Over a million more Filipino adults became jobless in September, the latest Social Weather Stations’ survey revealed even as the Palace assured the public that it “continuously finds ways to improve” the local employment situation.
READ: More Pinoys found jobs in 2017—SWS
The September survey found that around 9.8 million Filipinos or 22 percent do not have jobs. This was higher than the previous 8.6 million jobless Filipinos or 19.7 percent record in June this year.
Out of the 9.8 million jobless individuals, 4.1 million were retrenched, 3.7 million resigned from their old jobs, and the remaining others were looking for employment for the first time.
The pollster said adult joblessness includes those who voluntarily left their old employment, those who were retrenched, and first-time job seekers.
“Adult joblessness stayed the highest in Metro Manila at 26.4 percent from the previous 19.4 percent in June, followed by Balance of Luzon at 22.9 percent from 19.3, Mindanao at 19.7 percent from 21.2 percent, and the Visayas at 19.6 percent from 19 percent,” the SWS said.
The SWS also noted that adult joblessness was higher among women at 32.8 percent from 26.1 percent in June, compared to men at 14.3 percent from 15.6 percent in the previous survey.
The survey results also showed less optimism in job availability in September compared to June.
“Optimism that there will be more jobs fell by 8 points from 47 percent in June 2018 to 39 percent in September 2018, while pessimism that there will be fewer jobs rose by one point from 15 percent to 16 percent,” the SWS added.
Net optimism on job availability was at a “high” +24 in September, which was eight points lower and a downgrade from the “very high” +32 in June.
The SWS survey was conducted between Sept. 15 and Sept. 23, with face-to-face interviews with 1,500 respondents. Margin of error was plus or minus 6 percent in national figures.
Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said Malacañang “is seriously looking” at the survey results as they “continuously find ways to improve the local employment situation.”
The Palace official noted that President Rodrigo Duterte already signed Republic Act No. 11032, or the Ease of Doing Business Act, hoping it would make the country “more conducive” to investments as it creates more and better jobs for the public.
“Indeed, there will be no let-up in our efforts to bring down the unemployment rate and increase labor participation among our youth and women,” Panelo said.
READ: Jobless ranks swelling—SWS; So are part-timers—think tank