NSO Administrator Carmelita Ericta said population growth rate is expected to decrease from 2.36 percent in 2000 to less than two percent this year.

The NSO, which is under the National Economic and Development Authority, launched yesterday the 2007 Census of Population (PopCen) at the Sulo Hotel in Quezon City.

Ericta said the census will start on Aug. 1 and last for about 25 days.

Results of the PopCen 2007 will be available by Feb. 28 next year.

She said the census was supposed to be conducted last 2005 but it was not included in that year's budget. In 2006, the budget was reenacted, she added.

This year's budget for the census is P1.6 billion, higher than the 2000 budget of almost P1 billion, she said.

Ericta said there are 37,000 trained census-takers or enumerators who will conduct 15- to 30-minute interviews in every household nationwide.

The last census of population in the country was conducted in May 2000, when the population was placed at 76.5 million.

Ericta said the population growth rates of neighboring countries are already below two percent.

Ericta said per capita income must increase faster than the (two percent) population growth rate for the much-touted economic expansion to be felt by ordinary Filipinos.

Asked if the information gathered would be used in the implementation of the Human Security Act, Ericta assured that the data would remain confidential, adding violators will be prosecuted.

Ericta said Section 4 of the Commonwealth Act No. 591 "guarantees that any information obtained during the enumeration shall be held strictly confidential and that it must not be communicated to any person except bona fide employees of the NSO."

Ericta said statistics derived from the census will be used by the government in formulating policies, preparing plans and programs concerning population, as well as allocating revenues.

The census would also help the business sector in determining sites for establishing businesses, consumer demands for various goods and services, and supply of labor for the production of goods and services.

Likewise, the census helps researchers who are conducting studies concerning the population.