SWS logo / Reuters photo
MANILA, Philippines — The third quarter survey of the Social Weather Stations (SWS) conducted in September 2023 revealed that the number of jobless Filipinos decreased from June 2023.
According to the SWS, the estimated number of jobless Filipinos in September 2023 was marked at 7.9 million, in contrast to 10.3 million jobless people in June 2023.
“The national Social Weather Survey of September 28-October 1, 2023, the most recent quarterly survey finalized by SWS, found joblessness at 16.9% of the adult labor force,” it said on Thursday.
This number is a reduction from the 22.8 percent joblessness rate among adult Filipinos in June 2023.
The polling group also found that joblessness was highest in areas of Luzon outside Metro Manila, which it termed as “Balance Luzon,” at 20.8 percent.
This was followed by Metro Manila at 19.2 percent, Mindanao at 12.4 percent, and Visayas at 12.2 percent.
Joblessness was also seen to be higher in urban areas which was at 18 percent, compared to rural areas which was at 15.7 percent.
The SWS said that it conducted its survey from September 28 to October 1, and 300 respondents each came from Balance Luzon, Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao, for a total of 1,200 respondents.
The sampling error margins were marked at ±2.8 percent for national percentages, and ±5.7 percent each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, it added.