To capacitate local government units (LGUs) before the conduct of the Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS) geotagging and mapping operations, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) held a simultaneous provincial level training for the 2022-23 CBMS Geotagging and Processing of Service Institutions and Infrastructure, and Government Projects (CBMS Form 5) for the participating local government units funding their own operations. This was held on 11 to 14 September and 18 to 21 September 2023 in 18 provinces nationwide. The training was led by representatives from the PSA field offices and the  Geospatial Management Division of the Community-Based Statistics Service.

The training participants were equipped with the following pertinent information related to the CBMS: Monitoring and Tracking System (MTS), Geographic Information System (GIS) concepts, applications such as QGIS, QField, and FolderSync, among others. Step-by-step procedures on map data collection, map data processing, and a detailed discussion and demonstration of the MTS were also performed in the training. The MTS shall be utilized by the LGUs and PSA Field Offices to monitor the progress of the CBMS Form 5 operations.

Duties and responsibilities of each personnel who will be involved in the geotagging operations were also discussed during the training.

After the provincial level training, the city/municipality-level training followed to capacitate the rest of the LGU personnel who are involved in the CBMS Form 5 field operations. The field operations are ongoing in 320 LGUs and are expected to be completed by the end of November 2024. The CBMS Form 5 allows the collection of data, including the location data on the service facilities and government projects in a particular enumeration area.

For more information and latest announcements on the CBMS, you may visit the PSA CBMS webpage at www.psa.gov.ph/cbms.

- Community-Based Statistics Service, Censuses and Technical Coordination Office