Job fair in SM City Davao. Photo by Karlos Manlupig/INQUIRER MINDANAO
Joblessness in the country has hit a new high as 4.1 million Filipinos joined the ranks of the unemployed between December 2011 and March 2012, raising the unemployment rate to 34.4 percent or an estimated 13.8 million individuals, according to a recent survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS).
The First Quarter 2011 Social Weather Survey, conducted from March 10 to 13, showed that unemployment rose 10 points from the 24 percent, or an estimated 9.7 million people, recorded in December.
The survey used face-to-face interviews with 1,200 adults nationwide, and had an error margin of plus-or-minus three percentage points.
The recent figure surpassed the previous record of 34.2 percent posted in February 2009 during the Arroyo administration.
The figure included those who were retrenched (13 percent), resigned from their jobs (15 percent) or joined the throngs of jobseekers for the first time (six percent).
Those retrenched consisted of 10 percent (up from seven percent in December 2011) whose previous contract was not renewed, two percent (unchanged from December 2011) whose employer stopped operations, and one percent (unchanged from December 2011) who were terminated.
The survey also showed that 33 percent of respondents believed the number of available jobs would not change in the next 12 months. On the other hand, 26 percent expected more jobs in the same period, while another 25 percent expected fewer job openings.
The SWS definition of unemployment covers respondents aged 18 and above who are not working but at the same time are looking for work. 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 covers all persons who are 15 years and over and are reported as: 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 January showed an unemployment rate of 7.2 percent or 2.922 million, slightly down from the 7.4 percent or 2.917 million recorded the previous year.
Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said in February that the SWS survey on employment and its results could not be compared to the LFS because of the differing methodologies and respondent coverage.
Baldoz said that historically, SWS figures were higher than LFS results, which are used as the official reference of the government, the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, International Monetary Fund, International Labor Organization and other Philippine development partners.
The SWS noted that unemployment was relatively high among women (43 percent in March from 35.6 percent in December 2011) than among men (27.6 percent in March from 15.2 percent in December 2011).
The Unemployment rate was also higher among the younger members of the labor force, according to SWS: 55.9 percent among respondents aged 18 to 24; 45.4 percent among respondents 24 to 34; 21.7 percent among those in the 35 to 44 age range, and 30.8 percent among those at least 45 years old. Inquirer Research