Census to bring more positive changes in Aklan - NSO

KALIBO, Aklan - The 2007 Census of Population (POPCEN) will bring about possible and positive changes in Aklan.
This is according to Provincial Statistics Officer Blas Solidum of NSO-Aklan, in announcing the 2007 POPCEN to be conducted here in August.
Solidum said the Census is designed to take an inventory of the total population of the Philippines and collect information about their characteristics which are vital for the formulation of policies and programs for development.
Covered by this year’s census are all households in Aklan including household population and institutional population of hospitals, military camps and rehabilitation centers, according to Solidum.
The census will use a house-to-house approach to be conducted by some 212 private enumerators under the supervision of 41 team supervisors and 17 census area supervisors.
Solidum said NSO-Aklan will serve as “supervisors at large”. His office is currently coordinating with municipal mayors of the province through the Municipal Census Coordination Board for the recruitment of the census enumerators in their respective municipalities.
The census, which starts August 1, should not exceed 25 days.
“This 2007 Census of Population is very important. The last one was conducted in 2000 yet and with this year’s conduct, many changes will be discovered. For example, with the 2007 census result, it might already be possible for Aklan to be divided into two Congressional Districts; we will know how many Aklanons are now employed as well as those unemployed; what skills they possess so specific jobs will be determined; and how many disabled persons are in Aklan already so the government can plan and improve programs and services for them”, Solidum explained.
Solidum also said even foreigners will be counted in the census to know how many are settling in the province for a year or more.
Solidum said Aklan’s projected population for this year is at 516,000, but the factual one will be known once the POPCEN result is out. In hiring private enumerators, Solidum reasoned that the census schedule is in August with teachers already occupied in school, and requesting the teachers for the census will disrupt classes.