Unemployment, underemployment rates edge down in June from May

MANILA, August 10 ------ The Philippines posted a lower unemployment rate in June compared to May, while the underemployment rate also edged down during the month, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said.

In June, the jobless rate was seen at 3.7 percent, which was lower than the 3.9 percent recorded in May. This means that 1.95 million Filipino workers were unemployed that month. The underemployment rate also slid to 11.4 percent in June from 13.1 percent in May, the PSA said. This means that 5.76 million workers were underemployed. The agency classifies workers as underemployed if they already have jobs but are still looking for extra jobs or additional work hours.

From May to June, the sectors that lost the largest number of workers were: accommodation and food service activities, which saw 562,000 jobs lost in a month; agriculture and forestry, which lost 480,000 jobs; and public administration and defense and compulsory social security, which lost 261,000 jobs. Meanwhile, the sectors that added the most number of workers were: wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, which added 908,000 jobs; fishing and aquaculture, with 428,000 jobs; and construction with 292,000.

Some of the sectors that lost the most number of jobs in June this year compared to last year were construction (692,000), agriculture and forestry, (580,000), manufacturing (424,000), and arts, entertainment and recreation (218,000). PSA Assistant Secretary Divina Gracia Del Prado noted that the number for arts, entertainment and recreation includes 209,000 workers who lost their jobs in gambling and betting activities. She also noted that the drop in manufacturing jobs reflected a softening in the production of semiconductors and other electronic components.

She noted that 114,000 lost their jobs in the manufacturing of semiconductors. “Nakita din natin ito doon sa manufacturing survey natin na although hindi naman bumaba yung ating production ng semiconductor devices and other electronic components, nag-decelerate yung, so bumagal yung pag-increase ng production natin. “So nagre-reflect din dito sa ating employment,” she explained.

Del Prado also noted that storms that hit the country in June hurt jobs in the agriculture and construction sectors. “Yung typhoon for sure will really affect yung employment natin sa agri and even construction, kasi hindi sila makakatrabaho pagka may typhoon,” he said. Meanwhile, the industries that added the most number of jobs from last year were fishing and aquaculture, wholesale and retail trade, and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles.

The Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) said the latest figures reflect the impact of the government’s efforts to improve the business climate and create high-quality jobs. “However, we remain cautious due to the slight uptick in unemployment, particularly among the youth,” the agency said.

The government said it would push for programs like the Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program (ETEEAP) and the passage of laws like the Lifelong Learning Development Framework Bill to help more young people get jobs. “These initiatives enable a culture of continuous learning among Filipinos, promote industry-driven learning, and recognize prior learning experiences,” the DEPDEV said. “We must accelerate structural reforms to make our labor market more inclusive, competitive, and resilient. Through sustained collaboration and innovation, we aim not just to create more jobs, but to sustain improvements in the lives of all Filipinos,” said DEPDEV Secretary Arsenio Balisacan.

Source: news.abs-cbn.com