05 February 2024 – GUIMARAS. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Guimaras Provincial Statistical Office is currently conducting the 2023 National Information and Communications Technology Household Survey (NICTHS) covering 194 households (HHs) in the province of Guimaras.

The 192 sample HHs were from the 13 Enumeration Areas (EAs) covering 12 barangays from the four municipalities: 97 HHs in Buenavista,33 HHs in Nueva Valencia, 25 HHs in San Lorenzo, and 19 HHs in Sibunag.

The Brgys in Buenavista with sample households were: Getulio (16HHs), Salvacion (21HHs), Tastasan (18HHs), Dagsaan (5HHs), San Pedro (22HHS), and San Nicolas (15HHs). 

In Nueva Valencia municipality, the chosen HHs were from barangay Concordia Sur, Salvacion, and Canhawa, with 10, 22, and 21 samples, respectively. 

Other sample HHs were from the barangays of San Lorenzo: Aguilar (12HHs), and Cabano (13HHs), while only 19HHs in Brgy. Tanglad, Sibunag will be enumerated.

The PSA implemented the NICTHS in coordination with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), which aims to gather updated household data and individual Information and Communications Technology (ICT) necessary for producing internationally comparable core ICT indicators.

Provincial Statistics Officer Nelida B. Losare expounded that the information gathered will also serve as valuable input in monitoring existing programs and project development and formulation of future policies geared towards the advancements of ICT in the country.

She also elucidated that the survey will support evidence-based policies and plans for the improved implementations of ICT services in the coming years. It is also a crucial step towards monitoring the performance indicators in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Philippine Development Plan (PDP) Result Matrix, DICT plans, and international benchmarking indices.

“The major data items in the survey include Demographics; Access, availability, usage, and ownership of ICT; E-waste awareness and disposal practices; Compliance with SIM card registration; Participation in digital economy/e-commerce; Experience with technology-enabled incidents; other indicators like functional difficulties due to health problems, artificial intelligence, emergency, and disaster preparedness,” Losare said.

Losare also highlighted that the survey questionnaires were reviewed by the Technical Working Group (TWG) and cleared for conduct under the Statistical Survey Review and Clearance System (SSRCS), a mechanism implemented by the PSA under Rule 28 of Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) No. 10625 to ensure sound design for data collection; minimize the burden placed upon the respondent, effect economy in statistical data collection; eliminate unnecessary duplication of statistical data collection efforts; and achieve better coordination of government statistical activities. 

“So, the PSA encourages all the sample households, individuals, and barangays to participate in the 2023 NICTHS by providing truthful information to our hired enumerators. Authorized PSA interviewers will visit the sample households, individuals, and barangays to conduct personal interviews that officially started on the 5th day until the 29th day of February,” Losare said. 

“The PSA Guimaras hired one (1) Team Supervisor and two (2 statistical Researchers that underwent training from January 29 until February 1, 2024,” Losare added.