PSA: Number of unemployed Filipinos rises to 4.25M in Sept. 2021

Call center agents of a business process outsourcing firm. (AFP FILE PHOTO)

MANILA, Philippines — The unemployment rate in the country rose to 8.9 percent—equivalent to 4.25 million Filipinos—in September 2021, the highest since January this year, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported Thursday.

According to PSA, the 8.9 percent unemployment rate was an increase from the 8.1 percent—or 3.88 million unemployed Filipinos—recorded in August.

Meanwhile, the PSA reported that employment rate in September 2021 dropped to 91.1 percent from the 91.9 percent recorded in August.

“This translated to a reduction of 642,000 employed individuals from the 44.23 million total employed in August 2021 to 43.59 million total number employed in the month of September 2021,” the PSA said in its report.

The underemployment rate, meanwhile, slightly declined from 14.7 percent in August 2021 to 14.2 percent in September.

The 14.2 percent underemployment rate in September is equivalent to 6.18 million underemployed persons out of the 43.59 million employed persons.

“This is the second lowest reported this year following the 12.3 percent underemployment rate in May 2021. The same underemployment rate of 14.2 percent was reported in June 2021,” the PSA said.

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