Written by: Raymart V. Maruquez and Fely M. Baday
The Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA) in coordination with the Philippine Statistical Research and Training Institute (PSRTI) conducted a 5-day training on data processing and analysis using CSPro® software on 21-25 August 2023 at PSRTI’s Training Hall in Quezon City. The participants from higher education institutions (HEIs) that have existing partnerships with the PNVSCA are expected to be tapped as resource persons of the LGUs on processing, analyzing, and communicating volunteerism data generated from the Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS).
PSRTI Executive Director Josefina V. Almeda warmly welcomed the 41 participants from various Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) across the country, a Local Government Unit, and PNVSCA.
ED Almeda expressed optimism that the trainees will learn a lot about data entry, editing, tabulation, and presentation, and hoped that the trainees would consider pursuing statistics as a career of choice or as expertise because there is a growing interest in data science which provides useful information based on complex or big data.
On the other hand, PNVSCA Executive Director Donald James D. Gawe provided the rationale for the training by saying, “Having accurate and reliable volunteer-related data or information is essential in planning and policy formulation and coordination, designing of good volunteering models, among others. Hence, PNVSCA has embarked on statistical development initiatives which include the generation of data or information through survey, and secondary and administrative data.”
ED Gawe added that PNVSCA will continue its statistical development initiatives until majority of volunteer-involving organizations in the public, private, and civil society sectors participate in the collection and analysis of volunteerism statistics.
The training course, facilitated by CBMS expert Mr. Elpidio C. Nogales, Jr., covered topics on survey and census processing principles, the CSPro® software and its application to statistical data processing, the creation of a CSPro® data dictionary, development of CSPro® data entry and tabulation applications, and procedures for generating tabulations on volunteering using CBMS data. On the last day of the training, the participants were also coached on how to present tabular and graphical displays using Excel application.
Feedback from the representatives of LGU Pillilia, Tarlac State University, and PNVSCA during the closing ceremonies confirmed that the training format and content (i.e. introduction to CSPro software, CBMS tabulation, and presentation of data) were appropriate, relevant, and effective.
The Training Evaluation result also showed that the participants appreciated the structured schedule, the delivery of complex concepts in a clear and understandable manner by the resource speaker, and the PSRTI training team’s assistance and responsiveness to their needs.
Overall, the training has enabled participants to efficiently process and analyze volunteerism-related data generated from the Community-Based Monitoring System that will eventually contribute to the generation of reliable volunteer statistics necessary for planning, policy-making, and coordination of volunteer programs and services in the Philippines.
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The authors are currently Volunteer Service Officers at the Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency.
(Visit PNVSCA website (www.pnvsca.gov.ph) and PNVSCA Facebook (facebook.com/PNVSCA) for the COVID-19 response survey link, stories and information on volunteering in response to COVID-19).