The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Marinduque Provincial Statistical Office (PSO) is currently conducting the First Quarter 2024 Municipal Fisheries Survey (QMFS), from 02 January 2024 to 30 March 2024. The PSA's authority and mandate to conduct this survey emanates from Republic Act (RA) 10625, or the Philippine Statistical Act of 2013, which authorizes the PSA to prepare and conduct surveys and periodic censuses on various sectors of the economy.

The QMFS is one of the fisheries subsectors. It covers fishing operations in marine waters within 15 kilometers from the shoreline by fishing boats with three (3) gross tons or less. The Quarterly Municipal Fisheries Survey (QMFS) serves as the activity that gathers information on volume and price of species unloaded in the municipal landing center, as well as information on gear used, fishing effort and fishing ground. The said survey aims to generate volume and value of municipal fisheries production by species at the provincial, regional and national levels.

In Marinduque, there are twelve municipal landing centers, which are all classified as traditional landing centers, located in the municipalities of Buenavista, Gasan, Mogpog, Santa Cruz and Torrijos. Traditional landing center is an area where fisherfolks could unload and trade their catch and/or dock their fishing boats without any obligation or payment for the use of the place. The sampling frame used for the QMFS was the result of the Listing of Marine Fish Landing Centers (LMFLC) which was conducted last September 2021. Accordingly, nine Statistical Researchers (SRs) were hired to conduct personal interviews. 

PSA assures that SRs will continue to strictly adhere to proper health protocols when dealing with respondents. In line with this, the sample qualified fisherfolks are encouraged to participate in this nationwide undertaking by providing accurate and necessary information. 

Pursuant to Section 19 of Republic Act (RA) No. 10173, known as the “Data Privacy Act of 2012,” all information that will be gathered will be treated with utmost confidentiality. Further, Section 26 of RA No. 10625 also stipulates that “individual data furnished by a respondent to statistical inquiries, surveys, and censuses conducted by the PSA shall be considered privileged communication and as such shall be inadmissible as evidence in any proceeding.” 

For further questions or clarification, please reach us via email at marinduque@psa.gov.ph. Alternatively, you can also reach us via our landline numbers: (042)332-0848 or (042)754-0024.

(SGD)GEMMA N. OPIS
Chief Statistical Specialist

GNO/MVL