Joblessness up in Q3, says survey

Unemployment in the country rose in the third quarter of the year, a recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey found.

The survey, conducted on Aug. 24 to 27, showed the number of unemployed adults had grown from 26.6 percent, or 10.9 million, last May to 29.4 percent, or 11. 7 million, in August. The results were first published in BusinessWorld.

The unemployed included those who had been retrenched (13 percent), resigned their jobs (12 percent) or were joining the throngs of job-seekers for the first time (5 percent).

Of the retrenched, 10 percent did not have their contracts renewed, 2 percent had their employers cease operations, and one percent were terminated.

The survey also showed the respondents were divided on the availability of jobs in the next 12 months.

Thirty-seven percent believed the number of available jobs would remain the same in the next 12 months, 33 percent expected there would be more jobs, while 16 percent expected fewer jobs in the same period.

The SWS definition of unemployment covers respondents aged 18 and above who are “without a current job and looking for a job.” This excludes those not looking for work such as housewives, students and retired or disabled persons.

This definition is different from the official definition of the National Statistical Coordination Board, which includes persons 15 years and over who are reported as being without work and currently available for work and seeking work, or without work and currently available for work but not seeking work.

The government’s own Labor Force Survey (LFS) in July showed an unemployment rate of 7 percent, effectively unchanged from the 7.1 percent recorded the previous year.

Unemployment, according to SWS, remained higher among women (from 36.4 in May to 42.5 percent in August) than among men (from 18.9 percent to 19.3 percent).

By age group, joblessness remained highest among those in the 18-24 age range (from 50 percent to 54.8 percent). Inquirer Research