Reference No.

16ESSS-043

OFFICE MEMORANDUM 2016 - 029

TO

: ALL REGIONAL DIRECTORS, PROVINCIAL STATISTICS OFFICERS and OICs

SUBJECT : Conduct of 2015 Annual Survey of Philippine Business and Industry (ASPBI)
and 2015 Survey on Information and Communication Technology (SICT)

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) will be conducting the 2015 ASPBI and its rider
survey, the 2015 SICT. The 2015 ASPBI aims to collect and generate information on the levels,
structure, performance and trends of economic activities of the formal sector of the economy in
the entire country, while the 2015 SICT will generate information on the availability, distribution
and access/utilization of ICT among establishments.
This Office Memorandum contains guidelines to ensure uniformity in implementing various field
operation activities of the 2015 ASPBI and 2015 SICT.
A. Timetable of Activities
Activities
Preparatory Activities
a. Preparation of questionnaires and manual,
clearance process, sample selection, cost
estimate, etc.
b. Publicity and Information Campaign
c. Recruitment of Statistical Researchers, if any

Timetable
Beginning

End

December 2015

March 2016

February 2016

April 2016

March 2016

Training on Field Operation and Manual

Processing
a. Task Force Training

22 February 2016

24 February 2016

28 March 2016

30 March 2016

6 April 2016

8 April 2016

a. Addressing of Questionnaires

11 April 2016

12 April 2016

b. Distribution of Questionnaires

13 April 2016

20 May 2016

b. Second Level Training *

c. Third Level Training
Field Operation

c. Respondents Forum

Any half-day in April 2016

* except for NCR which will be on 21-23 March 2016

PSA-CVEA Building, East Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines 1101
Telephone: (632) 462-6600 loc. 822 and 805 Fax (632) 462 6600 loc. 825
www.psa.gov.ph

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Timetable of Activities (concluded)

Activities

Timetable
Beginning

End

d. Collection and Field Editing of Questionnaires

2 May 2016

15 July 2016

e. CO Spot-checking

anytime from
16 May 2016
1 July 2016

f. Manual Processing

9 May 2016

29 July 2016

a. Task Force Training

24 May 2016

26 May 2016

b. Second Level Training

14 June 2016

16 June 2016

a. Machine processing at PO

27 June 2016

30 September 2016

b. Submission of Questionnaires to CO

8 August 2016

7 October 2016

c. Receipt and Control of Questionnaires at CO

15 August 2016

14 October 2016

d. Data Validation at CO

15 August 2016

29 December 2016

January 2017

March 2017

February 2017

April 2017

May 2017

September 2017

August 2017

October 2017

Field Operation (continued)

Training on Machine Processing

Data Processing

Tabulation and Dissemination

a. Generation and Analysis of Preliminary
Tables
b. Preparation of Special Releases (Preliminary
Results)
c. Generation and Analysis of Final Tables
d. Preparation of Special Releases (Final
Results)
e. National and Regional Data Dissemination
f. Preparation of manuscript for publication

any half day in December 2017

January 2018

March 2018

B. Recruitment of Statistical Researchers (SRs)

1. Considering the workload, available mandays and the duration of the field operations, NCR
District Offices and selected PSOs need to hire SRs to augment the regular staff in the
distribution, collection and processing of the ASPBI and SICT questionnaires. In the hiring
of SRs, preference shall be given to those with computer skills and/or with the accounting
background.
2. The workload, number of SRs to be hired and the corresponding mandays by province will
be sent to all Field Offices on or before 15 March 2016.

PSA-CVEA Building, East Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines 1101

Telephone: (632) 462-6600 loc. 822 and 805 Fax (632) 462 6600 loc. 825
www.psa.gov.ph

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3. The contract of service for the SRs shall be paid in accordance with the prescribed hiring
rates in their respective region.

C. Publicity
1. Field Offices (FOs) are encouraged to prepare their own publicity program to drum up
support and cooperation for the conduct of the 2015 ASPBI and 2015 SICT. A sample of the
streamer will be provided by the Economic Sector Statistics Service (ESSS). The streamer
shall be displayed in conspicuous places in the FOs for the duration of the 2015 ASPBI and
2015 SICT operation. Budget for one streamer for each region and province shall be
included in the cost estimate for supplies.
2. As part of the publicity campaign, a T-shirt with the name of the two surveys printed on it
shall be provided to regular staff including hired SRs involved in the 2015 ASPBI and 2015
SICT. FOs will be responsible for the procurement of the T-shirts for their respective office.
Expenses for the T-shirt will be included in the cost estimate that will be sent to the
Regional Office.
3. Enumerators will also be provided with bags and umbrellas bearing the name of the 2015
ASPBI and 2015 SICT. The enumerators bags and umbrellas shall be procured at the
Central Office.
D. Shipment of Questionnaires, Manuals and Other Survey Materials
1. The field operation and processing manuals and survey questionnaires shall be sent directly
by the printer to the FOs.
2. Pre-printed copies of the address stubs, transparent plastic envelope for encasing the
questionnaire, control lists, enumerators bags and umbrellas shall be sent by Central Office
to the PSOs following the procedures for shipment.
3. The Field Offices shall be provided with budget for the training and field operation supplies
such as pencil, ballpen, eraser, sharpener, bond paper, duplo ink, including budget for the
t-shirts and streamer, which shall be procured by FOs based on the allocation sent by the
ESSS.
E. Training on Field Operation and Manual Processing
1. There will be three levels of training on Field Operations and Manual Processing: Task
Force (TF), second level and third level. The TF training will be held on 22-24 February
2016.
2. The second level training will be conducted in the Regional Statistical Services Offices
(RSSOs) on 28-30 March 2016. Participants to this training are the Regional Directors
(RDs), SOCD Heads, Regional Statisticians or designated regional Focal Persons,
Provincial Statistics Officers (PSOs), Provincial Statisticians or designated provincial Focal
Persons for the 2015 ASPBI and 2015 SICT. TF participants will serve as the trainers.
PSA-CVEA Building, East Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines 1101
Telephone: (632) 462-6600 loc. 822 and 805 Fax (632) 462 6600 loc. 825
www.psa.gov.ph

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3. In the case of Zamboanga City, the assigned Statistical Specialist II or Statistical Analyst
and hired SRs shall attend the 2nd level training at RSSO IX.
4. The third level training will be conducted in the PSOs and NCR Districts on 6-8 April 2016.
Participants to this training are the Statistical Specialist II and Statistical Analyst who will be
involved in the 2015 ASPBI and 2015 SICT, and hired SRs, if any. Second level training
participants will serve as the trainers, assisted by a Central Office staff, if necessary.
5. Included in the budget for the second and third level trainings are provisions for meal
allowance for two snacks and lunch for participants and trainers. An amount of P300 per
day per participant is allotted for this purpose. No deduction in the allowable per diem of
participants shall be made because of this provision.
F. Focal Person
Provincial Statistics Officer shall designate a provincial Focal Person to supervise the
manual and machine processing of the 2015 ASPBI and 2015 SICT. Likewise, the RD shall
also designate a regional Focal Person to assist him in monitoring, coordinating and
supervising the conduct of the said surveys in the entire region.
G. Scanning and Addressing of Questionnaires
1. The PSOs shall be responsible for the scanning and addressing of the questionnaires.
Before addressing, check the pages of the questionnaires if these are complete, in proper
sequence, and with readable print. Only one questionnaire shall be provided for each
sample establishment.
2. For contingency purposes, RSSOs and PSOs will be provided with additional
questionnaires and blank address stubs equivalent to approximately 10 percent of their total
workload.
H. Referrals
1. Questionnaires may be referred by a branch to its main office, or vice-versa, for proper
accomplishment. Partially accomplished questionnaires may also be referred to another
office to complete the information for a particular establishment.
2. Ascertain cases of referrals within fifteen calendar days after distribution. Referrals shall be
transmitted to the receiving province within one month after distribution.
3. For referrals to any province within the region, the questionnaire shall be transmitted directly
to the RSSO (transmittal letter cc: ESSS-RCU) who in turn shall transmit the questionnaires
to the concerned province.
4. For referrals outside the region, the questionnaire/s shall be transmitted directly to ESSSRCU (transmittal letter cc: RSSO) 15 calendar days after distribution. The ESSS-RCU shall
then forward the questionnaire/s to the concerned province (transmittal letter cc: RSSO of
receiving province).
PSA-CVEA Building, East Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines 1101
Telephone: (632) 462-6600 loc. 822 and 805 Fax (632) 462 6600 loc. 825
www.psa.gov.ph

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5. Be sure that all cases of referrals contain the name of the contact person, designation,
email address, telephone or fax number and address of the office being referred to.
6. The workload by province shall be adjusted by the ESSS to reflect the number of referrals.
A separate consolidated status and progress reports shall be prepared by the ESSS to
differentiate the performance of a field office based on its original workload and its revised
workload due to new referrals.
I.

Standard Output for Distribution and Collection

1. The PSOs will be responsible for the distribution, collection and data processing of the
ASPBI and SICT questionnaires.
2. The standard output for distribution is six questionnaires per day while for collection, two
questionnaires per day.
3. Provisions for call backs during collection are included in the cost estimate.
J. Training on Machine Processing
1. There will be two levels of training on machine processing, TF and 2nd level training. The
TF will be conducted on 24-26 May 2016. Participants to this training shall serve as trainers
during the second level training.
2. The second level training will be conducted in the RSSOs on 14-16 June 2016. Participants
to this training are the designated regional and provincial Focal Persons, receipt and control
clerks, data encoders and data processors. If necessary, SRs will be hired to augment the
regular staff.
K. Machine Processing
1. Machine processing of ASPBI and SICT questionnaires shall be undertaken in all PSOs.
2. An online system called the Establishments Data Management System (EDMS) will be
utilized for the machine processing. This includes online data entry and structural and
consistency edits.
L. Submission of Narrative and Financial Reports
1. Narrative report on field operation and data processing for the province shall be submitted
to RSSO 15 days after the provincial deadline while the consolidated narrative report for the
region to Office of the Assistant National Statistician of ESSS, copy furnished
esss.staff@psa.gov.ph, 30 calendar days after the last provincial deadline.

PSA-CVEA Building, East Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines 1101

Telephone: (632) 462-6600 loc. 822 and 805 Fax (632) 462 6600 loc. 825
www.psa.gov.ph

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2. Financial Report on field operation and data processing for the province shall be submitted
to RSSO 30 calendar days after the provincial deadline while the consolidated financial
report for the region to Office of the Assistant National Statistician of ESSS, copy furnished
esss.staff@psa.gov.ph, 45 calendar days after the last provincial deadline.
M. Census Compliance Project
1. During ASPBI and SICT operations, there may be respondents who refuse to submit timely
and accurate information. To address this situation, Memorandum Circular 2014-09 dated
21 October 2014 - Guidelines of PSA on Census Compliance Project (CCP) was issued by
the National Statistician.
2. The CCP shall require all uncooperative respondents to accomplish the questionnaire
pursuant to Section 25 - Obligation to Provide lnformation, Section 26 - Confidentiality of
lnformation, and Section 27 - Penalties of RA 10625.
3. ln order to guarantee the effective implementation of the CCP throughout the entire country,
the Regional Directors/OlCs are authorized to create the CCP in their respective regions in
coordination with the Legal Services Unit (LSU).
4. Guidelines in the implementation of the CCP to provide for the uniform completion of the
CCP throughout the country are contained in the 2015 ASPBI Field Operation and
Processing Manual.

For your guidance and compliance.

LISA GRACE S. BERSALES, Ph. D

National Statistician

1 March 2016

RSR/DAR

PSA-CVEA Building, East Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines 1101

Telephone: (632) 462-6600 loc. 822 and 805 Fax (632) 462 6600 loc. 825
www.psa.gov.ph

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