Number of jobless up by 300,000

MANILA, Philippines – More Filipinos are pessimistic that they will find jobs next year, according to the Social Weather Station’s latest survey.

This emerged as the SWS released its latest unemployment survey that showed that the number of jobless Filipinos went up by about 300,000 individuals.

The poll, conducted from June 27 to 30, said net optimism on job availability declined from +13 in March to +3 in June, its lowest level since May 2012.

Of the respondents, 28 percent believed that the number of jobs would decrease while 29 percent said there would be no change in the number of available jobs.

On the other hand, 32 percent said that they expect more jobs to be available in the next 12 months.

More jobless 

The survey also reported a slight increase from a joblessness rate of 25.7 (11.5 million individuals) percent in March to 25.9 percent (11.8 million) in June.

SWS, which interviewed 1,200 Filipinos aged 18 years and above, defines joblessness based on two factors: having no job at the present and looking for a job. This definition excludes housewives, retirees, students and persons without disabilities who are not seeking employment.

Of those who said they were jobless, two percent said they were laid off, six percent had contracts that were not renewed, one percent terminated because their company closed, 13 percent voluntarily left and four percent “never worked before.”

While the number of jobless men decreased from 16.5 percent to 14.7 percent, women without jobs increased from 37.8 percent to 39.9 percent.

The current figure is nearing the highest joblessness rate for women recorded in August 2012, which is 42.5%.

On the other hand, more men were employed during the second quarter, as evidenced by a 1.8% dip in the unemployment rate or 14.7%. The recorded figure was the lowest since the 14.3% unemployment rate for men recorded in June 2011.

Youth without jobs 

Among the age groups, joblessness among young Filipinos aged 18 to 24 reached a record-high of 63 percent, from 43 percent in March. The last time it reached that level was in June 2008.

Joblessness also increased among those 25 to 34 years old, from 31 percent in March to 35 percent in June. However, more people within the age group of 35 to 54 years old said they now had jobs. Those aged 45 and older, retained its joblessness rate of 17 percent.

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