9) total turnover; (10) employment by sex;
(11) capital participation; and (12) general information about the establishments.  

The SIA questionnaires will be distributed and collected from August to September 2010, covering 500 establishments in Quezon City, Metro-Cebu (Cebu City, Lapu-lapu City and Mandaue City), Davao City and the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) areas in Cavite and Laguna.  Three major sectors are covered in the survey: (a) food manufacturing, (b) electronics manufacturing, and (c) information and communication technology, which includes IT manufacturing, ICT trade, software publishing, telecommunications services, hardware consultancy, other software and consultancy supply, other computer related activities, data processing, hosting and related activities, database activities and online distribution of electronic content, repair of computers and communication equipment, publishing activities, animated films and cartoons production, motion picture, video and television program production, sound recording and music publishing activities, call center, and medical transcription activities. 

A total of Php 1.75 million or Php 3,500.00 per establishment was allocated for the SIA to cover travelling expenses, supplies, printing expenses, communication, freight, training and others, the funding for which was granted by the International Development Research Center (IDRC). Tabulation and data evaluation are targeted to be accomplished on December 10, 2010 while submission of data files and statistical tables to DOST for analysis is scheduled on December 15, 2010.

The SSRCS is a mechanism institutionalized by the NSCB through Memorandum Circular Nos. 4-88 and 04-95, which aims to: (1) ensure sound design for data collection; (2) minimize the burden placed upon respondents; (3) effect economy in statistical data collection; (4) achieve better coordination of government statistical activities; and (5) inform the private sector and the public in general that a government survey operation has passed clearance and enjoin their cooperation in the conduct of the survey.

ROMULO A. VIROLA
Secretary General

Contact Persons:

Gay B. Tejada / Patricia Anne L. Rivera
Tel. No.: 8909404/8952436
E-mail: mgb.tejada@nscb.gov.ph / pal.rivera@nscb.gov.ph