SWS estimates 22.2% Filipinos remain jobless

JOB SEEKERS Jobless Filipinos fill out application forms at a job fair initiated by the Department of Labor and Employment on Labor Day at SM North Edsa in Quezon City. File Photo / Philippine Daily Inquirer / LYN RILLON

An estimated 10.5 million Filipino adults remained jobless in the country, according to a recent survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS).

The survey, conducted from June 23 to 26, showed that 22.2 percent or an estimated 10.5 million adults are jobless, higher than the 10.4 million and 10 million jobless adults recorded last March and June last year, respectively.

The poll, first published by BusinessWorld Monday night, was conducted using face-to-face interviews among 1,200 adults nationwide (300 each in Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao). It had a margin of error of ±3 points nationwide and ±6 points for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

The labor force participation, according to the survey, was at 74.7 percent or an estimated 47.1 million adults, slightly higher than March’s 45.5 million adults. Labor force was defined by SWS as those aged at least 18 years old with a job, including those who are currently looking for jobs.

Based on the survey, an estimated 5.7 million of the 10.5 million jobless voluntarily left their jobs; 2.9 million lost their jobs “due to economic circumstances beyond their control,” and an estimated 1.8 million adults were first-time job seekers.

Despite the growing number of jobless Filipinos, people’s optimism on job prospects in the next 12 months remained “very high,” the SWS said.

The number of Filipinos who are optimistic that there will be more jobs had increased two points or 46 percent from March’s 44 percent while the proportion of those who said there will be no change in job availability rose to 30 percent from 28 percent, and those who said there will be fewer jobs remained at 15 percent.

Because of this, June’s net optimism on job availability increased by two points to a “very high” (+31) from March’s “high” (+29).

The SWS classifies a net optimism score of at least +30 as “very high”; +20 to +29 as “high”; +10 to +19, “fair”; +1 to +9, “mediocre”; -9 to zero, “low”; as well as -10 and below as “very low.” It also considers movement from one classification to another as either an “upgrade” or “downgrade.” JPV