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Pedestrians and motorists navigate through rain and flood after a sudden downpour in Manila City on May 26, 2023 hours before the arrival of super typhoon Mawar. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

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Unemployment rate edges up in May

Benise Balaoing

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA (UPDATE 2) -- The Philippines&#x27; unemployment rate climbed in May while the underemployment rate dipped, the Philippine Statistics Authority said on Monday. </p><p>The jobless rate edged up to 4.1 percent in May, up slightly from 4 percent in April. This means there were 2.11 million jobless Filipino workers in May compared to 2.04 million in April. </p><p>This was despite the rise in the number of employed workers in May, which was 48.87 million, from 48.36 million in April, meaning that as more workers joined the workforce, not enough jobs were available. </p><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1720417452251employment 1.JPG" style="width:300px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><div> <img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1720417460390employment 2.JPG" style="width:300px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><div><br/></div><p>PSA Undersecretary and National Statistician Dennis Mapa noted more people joined the workforce during the month. Construction posted the highest year-on-year increase in jobs at 745,000. </p><p>This was followed by administrative and support service activities (371,000), manufacturing (347,000), transportation and storage (292,000), and public administration, defense, and compulsory social security(276,000). </p><p>Meanwhile, agriculture and forestry posted the highest job losses at 1.02 million, followed by fishing and aquaculture at 543,000. Arts, entertainment, and recreation (178,000) and real estate activities (152,000) also recorded annual decreases in jobs. </p><p>The services sector had the highest number of jobs, making up 60.1 percent of the total employment numbers, followed by agriculture at 20.8 percent and industry at 19.1 percent. </p><p>Meanwhile, the underemployment rate in May decreased to 9.9 percent, from 14.6 percent in April and 11.7 percent in May 2023.</p><p>This means that 4.82 million workers who were classified as already having jobs, said they needed to have additional hours of work in their present job, additional jobs, or a new job with longer work hours. </p><p>Mapa said the number of Filipinos who are visibly underemployed—or those working less than 40 hours weekly—fell by 1.49 million between April and May. </p><p>“Tiningnan namin, itong mga underemployed na working less than 40 hours, substantial sa kanila ang nagsabi, kung ikikumpara natin yang April 2024 versus May 2024, substantial sa kanila ang nagsabi na meson silang second job or another work outside their primary job,” he explained. </p><p>“Ito ay nag-increase nang 10.2 percent noong May, versus 7.5 percent noong April,” he noted. </p><p>(We looked at the data and we saw that a substantial number of those who worked less than 40 hours weekly said they have a second job. This figure went up to 10.2 percent in May, versus 7.5 percent in April.) </p><p>The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said government will persist in its efforts to boost investments and implement key technological and innovative reforms to boost productivity and create more high-quality jobs. </p><p>NEDA said it is working on its Trabaho Para sa Bayan (TPB) plan, which will serve as the country’s blueprint for comprehensive employment generation and recovery.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2iiT5QZVOBs?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The Philippines' unemployment rate climbed in May while the underemployment rate dipped, the Philippine Statistics Authority said on Monday.</p>

The Philippines' unemployment rate climbed in May while the underemployment rate dipped, the Philippine Statistics Authority said on Monday.

Unemployment rate edges up in May, underemployment dips

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Unemployment rate edges up in May, underemployment dips

Benise Balaoing,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 08, 2024 09:25 AM PHT

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Updated Jul 08, 2024 01:44 PM PHT

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