Employment goes up; jobless Filipinos down in June

MEGA JOB FAIR. Job seekers aspiring to work abroad troop to the Mega Job Fair organized by the Department of Migrant Workers at the Robinsons Galleria in Ortigas on Wednesday (June 12, 2024). The event is in line with the 126th Philippine Independence Day celebration. (Photo: Department of Migrant Workers/Facebook)

By Anna Leah Gonzales, Philippine News Agency

MANILA – The number of jobless Filipinos went down to 1.62 million in June this year from 2.33 million a year ago, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said.

In a briefing on Wednesday, National Statistician Dennis Mapa said the number of unemployed Filipinos in June was also down from 2.11 million recorded in May this year.

Unemployment rate during the month fell to 3.1 percent from 4.5 percent in June 2023 and 4.1 percent in May 2024.

“This was one of the lowest unemployment rates since April of 2005,” Mapa said.

The Labor Force Participation Rate (LFPR) was at 66 percent, or about 51.90 million Filipinos aged 15 years and over who were in the labor force.

The country’s employment rate, meanwhile, rose to 96.9 percent from 95.5 percent in June 2023 and 95.9 percent in May this year.

The number of employed Filipinos reached 50.28 million, higher than the number of employed persons of 48.84 million in June 2023 and 48.87 million in May 2024.

Mapa said in June, the major industries which recorded the largest increase in employment included construction (+938,000), wholesale and retail trade (+527,000), accommodation and food service activities (+396,000), manufacturing (+353,000), and transportation and storage (+323,000).

Employment, however, contracted in the agriculture and forestry (-916,000) and fishing and aquaculture (-81,000) sectors.

Mapa said subsectors that recorded a drop in employment included the growing of rice, planting and transplanting and other related activities, services that promote the growth of crops, and hog farming due to the effects of El Nino in the second quarter.

The PSA also recorded an underemployment rate of 12.1 percent, a slight increase from 12.0 percent in June 2023. This uptick equates to 208,000 employees seeking more work hours or an additional job.

In a separate statement, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) assured the public that the government is intensifying its strategies to create high-quality job opportunities for Filipinos.

“The government’s swift implementation of infrastructure projects and the continued improvement of operating conditions for manufacturing firms have led to these employment gains. Increasing investments in renewable energy, water supply, and mining and quarrying have also supported employment growth in these areas,” NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said.

The NEDA said the labor market’s continued improvement can be seen in the increase in the number of full-time (+3.1 million), wage and salaried (+2.0 million), and middle-skilled (+1.7 million) workers.

There was also significant decline in part-time (-1.5 million) and vulnerable employment (-521,000) compared to last year.

“To sustain these gains, we will persist in improving the country’s business climate to attract investments that generate higher-quality jobs. The government will address bottlenecks and expedite processes to fulfill investment pledges and reap the benefits of liberalization reforms,” Balisacan said.

He said the government will continue to enhance productivity by enabling the adoption of emerging technologies and equipping the workforce through upskilling and reskilling.

Among these initiatives is the establishment of Industry 4.0 facilities, led by the Department of Trade and Industry, and the Department of Science and Technology.

These facilities aim to foster a collaborative learning environment where large enterprises, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises or MSMEs, and the academe can share knowledge on industry 4.0 management and advanced production technologies.

The government also supports the full implementation of the National Artificial Intelligence or AI Strategy Roadmap 2.0, which aims to strengthen the country’s capacity for sustainable digital transformation, innovation, and entrepreneurship in the digital economy.

The NEDA is advocating for the passage of the Apprenticeship Bill, which will institute reforms in the apprenticeship program and equip the youth with job-ready skills through a blend of workplace training and classroom learning.

“While we see encouraging figures in terms of our job generation, we will continue to focus on generating high-quality and well-paying jobs to address the issue of vulnerable employment and ensure a brighter future for our Filipino workers,” Balisacan said.

OSH measures

With record-low unemployment, the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) Formal Labor and Migrant Workers Sectoral Council (FLMWSC) reiterated its call to enhance occupational safety and health (OSH) measures and strengthen job security.

The FLMWSC, led by Sectoral Rep. Edwin Bustillos, recognizes the strides the national government and all development partners have taken in building a robust labor market.

The Council also emphasized that “as we create millions of employment opportunities, we should continue to introduce policy reforms and programs that ensure occupational safety and security tenure.”

“This is particularly important now, given that the top three sectors generating jobs require stringent safeguards to meet global labor standards,” it added.

The Council also reported that due to the Build Better More project of the Marcos administration, projects such as the South Commuter Railway project have paved the way for the creation of construction jobs that benefit thousands of Filipino families.

These internationally supported infrastructure projects in partnership with the government, especially the local government units and other major stakeholders, have secured the employment of workers living in cities and urban areas where the construction sites are found,” it added.

Due to the extension of the Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy Program, the FLMWSC also observed a remarkable increase in jobs in the automobile industry that now meet industry demand.

“The significant demand to address the housing backlog and build the numerous infrastructure projects and farm-to-market roads drive jobs generation up,” FLMW Alternate Sectoral Representative Dan Laserna said.

“We call on our employers and the government to improve OSH qualification frameworks and implement job security policies as we continue to increase employment in the country,” he added.