Fewer Filipinos jobless in August
Metro Manila, Philippines — Fewer Filipinos were jobless in August from the previous month and year-on-year as more women were absorbed by the labor market.
The country's unemployment rate fell to 4% in August from 4.7% in July, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed.
The PSA said the August rate translated to 2.07 million people without work. In the same month, 49.15 million people had jobs, higher than the 48.07 million year-on-year.
"You have more female workers joining the labor force that's why mataas 'yong ating labor participation rate year-on-year and month-on-month dun sa female workers," National Statistician Dennis Mapa said of the higher number of Filipinos with jobs.
"And then karamihan sa kanila, substantial number, na-absorb in the labor market working 40 hours and in the wage and salary sector," Mapa added.
[Translation: You have more female workers joining the labor force that's why our labor force participation rate year-on-year and month-on-month is high for the female workers. And then most of them, a substantial number, were absorbed in the labor market working 40 hours and in the wage and salary sector.]
He said more people may be gainfully employed in the so-called "ber" months.
"Dito lang medyo nauna siya kasi ang expectation natin is that it would start September, October, pero dito August pa lang may substantial increase na tayo," the PSA chief said. "Hopefully masu-sustain natin ito until end of the year."
[Translation: The increase was earlier than we expected in September, October, but as early as August we already have a substantial increase. Hopefully we can sustain this until the end of the year.]
The PSA said the rate of those who worked 40 hours and more rose to 69.2% in August from 68.6% in July as most “wanted more earnings.”
Underemployed Filipinos were around 5.48 million, lower than the July 2024 and August 2023 figures.
In August, the services sector remained with the biggest chunk in the total employment pie, around 63.3%, followed by the agriculture and industry sectors.
On both year-on-year and month-on-month comparisons, the wholesale and retail trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles had the largest increase in employment, while the agriculture and forestry sector lost the most.
Mapa said wholesale and retail trade produced 1.13 million more jobs year-on-year. Top three contributors were retail sale in non-specialized stores with food and beverages and tobacco predominating; retail sale via stalls, market of food and beverages; and retail sale via mail, phone, internet.
"Mayroong nag-contribute dun sa online selling and that is about 284,000 out of the 1.13 million increase in the number of jobs of wholesale and retail trade," Mapa said.
