By means of Chloe Mari A. Hufana, Reporter
Filipino unemployment relieved in December to 3.1% in the midst of an increase in hiring the transport and storage sector, so that the average of the entire year according to the Statistics agency was brought to a record tray of 3.8%.
Provisional data from the Embor Force Survey of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that the unemployed rate was unchanged in December compared to the same month in 2023, but slightly lower than 3.2% in November.
The number of unemployed Filippinos rose to 1.63 million in December, compared to 1.6 million in the previous year only slightly lower than 1.66 million in November.
December also saw the lowest unemployment rate since April 2005, when the Statistics Agency has revised the definition of unemployed to Filippinos of 15 years and older without a job, available for work and being actively looking for it.
Before 2024, the national statistician Claire Dennis S. Mapa said that the unemployed rate was on average 3.8%, which corresponds to 1.94 million unemployed Filipinos. This was lower than the unemployed percentage of 4.4%, which represents 2.19 million unemployed Filipinos in 2023.
The full unemployment rate in 2024 was also the lowest since 2005.
The modest decrease in unemployment in December 2024 was attributed to an increase in hiring transport and storage employees during the holidays, Mr Mapa said, and noted that the sector registered an additional 184,000 employees month after month.
The sector won 555,000 employees year after year.
“Most of these are passenger transport by road, and this is an effect of our holidays,” said Mr. Mapa in mixed English and Filipijns during a newslettering in Quezon City.
“We can grow growth in general in Shuttle Airport services, Taxi activities and transport of the passenger country. This indicates a positive movement in the sector. Moreover, we have seen an increase in the use of buses for public transport, “he added.
In the meantime, the working quality year after year, because the employment rate fell to 10.9% (5.48 million), from 11.9% (6.01 million) in December 2023. The percentage of unemployment rise from 10 month to month , 8% (5.35 million) in November in November.
This was also the lowest percentage of the understaffing since April 2005 when the PSA redesigned the understaffing as individuals who are employed, but look for extra jobs or working hours.
For 2024, the average percentage of unemployment fell to 11.9% of 12.3% in 2023. This translated last year into 5.83 million under -processed Filipinos, lower than 5.94 million in 2023, Mr Mapa said.
Labor secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma said that the Labor Force Survey of December 2024 demonstrated that the government’s efforts, with the support of the private sector, are bearing fruit and gained ground.
“We will continue to work in collaboration with the private sector on creating jobs to guarantee a more permanent source of income and decent living conditions for our workforce,” he said Business world In a Viberchat. “If there are more jobs, access to these opportunities is open to and available for employees, even for those in the informal sector.”
National Economic and Development Authority Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said in a statement that strategies to strengthen the labor market “are crucial to maintain our economic momentum and offer higher earning opportunities for Filipinos.”
“The government continues to be committed to promoting both the measures for demand and supply-side measures that will promote a more dynamic working environment and will achieve the goals set in the Filipino development plan 2023-2028,” he said.
Financial secretary Ralph G. Recto said the government will continue to insist on initiatives Create high -quality jobs for Filipinos.
“We strongly focus on improving education, infrastructure and human development to ensure that we build a Filipinian workforce that is equipped with the tools and opportunities they need to compete on the global stage,” Mr. Recto said In a statement, where the emphasis places in the field of workforce.
Employment
In the meantime, the PSA also reported that the employment rate improved slightly to 96.9%, equal to 50.19 million employed in December of 96.8% in November when 49.54 million Filipinos were employed.
The employment rate was unchanged compared to December 2023. However, there were slightly more in the service of Filipinos at 50.52 million in December 2023.
For 2024, the average employment rate rose to 96.2%, compared to the 95.6% in 2023. This is equal to 48.85 million in the use of Filipinos in 2024, higher than the average of 2023 of 48.18 million.
In the meantime, labor participation (LFPR) fell to 65.1% in December of 66.6% in December 2023. This represented a labor force of 51.81 million, lower than 52.13 million in December 2023.
University of the Philippines School of Labor and Industrial Relations Assistant Professor Benjamin B. Velasco said that the modest decline of LFPR showed persistent challenges in creating jobs.
“The population will always increase, so that’s a fact. Population growth stimulates consumption and also production, so it is not a negative factor itself, although a large increase in the population is a challenge for policy -making, including the management of the labor market, “he said in a Facebook Messenger -Chat.
“The problem of creating jobs has also exploded in the significant decrease in the LFPR of youth.”
The Youth LFPR fell to 31.9% of 34.5% in December 2023. The employment rate for young people also fell to 90.9% in December from 91.8% in the previous year.
Sectoral profits and losses
PSA -data also showed that agriculture and forestry lost 1.56 million employees year after year in December.
Mr. Mapa attributed the losses to the series of typhoons that met the country in the fourth quarter and noted that about 557,000 from them were paddy rice farmers.
Employees who deal with planting, transplanting and other related activities lost 424,000 employees year after year in December. Hog Farming lost 236,000 jobs when African pig fever (ASF) continued to influence production.
Month after month, the agricultural and forestry sector saw the highest increase, because an additional 735,000 employees were hired.
At the same time, the sector that relates to wholesalers and retail trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles registered, the largest number of job losses on 391,000 months a month in December.
Mr Mapa said that 294,000 of those job losses came from the retail sector with stalls, markets, food and drinks and tobacco products.
About 219,000 employees involved in accommodation and activities for food service also lost their job in December 2024, despite the increase in holiday activities.
The service sector had the most number of employees and contributed 60.5% to the total workforce.
The agricultural and industrial sectors followed, which represents 21.3% and 18.3% of the total number of employees respectively.
Wage and salary workers
Wage and salary workers continued to take into account the bulk or 63.1%of employees Filipinos in December 2024, followed by self-employed without paid employees (28.5%), unpaid family workers (6.8%) and employers in their own family worked Farm or company (1.6%).
Among wage and salary workers, the employed in private institutions accounted for 78.9%, while those working in government or government-driven companies represented 14.4%.
Wage and salary workers are people who are paid for their work in private institutions, the government or their own family business, the PSA said on its website.
Federation of free employees President Jose Sonny G. Matula urged the government to increase wages to encourage the purchasing power of employees and to increase the demand for local goods and services.
“In contrast to the struggle of employers, wage increases support our farmers, fishing and informal sector workers because employees buy their products due to increased purchasing power,” he said in a viber chat.
Although the Record-Lage Unemployment percentage for December 2024 is a good thing, Mr. Matula said it is not surprising.
“Employment almost always goes up because of the increased purchasing power of employees who are also consumers. Employees have doubled or tripled their income because of 13one Monthly and Christmas or annual bonuses, “he said.
“But before we break out the confetti, let’s not forget: the quality of these jobs leaves much to be desired. Generated jobs were temps. “
On Monday, the House of Representatives approved a bill when reading a bill that granted a P200 walk for people with a minimum wage. In February last year, the Senate approved a counterpart law for P100.