Joblessness eased in November, job quality improved – PSA

A Filipino woman checks a job placement agency’s announcement in Manila for cooks and factory workers in Taiwan. (File photo from Agence France-Presse/Rome Gacad)

The number of unemployed Filipinos dipped from 1.9 million in October to 1.6 million in November as the onset of the holiday season created more jobs, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.

This situation translated to a jobless rate of 3.2%, down from the previous record of 3.9%.

PSA also claimed that job quality improved in November.

During the month, 5.3 million employed individuals sought additional work to augment their income.

That was equivalent to an underemployment rate of 10.8 percent, lower than the 12.6 percent recorded in October.

Underemployment is typically used as an indication of job quality.

A lower number means fewer people have to look for additional jobs or work hours because their present employment already provides enough security and pay.