Manila – The Institute for Labor Studies, recently hosted a “Learning Session on Survey Sampling Methods for Hard-to-Reach Populations” last September 19 via the Zoom platform. The event was successfully led by the ILS Gender and Development Committee in partnership with Babaylanes, Inc.

The event was attended by ILS employees and select representatives from the research divisions of various bureaus, agencies and offices of the Department of Labor and Employment.

“Applying the existing and well-established statistical methods to the groups in which membership is stigmatized and discriminated individuals is still a challenge, making them “hard-to-reach” for researchers who wish to study them. Without sufficient data and evidence, it is a challenge to provide appropriate interventions and programs for them,” says ILS Deputy Executive Director Atty. Mary Grace L. Riguer-Teodosio in her Opening Remarks.

Engr. Xavier Javines Bilon, from the UP School of Statistics served as the resource person who led the Learning Session / Discussion on survey sampling for hard-to-reach populations.

The session provided an overview of survey sampling methods for hard-to-reach populations such as people living with HIV and LGBTQI+ people.

The event aimed to distinguish hard-to-reach populations from other populations; to compare and contrast survey sampling methods for hard-to-reach populations; and to identify appropriate survey sampling method/s for a particular research problem.

During his presentation, Engr. Bilon clarified the definition of hard-to-reach populations He was able to fully provide a synthesis by distinguishing characteristics of hard-to-reach populations and by giving tangible examples of hard-to-reach populations.

He also gave an insightful comparative overview of survey sampling methods, such as the following: key-informant sampling; targeted sampling; snowball sampling, and respondent-driven sampling. In closing, Engr. Bilon discussed some caveats  and delved on the limitations of currently used survey sampling methods, in order to drive researchers to elicit actual and accurate date based on the sampling method that will be employed.

A Q and A session followed and was moderated by members of the ILS GAD Committee.

The entire session is accessible online via this link: https://www.facebook.com/ilsdoleofficial/videos/2426784907621142