The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) granted clearance for the conduct of the 2023 Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS). The 2023 CBMS is spearheaded by the PSA and will be conducted in coordination with selected local government units (LGUs), the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).

Under Republic Act (RA) No. 11315 or the CBMS Act, it aims to:

1. Adopt a community-based monitoring system that generates updated and disaggregated data necessary for targeting beneficiaries;
2. Conduct a more comprehensive poverty analysis and needs prioritization;
3. Design appropriate policies and interventions;
4. Provide a mechanism for impact monitoring over time;

5. Provide information that will enable a system of public spending that warrants government allocation on areas and populace that are most wanting;

6. Establish a data collection, data sharing, and information management system which shall respect the fundamental human right to privacy, ensure data quality, and uphold data protection principles of legitimate purpose, transparency, and proportionality;
7. Establish CBMS database at the national and city/municipal level; and
8. Generate relevant statistics at higher levels that will complement and supplement the local level data.

Most of the expenses for the 2023 CBMS, which includes training, wages of hired CBMS enumerators and data processors, printing of questionnaires and ICT equipment manuals (tablets and desktops computers), will be shouldered by participating LGUs. As of 13 March 2023, about 1.2 million households from 33 participating LGUs will be interviewed. The PSA will provide technical assistance and close supervision.

Data collection will start in March 2023 and the results are targeted to be released between November to December 2023.

Major data items to be collected in this undertaking include the following:

1. Data on the demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the population as well as selected household-level and housing characteristics, the security of households, specifically crime victimization, social protection programs, and climate change and disaster risk management;

2. Data on general information about the barangay LGU, physical characteristics of the barangay, service institutions, infrastructures, information and communications technology (ICT), and budgetary information of the barangay LGU; and

3. General information about service facilities, government projects and natural resources.

The 2022 CBMS was reviewed and cleared for conduct under the Statistical Survey Review and Clearance System (SSRCS), a mechanism being implemented by the PSA by virtue of Rule 28 of Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 10625 to:

1. ensure sound design for data collection;
2. minimize the burden placed upon respondents;
3. effect economy in statistical data collection;
4. eliminate unnecessary duplication of statistical data collection efforts; and
5. achieve better coordination of government statistical activities.

In line with this, the PSA enjoins the public in all participating LGUs, to support the 2023 CBMS by providing the required information to authorized PSA interviewers who will visit the households and barangays to conduct a personal interview.

For further information on SSRCS, please contact the Statistical Standards Division of the Standards Service with telephone numbers (02) 8376-1928 and (02) 8376-1931, and email address ssd.staff@psa.gov.ph.

DENNIS S. MAPA, Ph.D.
Undersecretary
National Statistician and Civil Registrar General

See more at the Statistical Survey Review and Clearance System (SSRCS) landing page.