Number of jobless Filipinos up 7.4%
By Darwin G. Amojelar, Manila Times Reporter
THE number of jobless Filipinos increased in October because more people are joining the labor force than there are jobs available, a National Statistics Office poll showed.
In its latest quarterly Labor Force Survey, the NSO said the unemployment rate in October jumped 7.4 percent, from 2.4 million in the same period last year to 2.6 million.
The NSO said about 48.4 percent of the unemployed are aged 15 to 24, an indication that they are new high-school or college graduates.
The NSO used the International Labor Organization definition of the unemployed as persons who are 15 years old and older on their last birthday. They are reported to be without work, currently available for work, seeking work or not seeking work due to valid reasons.
The number of persons who joined the labor force rose by 264,000 to 35.5 million in October this year, slightly up from 35.23 million in July this year.
On a quarterly basis, the unemployment rate dropped to 7.4 percent in October from 7.7 percent in July.
This means the employment situation in the country 'continues to improve as the latest result of the October 2005 Labor Force Survey recorded an increase of 3.6 percent in the number of employed. There were 32.9 million reported to be employed during this period compared with 31.7 million a year ago,' the NSO said in a statement.
The NSO report also said underemployment went up to 21.2 percent from 16.9 percent a year ago.
In an interview, Socieconomic Planning Secretary Augusto B. Santos admitted that the government is falling short of its goal to create one million jobs yearly.
But he said the employment rate in the agriculture sector has risen, signaling a better farm output in the fourth quarter of the year. 'We expect agricultural production to rebound in the last quarter,' Santos added.
The NSO said employment in the agriculture sector grew by 3.3 percent, or 390,000 new agriculture workers. On the other hand, the industry sector posted the lowest increase6,000and only the manufacturing and mining and quarrying sub-sectors posting an increase of 26,000 and 20,000 workers.
Employment in construction dropped by 27,000 and in electricity, gas and water by 13,000.
Employment in the services sector had the highest increase739,000. Within this sector, wholesale and retail contributed the bulk of increase (426,000), followed by private households with employed persons (93,000); hotels and restaurants (72,000) and public administration and defense, compulsory social security (44,000).
The employment rate among the laborers and unskilled workers remained the highest during the period with 32.3 percent from last year's 31.9 percent.
Among regions, Cagayan Valley posted the highest employment rate at 97.4 percent, followed by Zamboanga Peninsula with 96.8 percent.
The lowest employment rate was recorded in Metro Manila at 86.3 percent and in Region W-A (Calabarzon) with 89.7 percent.
SURVEY SAYS:
48.4 percent of the unemployed are aged 15 to 24
Employment in the services sector had the highest increase with 739,000 new workers
The industry sector posted the lowest increase with 6,000 new workers
THE number of jobless Filipinos increased in October because more people are joining the labor force than there are jobs available, a National Statistics Office poll showed.
In its latest quarterly Labor Force Survey, the NSO said the unemployment rate in October jumped 7.4 percent, from 2.4 million in the same period last year to 2.6 million.
The NSO said about 48.4 percent of the unemployed are aged 15 to 24, an indication that they are new high-school or college graduates.
The NSO used the International Labor Organization definition of the unemployed as persons who are 15 years old and older on their last birthday. They are reported to be without work, currently available for work, seeking work or not seeking work due to valid reasons.
The number of persons who joined the labor force rose by 264,000 to 35.5 million in October this year, slightly up from 35.23 million in July this year.
On a quarterly basis, the unemployment rate dropped to 7.4 percent in October from 7.7 percent in July.
This means the employment situation in the country 'continues to improve as the latest result of the October 2005 Labor Force Survey recorded an increase of 3.6 percent in the number of employed. There were 32.9 million reported to be employed during this period compared with 31.7 million a year ago,' the NSO said in a statement.
The NSO report also said underemployment went up to 21.2 percent from 16.9 percent a year ago.
In an interview, Socieconomic Planning Secretary Augusto B. Santos admitted that the government is falling short of its goal to create one million jobs yearly.
But he said the employment rate in the agriculture sector has risen, signaling a better farm output in the fourth quarter of the year. 'We expect agricultural production to rebound in the last quarter,' Santos added.
The NSO said employment in the agriculture sector grew by 3.3 percent, or 390,000 new agriculture workers. On the other hand, the industry sector posted the lowest increase6,000and only the manufacturing and mining and quarrying sub-sectors posting an increase of 26,000 and 20,000 workers.
Employment in construction dropped by 27,000 and in electricity, gas and water by 13,000.
Employment in the services sector had the highest increase739,000. Within this sector, wholesale and retail contributed the bulk of increase (426,000), followed by private households with employed persons (93,000); hotels and restaurants (72,000) and public administration and defense, compulsory social security (44,000).
The employment rate among the laborers and unskilled workers remained the highest during the period with 32.3 percent from last year's 31.9 percent.
Among regions, Cagayan Valley posted the highest employment rate at 97.4 percent, followed by Zamboanga Peninsula with 96.8 percent.
The lowest employment rate was recorded in Metro Manila at 86.3 percent and in Region W-A (Calabarzon) with 89.7 percent.
SURVEY SAYS:
48.4 percent of the unemployed are aged 15 to 24
Employment in the services sector had the highest increase with 739,000 new workers
The industry sector posted the lowest increase with 6,000 new workers
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