Question & AnswerQ&A (PROCLAMATION NO. 362)
Section 2 of Commonwealth Act No. 591 authorizes the National Statistics Office (NSO) to collect statistics and other information concerning the population and to conduct investigations and studies for statistical purposes.
Batas Pambansa Blg. 72 authorizes the NSO to conduct population censuses every ten years starting in 1980, including special censuses as approved by the National Economic and Development Authority.
Executive Order No. 121 designates the NSO as the major statistical agency responsible for generating general purpose statistics and for conducting censuses and surveys designated by the National Statistical Coordination Board.
Presidential Proclamation No. 2028 declared May 2010 as the National Census Month and instructed all government agencies and LGUs to support and implement the operational plans of the NSCB through the NSO for the 2010 Census of Population and Housing.
The 2010 Census of Population and Housing was conducted by the NSO in May to June 2010 with May 1, 2010, as the reference date.
According to Section 8 of BP Blg. 72, population counts become official only upon proclamation by the President of the Philippines.
President Benigno S. Aquino III proclaimed the official 2010 population of the Philippines.
The proclamation declares the official 2010 population by province, city/municipality, and barangay.
Once declared official by the President, the population counts are recognized for all legal and administrative purposes, including planning, allocation of resources, and representation.
The National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB), through the NSO, is responsible for issuing operational plans and directives for the census.