The Philippines recognizes the significant challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic in the conduct of the 2020 round of the census of population and housing. The Philippine Statistics Authority or PSA had to reschedule the census from May 2020 to September 2020. Amid the unprecedented circumstances, the census received strong support from both the national and local governments, highlighting the critical role of updated demographic data in shaping projects, policies, and recovery plans for both the public and private sectors.

In the present year, the Philippine Statistics Authority will be conducting the mid-decade census. This is a significant development, as it is the first time that the Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS) has been integrated with the Census of Population. This integration will streamline data collection efforts, optimize government resources, and ensure the production of timely and high-quality statistics.

In preparation for this year’s Census of Population, the Philippines pursued consultations at the sub-national level and focus groups to gather feedback on the various phases/aspects of the past censuses. The development of questionnaires and data collection and processing systems are underway. Moreover, the PSA is forging collaboration with national government agencies and organizations to explore other efficient strategies in census enumeration, particularly for institutional living quarters. 

The Philippines encourages the Statistics Division to continuously monitor the developments and challenges in census implementation and supports the call for the development of clear and comprehensive guidelines in preparation for the 2030 round of population and housing census.

The Philippines appreciates the preparations for the 2030 round of censuses and the work of the international expert group in preparing the fourth revision of the Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses. 

Finally, the Philippines supports the passing of a resolution at the fifty-fifth session of the Commission to mark the kick-off of the 2030 World Programme on Population and Housing Censuses.