The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported a decline in the country’s unemployment and underemployment rates for November, signaling an improvement in job availability and quality.
Unemployment fell to 3.2% of the labor force in November, down from 3.9% in October. This decrease translates to 1.66 million jobless workers compared to 1.97 million in the previous month. Underemployment, which refers to workers seeking additional jobs or hours, also dropped to 10.8% from 12.6%, bringing the number down from 6.08 million to 5.35 million.
PSA Undersecretary Claire Dennis Mapa highlighted a year-on-year rise in quality jobs, particularly among wage and salary workers. “In November 2024, we saw an increase of 1.11 million wage and salary workers, which is a positive indicator of better quality employment,” Mapa said in an ABS-CBN News report.
Industries such as manufacturing, accommodation and food services, and healthcare added the most jobs, while agriculture and forestry suffered significant job losses due to recent storms.
The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) emphasized the government’s commitment to generating quality jobs and improving wages. “Expanding business and employment opportunities is critical to ensuring Filipinos can actively and productively contribute to the economy,” NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan stated.
NEDA also plans to support skills training and promote alternative work arrangements to adapt to evolving labor demands.
