Fourteen (14) selected establishments and several households of various barangays from all over the country will be recognized by the National Statistics Office (NSO) for their continuing support and cooperation to its sample surveys on the occasion of its 59th Anniversary Celebration on 19 August 1999. Dr. Felipe Medalla, Secretary for Socio-economic planning and Director-General of the National Economic and Development Authority has been invited to witness the awarding ceremony which will be held at the Silid Sanayan, NSO Sta. Mesa.

The presentation of recognitions to NSO respondents is now on its third year and according to Administrator Tomas Africa "the tradition shall be continued and shall always be among the highlights of the agency’s anniversary celebration". Africa will be presenting the awards to be assisted by Deputy Administrator Nelia Marquez.

This year’s recipients of Gawad Pagpapahalaga for establishment surveys are Bibiana Farms and Mills, Inc., (Gen. Santos City, South Cotabato) for the agriculture sector; Allied Banking Corporation for the banking and finance sector; Mercury Group of Co., Inc. and Sycip Gorres, Velayo and Co. for the business services sector; Mary Chiles General Hospital (Sampaloc, Manila) for the community service sector; A.M. Oreta & Co., Inc. for the construction sector; MERALCO for electricity, gas and water sector; B.S. Lee Phils., Corp. (Rosario, Cavite), Foremost Farms, Inc. (Pasig City) and Yazaki-Torres Manufacturing, Inc. for the manufacturing sector, Philex Mining Corporation for the mining and quarrying sector; Analog Devices Inc. (General Trias, Cavite) for the export trade sector; Dagupan Bus Co. (Paranaque) for the transportation sector; and, National Bookstore, Inc. for the wholesale and retail trade sector.

Special citations will also be given to 612 individuals from 48 selected municipalities from all over the Philippines for their active participation and cooperation as respondents of NSO household surveys. Likewise, three barangay heads from various provinces in each of the 16 regions will also receive plaques of appreciation for the untiring support and assistance they have provided in their respective areas. Except for those in the National Capital Region, the presentation of the awards for recipients in other parts of the country will be held in similar ceremonies to be organized by the NSO regional offices.

Another major highlight of this year’s anniversary celebration is the launching of the newest and innovative approach adopted by the NSO in information dissemination. A demonstration and preview of some of the highlights of the results of the 1997 Family Income and Expenditure Survey and the 1995 Census of Population in CD-ROM version shall be spearheaded by the Information Resources Division.

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