1.89 MILLION JOBLESS FILIPINOS IN SEPTEMBER – PSA

Philippines' unemployment rate fell 3.7 percent in September but underemployment climbed 11.9 percent (Photo courtesy of GMA Integrated News)

The number of unemployed Filipinos decreased to 1.89 million in September this year from 2.07 million in August, while employment rate in September was 96.3 percent, up from 95.5 percent in the same month in 2023 and 96.0 percent in August 2024, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said.

According to National Statistician Dennis Mapa, unemployment rate was at 3.7% in September, which was lower than the 4.0% a month prior and the 4.5% during the same period last year. And the number of employed Filipinos went up to 49.87 million in September this year from 47.67 million last year and 49.15 million last August.

Mapa said industries with the largest increase in employment included the administrative and support service activities (+735,000), other service activities (+559,000), wholesale and retail trade (+486,000), public administration and defense (+333,000), and manufacturing (+200,000).

There were also 5.94 million out of the 49.87 million employed individuals who expressed the desire to have additional working hours, to have an additional job, or to have a new job with longer hours of work.

This means “the underemployment rate in September 2024 increased to 11.9%, from 10.7% in September 2023 and 11.2% in August 2024,” the PSA said.

The Labor Force Participation Rate (LFPR) was estimated at 65.7 percent, or about 51.77 million Filipinos aged 15 and higher who were employed or unemployed, up from 49.93 million in September last year. More female workers joined the labor market for the third consecutive month. 

“The story really is first, year-on-year, you have a substantial increase in the labor market, those considered as employed which is about 2.21 million. For three months, here in the employed persons, year-on-year, the majority here actually are female workers. Out of 2.21 million, their number is 1.34 million," said Mapa.

National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said the government will continue to address the constraints to high-quality job creation. “We will strengthen collaboration with the private sector and academe to upskill the workforce, particularly in using digital technologies and other innovations.”

Source: ABS-CBN News

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