RSCC I Resolution No. 02, s.2009

REQUESTING THE NATIONAL STATISTICS OFFICE (NSO) TO PROVIDE LOWER DISAGGREGATION OF THE EMPLOYMENT, AND FAMILY INCOME AND EXPENDITURE DATA BEING GENERATED FROM THE LABOR FORCE SURVEY (LFS) AND THE FAMILY INCOME AND EXPENDITURE SURVEY (FIES), AND TO GENERATE AND RELEASE OTHER CRITICAL DATA ON INCOME AND SAVINGS

WHEREAS, the NSO conducts the LFS every quarter to provide statistics on levels and trends of employment, unemployment and underemployment with the objective of providing a quantitative framework for the preparation of plans and formulation of policies affecting the labor market;

WHEREAS,the NSO conducts FIES every three years to: 1) gather data on income and family living expenditures and related information affecting income and expenditure levels and patterns; 2) determine the sources of income and income distribution, levels of living and expenditure patterns, and the degree of inequality among families; 3) provide benchmark information to update weights in the estimation of consumer price index; 4) provide information in the estimation of the country's poverty threshold and incidence;

WHEREAS, the data generated from the LFS and FIES used to be disaggregated up to the provincial level allowing the conduct of information-based program preparation,  policy formulation, monitoring and evaluation at the provincial level;

WHEREAS, the use of a new sampling design and master frame for all household-based surveys of the NSO allowed only the regional  disaggregation of the data from the LFS and FIES;

WHEREAS, data users in the region, particularly the local government units, have been clamoring for a lower disaggregation of the data from the LFS and FIES to support the crafting of policies and program interventions which are done by provincial/city and municipal governments;

WHEREAS, there is a need to revisit the existing sampling design and master frame of NSO’s household-based surveys to respond to the clamor for lower level data in support to  the country’s decentralization thrust and countryside development program;

WHEREAS, data users in the region have been requesting the generation and release   of other critical data  from the FIES such as: 1)  supplementary sources of income (cash or non-cash) in addition to those derived from major employment or occupation; and 2) form of savings (thru banks, kept at home, etc.);

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, AS IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED, to request the  NSO to provide lower disaggregation of the employment, and family income and expenditure data being generated from the LFS and FIES, and to generate and release other critical data on income and savings;

APPROVED, this 25th day of March 2009  in San Fernando City, La Union.