On behalf of the Inter-Agency Task Force's Technical Working Group (IATF-TWG) on Anticipatory and Forward Planning, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) will conduct the Business Rapid Assessment Survey for Agriculture and Fisheries (BRASAF).The said undertaking will be a rider survey to eight (8) agriculture and fisheries surveys of the PSA, namely Palay Production Survey (PPS), Corn Production Survey (CPS), Crops Production Survey (CrPS), Commercial Livestock and Poultry Survey (CLPS), Quarterly Commercial Fisheries Surveys (QCFS), Quarterly Municipal Fisheries Surveys (QMFS), Quarterly Inland Fisheries Surveys (QIFS) and Quarterly Aquaculture Surveys (QAqS).

Results generated from the survey will be used by the TWG on Anticipatory and Forward Planning to assess the impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) to the agriculture and fishing activities in the country. Furthermore, the survey aims to provide necessary information in the design of appropriate policies and recommendations to help stimulate the economy to adapt to the "new normal"in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Data items to be collected in the survey are as follows:

• agricultural activities undertaken during the past three months;
• information on whether agriculture and fishery businesseswere able to continue the agricultural activity despite ECQ;
• information on selling ofagriculture and fishery produce during the ECQ;
• intention to engage in agriculture and fishing activities in the next months after the ECQ is lifted; and
• assistance needed from the government to continue the farming/livestock/fishing activities in the next months.

The eight PSA agriculture and fisheries surveys, which include BRASAF as a rider survey, will be administered to sample respondents in May 2020.

The undertaking 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 (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) No. 10625 to:

• ensure sound design for data collection,
• minimize the burden placed upon respondents,
• effect economy in statistical data collection,
• eliminate unnecessary duplication of statistical data collection efforts, and
• achieve better coordination of government statistical activities.

In line with this, the PSA enjoins the public to support the said survey.

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

CLAIRE 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.