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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Adult joblessness rate rises in Q4 2023 — SWS

Adult joblessness rate rises in Q4 2023 — SWS

Published Mar 6, 2024 10:14 am

At A Glance

  • SWS estimated the number of jobless Filipinos at 9.4 million in December 2023, up from 7.9 million in September 2023.
  • The survey showed that joblessness was highest among the 18-to-24-year-olds (53.7 percent), followed by the 35-to-44-year-olds (20.9 percent), the 25-to-34-year-olds (19.1 percent), and those 45 and older (12.8 percent).
  • Joblessness remained higher among women (26 percent) than among men (15 percent).
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A construction worker installs brick tiles on General Luna Street in Intramuros, Manila on Nov. 7, 2023. (Noel B. Pabalate/Manila Bulletin file photo)

A Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey conducted in December 2023 revealed that the joblessness rate among Filipino adults reached 19.5 percent, 2.6 points higher than the 16.9 percent reported in September of the same year.

In its report released on Wednesday, March 6, SWS estimated the number of jobless Filipinos at 9.4 million in December, up from 7.9 million in September.

SWS defines jobless as those who have voluntarily left their previous jobs, are looking for work for the first time, or have lost their jobs due to economic circumstances beyond their control.

Joblessness rate higher among women than men; rises in all areas except Balance Luzon

In the December 2023 survey, SWS said joblessness remained higher among women (26 percent) than among men (15 percent).

“Compared to September 2023, joblessness rose from 21.1 percent among women, while it hardly changed from 14 percent among men,” it said.


SWS also pointed out that joblessness rose in Metro Manila (from 19.2 percent to 23.2 percent), Visayas (from 12.2 percent to 18 percent), and Mindanao (from 12.4 percent to 15.6 percent).

However, it hardly moved from 20.8 percent to 21 percent in Balance Luzon.

Joblessness rises among people aged 18 to 24, 35 to 44; higher in urban than rural areas

The SWS December 2023 survey showed that joblessness was highest among the 18-to-24-year-olds (53.7 percent), followed by the 35-to-44-year-olds (20.9 percent), the 25-to-34-year-olds (19.1 percent), and those 45 and older (12.8 percent).

“Compared to September 2023, joblessness rose from 34.4 percent among the 18-to-24-year-olds and 16.5 percent among the 35-to-44-year-olds. However, it fell slightly from 22.7 percent among the 25-to-34-year-olds, while it hardly changed from 11.9 percent among those 45 years old and above,” it said.

The survey also found that adult joblessness was slightly higher in urban areas (21.2 percent) than in rural areas (17.8 percent).

“Compared to September 2023, joblessness rose from 18 percent in urban areas and 15.7 percent in rural areas,” SWS said.

It noted that the resulting urban-rural joblessness gap rose slightly from 2.3 points in September 2023 to 3.4 points in December 2023.

Joblessness rises in all educ’l groups except among college grads

In comparison to September, joblessness increased in December among junior high school graduates (from 19.1 percent to 20.8 percent), elementary graduates (14.5 percent to 20.3 percent), and non-elementary graduates (3.1 percent to 8.7 percent).

However, it decreased slightly among college graduates, from 25.6 percent to 22.1 percent.

The Fourth Quarter 2023 SWS survey was conducted from Dec. 8 to 11 through face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults nationwide.

The sampling error margins are ±2.8 percent for national percentages, and ±5.7 percent each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao.

Related Tags

unemployment SWS joblessness
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