The Pasig City government has started a comprehensive survey of residents of condominiums and exclusive subdivisions, as part of its data-driven policymaking campaign.

Mayor Vico Sotto said the comprehensive survey is a prerequisite for the distribution of the Pasig Supplemental Social Amelioration Program (SAP) amounting to PHP8,000 per household.

“The survey is purely voluntary and those who decide to complete it may skip any question they are not comfortable with. It is, however, a prerequisite to receiving assistance under the Pasig supplemental SAP,” he said in a Twitter post on Tuesday.

“Because usually, the compliance rate for surveys/censuses is very low in condos and exclusive subdivision. Also, if you are not willing to spend 45 minutes on a survey to receive PHP8,000, then, you probably don’t need it,” said Sotto. “Conversely, we greatly appreciate those who completed the survey and waived their share. Each PHP8,000 share a well-off family does not claim is PHP8,000 we will use to help the fortunate.”

Sotto, meanwhile, assured residents that all data collected from the survey will be handled with strict confidentiality and security in compliance with the Data Privacy Act.

“Frankly speaking, however, you probably share more data with Facebook and Google,” he said.

The data will be collected, Sotto said, could help the local government in the smooth implementation of programs and other projects for Pasig residents.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the difficulty of governing efficiently without proper data and information,” he said.

Sotto said the completion of the comprehensive survey can be used by the local government for future policymaking.

The survey is part of a “principled and unpoliticized” public service under his watch, he said.

“During the campaign, I promised you that we would do our best to eliminate patronage politics in our city and move towards data-driven policymaking — a more effective method of governance. This survey is a step in that direction,” Sotto said.

He added that pushing the comprehensive survey is in line with the national government’s Community Based Monitoring System (CBMS), “but (was) tweaked by the local government for the specific purpose of enabling us to effectively implement Universal Healthcare in Pasig.”

Sotto also urged residents to help the local government to serve them better by actively participating and cooperating with all the programs implemented in Pasig.

Patients, recoveries

Meanwhile, the Pasig City government has discharged another six patients who recently recovered from Covid-19.

They were formerly housed at the Pasig’s Centralized Quarantine Facility for treatment and were released on Tuesday.

Sotto said there are still 100 confirmed Covid-19 cases in the city.

“All in all, we have around 100 patients in our quarantine facilities. There’s still a lot of work ahead to stop Covid-19,” he said in a separate post.

He also noted that the Pasig’s molecular laboratory will start this week its own electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA), a method used for antibody test for Covid-19.

Meanwhile, the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) will start next week. (PNA)