With the COVID-19 pandemic gradually easing out, more and more Filipino workers are getting jobs, government statistics showed.
Meanwhile, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) vowed to do more in the remaining days under the Duterte government to create more jobs for the people.
Philippine Statistics Authority data released on Friday indicated that unemployment rate in March went down to 5.8 percent equivalent to 2.87 million jobless Filipinos, as opposed to 6.4 percent in February which translated to 3.13 million labor force without jobs.
The March figure was also much better than the 7.1 percent or 3.44 jobless Filipinos March 2021.
However, underemployment, referring to people who need more jobs or work hours rose to 15.8 percent or 7.42 million in March from 14 percent or 6.38 million in the previous month.
The total employment rate, meanwhile, also slightly improved to 94.2 percent rate or 46.98 million from 93.6 percent or 45.48 million in February 2022.
Economic managers said the relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions and recovery of business activities could lead to more jobs as indicated by the PSA data.
“We welcome the latest employment situation reported by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showing employment rate in March 2022 at 94.2 — the highest since April 2020,” acting presidential spokesperson Martin Andanar said.
“This proves how effective our calibrated strategy of shifting to Alert Level System to further reopen the economy – where more businesses are operating and more Filipinos are able to go to work – while ramping our COVID-19 vaccination drive,” he added.
However, certain quarters among them the Asian Development Bank warned that although employment numbers were reverting to pre-pandemic levels, there was an increase in low-quality job.
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said the latest labor force survey indicated an accelerated momentum of recovery of the labor market.
Results of the March 2022 survey of the PSA suggested an increase of 2.6 percent or 1.2 million in the economically active workforce hand landed jobs.
“These figures encourage us to do more within our remaining days in office and continue our efforts as we transition to a new administration,” Bello said in a statement.
During our Labor Day celebration last week, DOLE, as co-chair of the National Employment Recovery Strategy (NERS) Task Force organized a job summit where several initiatives towards job generation were formalized.
Malacanang attributed the improved employment situation in the country to the reopening of the economy that generated more job opportunities amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Placing many areas under Alert Level 1 allows more Filipinos to go to work, Andanar said, adding that more businesses are now operating despite the prevailing pandemic.
Andanar also reassured that there are “concrete” plans to ensure the country’s economic recovery from the impact of the pandemic.
