14 July 2025 — BANGUED, ABRA. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Provincial Statistical Office of Abra successfully completed the Third Level Training (TLT) on July 2025 Labor Force Survey (LFS) and the 2025 Family Income and Expenditure Survey (FIES) – Visit 1. Data collection in the different sample barangays in the province started immediately after the training.

The intensive TLT was conducted from June 30 to July 5 and July 7, 2025, which prepared the hired Statistical Researchers (SRs) and Team Supervisors (TS) who were deployed for this important data gathering activity. The training focused on ensuring a deep understanding of survey principles, standardized field operation protocols, and the use of Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) devices to guarantee the collection of accurate and quality data. Enumeration started on July 8, 2025 and will end on July 31, 2025, excluding Sunday. 

The July 2025 Labor Force Survey (LFS) is designed to capture a comprehensive data on the labor market in Abra and the entire country. The data collected will provide essential insights into employment, unemployment, and underemployment rates, which are vital for local and national policy formulation and program development aimed at creating more job opportunities and improving livelihood. Concurrently, the 2025 Family Income and Expenditure Survey (FIES) – Visit 1 will collect detailed nformation on family income and expenditure for the first semester of 2025 (January 1 to June 30, 2025). This survey is the primary source of data for understanding income distribution, living standards, spending patterns, and income inequality among families in Abra. The data from FIES is one input in the estimation of poverty statistics which is very important to various poverty reduction programs and social protection initiatives. A second visit for the FIES will be conducted in January 2026 to cover the latter half of the year.

The PSA Abra assures the public that all information furnished by the respondents will be treated with utmost confidentiality, strictly in accordance with the provisions of the Data Privacy Act of 2012 (Republic Act No. 10173) and Republic Act No. 10625 (Philippine Statistical Act of 2013). The collected data will be used purely for statistical purposes and will contribute to the national and provincial statistical databases.

The success of these surveys largely depends on the cooperation and support of the public. The selected sample households are requested to extend their full cooperation to the statistical researchers by providing accurate and complete information. Their participation is very important in providing reliable and quality statistics that will serve as basis for evidence-based planning and decision-making for the development of the province and the entire nation.