Number of jobless Filipinos decline in September: SWS

October 6, 2020

Two out of five Filipinos lost their jobs due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the Social Weather Stations (SWS) said in a survey released late Monday.

Based on their latest survey, the number of Filipinos who are jobless decreased from 27.3 million last July to 23.7 million in September. 

“This is a 6-point decline from the record-high 45.5 percent in July,” SWS said.

It said jobless adults are those who are voluntarily left their old jobs, seeking jobs for the first time, or lost their jobs due to economic circumstances beyond their control.

SWS said there are 60.1 million Filipinos nationwide who has a job and still looking for a job.

The survey found that 14 percent of Filipinos lost their job or livelihood during the lockdown brought by the pandemic crisis.

“This is about 2 out of 5 among those with no job or livelihood but had one before,” it said. 

On the other hand, 22 percent of Filipinos lost their jobs or livelihoods before the crisis, 12 percent never had one before, and 52 percent had one during the time of the survey conducted last September 17- 20.

The proportion of those who lost their job or livelihood declined from 21 percent in July to 14 percent in September.

SWS said joblessness in Visayas area rose to 52 percent from previous 46.6 percent while there is a decline in Balance Luzon, Metro Manila and Mindanao at 33.5 percent, 39.9 percent and 40 percent, respectively. 

By locale, it declined in urban areas, from 23 percent to 15 percent, and in rural areas, from 18 percent to 13 percent.

During the time of the interview, SWS said hunger is always higher among those with no job or livelihood than among those with a job or livelihood. 

Joblessness fell slightly among men and women, aged 18-24, at 29.0 percent and 51.1 percent, respectively.

“As in past surveys, the 18-24-year-olds are the most jobless compared to other age groups,” SWS said.

The latest SWS survey was conducted using mobile phone and computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) of 1,249 adult Filipinos nationwide. Ella Dionisio/DMS