SWS: 9.8 million jobless Filipino adults, but job optimism ‘excellent’

MANILA, Philippines — There are over 9.8 million jobless Filipino adults in the second quarter of 2019, recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey results revealed on Friday.

In a survey conducted from June 22 to 26, the adult joblessness rate increased by one point to 20.7 percent in June 2019 from 19.7 percent (9.4 million jobless adults) in March 2019.

The poll body described adult joblessness as those who are “seeking jobs for the first time, those who voluntarily left their jobs and those who lost their jobs due to economic circumstances.”

Meanwhile, net optimism on job availability reached “excellent” in June 2019 compared with “very high” in March 2019.

The net optimism score increased to +43 in June 2019 from +37 in March 2019. Fifty-five percent were optimistic for more jobs, 12 percent were pessimistic, 22 percent perceive no change in number of jobs and 11 percent have no idea.

Interviews of 1,200 adults aged 18 years old and above nationwide were used in the survey. Three hundred each were interviewed in Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

SWS said the survey had a sampling error margins of ±3% for national percentages, and ±6% each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao. /je