Despite the drop in figures, unemployment remains ‘very high’ at 39.5%: SWS

MANILA – 39.5 percent or 23.7 million Filipino adults or about 23.7 million are unemployed, a decrease from July figures but still “very high,” a survey by Social Weather Stations showed. this week.

In a national mobile phone survey of 1,249 adult Filipinos from September 17-20, SWS found that the numbers dropped from the record 45.5 percent of Filipinos who reported being unemployed in July, as more businesses began to reopen with reduced quarantine restrictions amid the COVID-19 Pandemic.

“This is a 6 point decline from the record 45.5 percent in July 2020,” SWS said in its report released Monday.

Among those surveyed, 14 percent lost their jobs during the pandemic, a decrease from 21 percent in the July survey.

July saw a record unemployment rate, when SWS reported that 27.3 million Filipinos were out of work.

The COVID-19 pandemic has left workers in some industries struggling to find income, and the government has limited the operations of some companies to contain the spread of the virus. Recent figures released show an approximate 3.6 million drop in the number of unemployed people, as quarantine measures in some areas were relaxed to open up the economy.

MORE THAN HALF THE WORKFORCE IN VISAYAS WITHOUT EMPLOYMENT

The research group attributed the drop in unemployment to figures from Balance Luzon Mindanao and Metro Manila. However, he observed a “record” increase in the number of unemployed people in Visayas during the month of September.

For Balance Luzon, the unemployment rate decreased from 45.2 percent to 33.5 percent. It also decreased slightly in Metro Manila and Mindanao in September. Metro Manila saw a decrease from 43.5 percent to 39.9 percent, while Mindanao saw a decrease from 46.5 percent to 40 percent.

However, it rose in Visayas, from the previous record of 46.6% in July 2020 to a new record of 52% in September 2020.

Adult unemployment in urban areas fell to 38.5 percent from 43.9 percent, while unemployment in rural areas fell to 39.9 percent from 46.6 percent.

SPIKE IN PINOYS HUNGRY AND NO JOB

While there is a drop in the number of unemployed people, the research group said there was an increase in hunger among the unemployed.

Families experiencing “involuntary hunger” increased by 13 points, or from 25.4 to 38.3 percent among those without work or livelihoods; and 14 points from 24.2 to 38.4 percent for those who never had a job.

“Involuntary hunger” is defined by the group as “hunger due to lack of food to eat”.

Meanwhile, families experiencing “moderate hunger” increased from 19.4 percent to 27.1 percent for those without jobs or livelihoods; and from 16.4 to 27.8 percent for those who have never had a job or livelihood.

SWS defines “moderate hunger” as experiencing hunger “just once” or “a few times” in the past three months.

The number of people experiencing “severe hunger” or “often or always” experiencing hunger in the past three months increased among those without jobs or livelihoods, from 6 percent to 11.2 percent, and among those who have never had a job or livelihood before, from 7.8 percent to 10.6 percent.

The body that conducted the survey previously noted a “record” increase in the number of hungry families, with an estimated 7.6 million households or 30.7 percent of Filipinos.