WHEREAS, Batas Pambansa Blg. 72 (s. 1980) mandates the conduct of an integrated census of population and housing every ten (10) years beginning in 1980;

WHEREAS, under Republic Act (RA) No. 10625 or the "Philippine Statistical Act of 2013," the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) shall prepare and conduct periodic censuses on population, housing and other sectors of the economy;

WHEREAS, Executive Order (EO) No. 352 (s. 1996) provides for the conduct of the census of population and housing every ten (10) years, primarily to take an inventory of the total population and housing units in the country and collect information about their characteristics;

WHEREAS, Proclamation No.928(s, 2020) declared May 2020 as National Census Month, with 01 May 2020 as the census reference date; and

WHEREAS, to provide government executives, policymakers, and planners with updated population and housing data on which to base their social and economic development plans and programs that will benefit the various sectors and local communities, it is imperative for the government to obtain a complete and accurate census count;

NOW, THEREFORE, the following are hereby ordered:

Section 1. The PSA Board shall act as the National Census Coordinating Board (NCCB) which shall issue such rules and regulations as may be necessary for the successful undertaking and completion of the May 2020 census.

Section 2. The PSA shall be the lead implementing agency which shall take ail steps necessary for the smooth conduct of the census and provide full-time support in planning and implementing activities for the census operations and ensure that the gathering, consolidation and analysis of census data shall be done in the most truthful and credible manner.

Section 3. All national government agencies, government-owned or -controlled corporations, government financial institutions, state universities and colleges and their attached agencies and instrumentalities are hereby directed, and all local government units, as well as the private sector, are enjoined to render prompt and necessary assistance to the NCCB, the PSA and the census boards at the local level in the conduct of the census, including related promotion, information dissemination and program coordination, subject to applicable laws, rules and regulations.

Section. 4.  The data collectors and processors shall perform their duties and responsibilities with utmost integrity and commitment in accordance with existing laws, rules and procedures.

Section 5. The PSA and its deputized officers and personnel shall protect and ensure the confidentiality of the data and information obtained from the respondents which will be held in strictest confidence and in accordance with RA No. 10173 or the "Data Privacy Act of 2012," and other relevant laws and regulations.

Section 6. This Circular shall take effect immediately.

DONE, in the City of Manila, this 13 th day of March, in the year of our Lord, Two Thousand and Twenty.

By authority of ther President:       (SGD.) SALVADOR C. MEIDIALDEA   Executive Secretary