Census enumeration has been progressing as expected in all but five provinces where it has been temporarily suspended due to armed conflict. These provinces are Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Sultan Kudarat North Cotabato and Lanao Norte.

Specifically, fighting in Maguindanao have disrupted census-taking in the municipalities of Matanog, Buldon, Barira, Pagalungan, Parang, Nuling, and Datu Odin Sinsuat. The towns of Mulondo, Tamparan, Malabang and Buadiposo Buntong in Lanao del Sur have not been penetrated by the enumerators. Similar municipalities in Sultan Kudarat include Palimbang, Lambayong. Pikit, Aleosan, Carmen, Mlang, and President Roxas are the affected towns in Cotabato. In Lanao Norte, the status of enumeration is still to be reported in the towns of Bacolod, Kauswagan, Matunggao, Munai, Malabang, Baloi, Linamon, Pantar, Maigo and Poona-Piagapo.

NSO officials drew contingency measures on May 11 and 12 should hostilities continue into June. To determine the population count to the nearest accuracy possible under the present circumstances, NSO will enumerate families in evacuation centers within the shortest possible time. Families will be asked where they were residing before the outbreak of hostilities in addition to the usual questions.

Normally, Census 2000 operations entail counting Filipinos in the exact location where they live during the enumeration period which started on May 1. This census also involves a complete enumeration of all housing structures in the country, occupied or vacant during Census time.

Census data need to be accurate as they serve as critical bases for allocating resources and revenue, policymaking, and creation of political units.

Administrator Tomas P. Africa stressed, however, that an accurate population count can still be derived even when many Mindanao households will have to be enumerated in evacuation centers or in other resettlements. The affected population is estimated to be only 1 percent of the total. But given these difficult circumstances, he admitted that determining how many people exactly live in particular barangays will be a constraint.

Nevertheless, he hopes that a more lasting ceasefire can be negotiated so that actual census taking in these provinces can proceed as planned.

While a few incidents of breakdown in peace and order has been reported in some areas in Agusan del Norte, Basilan, Sulu, and South Cotabato, teacher-enumerators were reported to have continued census work in these provinces.

Moreover while Mr.Ed Kabalu, Chairman of the Coordinating Committee on Cessation of Hostilities of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, announced the temporary suspension of Census 2000 in the MILF camps and controlled territories last May 1, he reassured that the census taking shall proceed with the understanding reached between the NSO and the Front "as soon as the turbulent situation returns to normal".