12.1M Filipinos now jobless - Manila Bulletin

by Ellalyn B. De Vera and Madel Sabater-Namit

February 11, 2014

Manila, Philippines – The number of unemployed Filipinos increased to 12.1 million individuals at the end of 2013, a development considered understandable by Malacañang.

In a national survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) on December 11 – 16 among 1,550 respondents, it found that the joblessness rate among Filipinos at least 18 years old increased from 21.7 percent or 9.6 million Filipinos in September, 2013, to 27.5 percent or 12.1 million individuals in December, 2013.

In a national survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) on December 11 – 16 among 1,550 respondents, it found that the joblessness rate among Filipinos at least 18 years old increased from 21.7 percent or 9.6 million Filipinos in September, 2013, to 27.5 percent or 12.1 million individuals in December, 2013.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the increase in unemployment in the last quarter of 2013 was understandable considering that the country was hit by two natural calamities – the 7.2-magnitude Bohol earthquake and super-typhoon “Yolanda” in Eastern Visayas – and one man-made calamity, the Zamboanga City siege.

“Given the nature of the severity of the three (calamities), especially of typhoon ‘Yolanda,’ where you saw a big chunk of Eastern Visayas affected, I think that was something that the rise of the unemployment can be explained here,” Lacierda said.

He, however, said the government continues to conduct measures to cushion the increasing rate of unemployment brought by the three calamities last year.

“We continue to ensure that our people will continue to find employment. We will continue to find measures that can provide employment for them,” Lacierda said.

The results of the face-to-face interviews by SWS were first published in BusinessWorld yesterday.

SWS defined joblessness as those who fall under this category are individuals 18 years old and above without a job and also looking for a job. However, the jobless who are not looking for work, such as housewives and retired individuals, are excluded from this category.

SWS noted that the highest unemployment rate among Filipinos was last recorded in February, 2009 at 34.4 percent.

The SWS survey showed that the number of unemployed Filipinos is composed mainly of adults who quit their jobs (from 9 percent to 13.5 percent), were retrenched (10.4 percent), and first-time job-seekers (from 5 percent to 3.5 percent).

Of the 10.4 percent who were retrenched, 6.8 percent (from 5 percent) had their contracts not renewed, 1.6 percent (from 1 percent) had employers who closed shop, and 2 percent (from 1 percent) had been laid off.

Joblessness among men and women also worsened, with 21.2 percent (from 13.4 percent) of men without work, and 35.9 percent (from 32.4 percent) of women without job..

By age group, joblessness was basically unchanged among the youth, or those 18-24 years old, at 52.3 percent from 52.4 percent.

Meanwhile, joblessness rate rose to 25 percent (from 19 percent) among those 35-44 years old, 33.1 percent (from 24.6 percent) for the 25-34 bracket, and 17.7 percent (from 14.2 percent) among those aged 45 and above.

However, as also found in the same survey period, optimism among Filipinos that work would become available this year increased to ‘fair’ +19 last December from ‘mediocre’ +4 three months earlier.

Forty percent of Filipinos are optimistic that they will find jobs this year, 31 percent said it would stay the same, and 21 percent said the number of job opportunities would be slimmer.

SWS said the +19 net optimism was the highest since November, 2010, when it was a “very high” +36.

If the government’s definition of the unemployed is applied in this survey, SWS said joblessness rate among adults 18 years old and above would be 17.1 percent or 6.6 million Filipinos.

Joblessness is described by the government as those not working, looking for work and, available for work. Those not available for work, even though looking, are excluded, and those available for work but not seeking it are included.

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