Almost half of all Filipino adults, or about 27.3 million Filipinos, are jobless according to the Social Weather Stations’ a national mobile phone survey conducted last July 3 to 6, 2020.
The survey found adult joblessness at a record-high 45.5 percent of the adult labor force which is a 28-point increase from 17.5 percent in December 2019, and a new record-high since the 34.4 percent in March 2012.
In December 2019, only 7.9 million Filipino adults were jobless. This means 19.4 million Filipinos have become unemployed since.
One out of five or 21 percent lost their job/livelihood before the Covid-19 pandemic. The other 21 percent lost their jobs/livelihood during the pandemic.
The rest either have a job/livelihood at the time of the interview (47%) or never had a job/livelihood before (11%).
The survey found out that more people living in urban areas (23%) than in rural areas (18%) lost their jobs during the Covid-19 crisis.
The same survey found that 79 percent of adult Filipinos said their quality-of-life got worse (which the SWS terms as “Losers”), versus 12 percent saying it was the same (“Unchanged”). Only 8 percent said their lives got better (“Gainers”), compared to a year ago.
“The proportion of Losers is higher among those with no job/livelihood at the time of the interview (84%), compared to those with a job/livelihood (77%) and those who never had a job/livelihood before (72%),” the SWS said.
The SWS added that joblessness was highest in all areas of the country, across all sexes and age groups.
“The 28-point surge in the national joblessness rate was due to increases of 31 points in the Visayas, 29 points in Metro Manila, 28 points in Balance Luzon, and 25 points in Mindanao,” the SWS said.
Adult joblessness rose in Metro Manila, from 15.0% in December 2019 to 43.5% in July 2020. It beat its previous record of 42% in February 2009.
Luzon saw an increase from 17.3% in December 2019 to 45.2% in July 2020, surpassing its previous record of 39% in March 2012.
Adult joblessness in the Visayas also increased from 15.7% in December 2019 to 46.6% in July 2020, surpassing its previous record of 31% in September 2007.
The same goes to Mindanao, up from 20.7% in December 2019 to 46.5% in July 2020, surpassing its previous record of 34% in March 2012.
Adult joblessness rose was highest among women from 30.8% in December 2019 to 55.8% in July 2020 while joblessness in men rose from 8.3% in December 2019 to 35.8% in July 2020.
More women left joblessness, high unemployment across age groups
Adult joblessness rose was highest among women from 30.8% in December 2019 to 55.8% in July 2020 while joblessness in men rose from 8.3% in December 2019 to 35.8% in July 2020.
Across age groups, adult joblessness rose among the 18-24 year-olds, up by 31 points from 31.8% in December 2019 to 63.4% in July 2020.
It increased among the 25-34 year-olds, up by 28 points from 20.7% in December 2019 to 48.8% in July 2020.
It also rose among the 35-44 year-olds, up by 23 points from 19.2% in December 2019 to 41.9% in July 2020.
The same goes for those in 45 years old and above, up by 28 points from 11.8% in December 2019 to 39.7% in July 2020.
The SWS said that like in its past surveys, the 18-24 year-olds are the most jobless compared to other age groups.
High joblessness in urban areas
Adult joblessness rose in urban areas, up by 29 points from 15.3% in December 2019 to 43.9% in July 2020, surpassing the previous record of 37% in February 2009
It also rose in rural areas, up by 26 points from 19.6% in December 2019 to 46.0% in July 2020 surpassing the previous record of 33% in March 2012.
Adult joblessness hardly varies by locale, with the urban-rural joblessness gap reaching double-digit in only 9 out of 106 surveys since September 1993.
The SWS said that adults who are considered jobless consists of those who voluntarily left their jobs, are seeking jobs for the first time, or those who lost their jobs due to economic circumstances beyond their control.
Millions of Filipinos went unemployed due to the Covid-19 pandemic which severely shrank the Philippine economy to a record 16.5 percent in the second quarter, bringing the country to a recession for the first time in nearly 30 years.
Last month, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) announced that the country’s unemployment rate hit a record high of 17.7 percent in April.
The SWS clarified that its survey results differ significantly from the PSA’s because of the PSA specifies a minimum of one hour of work to be counted as employed while the SWS directly asks if the respondent has work at the time the survey was conducted.
Expected
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the Palace is “saddened” with the result of the SWS Adult Joblessness Rate but that it is to be “expected” due to the lockdowns the government implemented to avert the spread of Covid-19.
“We are saddened but that’s to be expected with the lockdowns that we’ve had because of Covid-19. I think [the] government is looking at opening the economy and providing financial assistance to Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMSEs),” he said during the virtual presser. Rommel F. Lopez