The third level training on April 2018 Labor Force Survey with a rider survey on the awareness of a newly created agency, Philippine Competition Commission, was conducted on April 5-6, 2018 at Panda Tea Garden Suites, Tagbilaran City, Bohol. It was attended by SS ll Fidel R. Antopina Jr., RO1 Epifania H. Antopina and AAVl Kevin O. Marasigan as the trainers and nine hired statistical researchers namely Carol T. Suarez, Rosana Sarigumba, Marichu Dospueblos, Sydney Don Ganzon, Agnes Tuba, Marjun Hibaya, Nely Yucot, Nilfa Calooy and Archie Claracay. Most of the hired statistical researchers already have  an experience with this survey.

The topics include the implementation of the master sample, concepts and operational definitions of the survey. Issues and concerns in updating the master sample list was discussed first giving emphasis on how to proceed given different cases. Problems encountered during field operation, its solutions and actions taken by the ENs and supervisors’ experiences on the past labor force survey undertakings were as well presented.

Trainers also oriented the enumerators on how to accomplish the LFS questionnaire with the use of the Computer Aided Data Collection System (CADacS) highlighting the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) rider questions. Translation of the questions to our own dialect, cautious enough not to change its meaning and objectives, was a great problem - how to deal and ask the questions that it could be easily understood by the respondents especially to less educated people or for those who are living in remote areas where education is not a priority. Each enumerator was tasked to do his part for questions that need to have a “visayan” translation specifically on Q7 & Q8, AWARENESS ON PCA PROVISSIONS and PERCEPTION ON ANTI COMPETITIVE BEHAVIORS. Consolidation of solicited translations was done and encoded at the Provincial Office.

Throughout the training, all of them gave inputs and techniques on how they can perform the tasks effectively and efficiently. They even shared a copy of the common codes of the PSIC and PSOC in order for them to identify it quickly and to save more time in the field operation.

The enumeration for the 2018 April LFS round officially started on April 10, 2018 for April 09, Monday, falls on a holiday. Training, field operation and data gathering had a maximum of twenty (20) mandays including uploading of data files. There were 370 interviewed respondents, 40 vacant housing units and 43 permanently moved out respondents. This undertaking was made successful through the collective effort of the involved personnel.