3.71 million aged 15 and above were unemployed in 2021, PSA says

Around 3.71 million Filipinos aged 15 years old and above were unemployed in 2021, resulting in an unemployment rate of 7.8%, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.

Based on PSA’s 2021 preliminary annual labor market statistics, the unemployment rates were 10.6% in the National Capital Region, 9.2% in Region IV-A, 8.2% in Region I, and 7.9% in MIMAROPA.

These were all higher than the national figure of 7.8 percent.

In 2021, Olongapo City has the highest unemployment rate at 14.4%, accounting for 14.67 thousand unemployed persons out of 101.88 thousand persons in the labor force, while Camarines Norte’s jobless rate was second highest last year at 14.1%.

“Compared to 2020 provincial unemployment estimates, there were no provinces or Highly Urbanized Cities (HUCs) with an unemployment rate greater than 16.0 percent in 2021. Further, only Olongapo City and Camarines Norte had unemployment rates from 13.0 percent to 15.99 percent,” the PSA data showed.

PSA also noted that 47.70 million or 63.3% of Filipinos aged 15 and above actively sought employment last year, with Bukidnon registering the highest labor force participation (LFPR) rate at 78.3% among the provinces and HUCs.

Among the regions, Region X had the highest LFPR with 69.8%, followed by Region XIII with 67.8%, and Region III with 59%.

Employment rate

PSA, meanwhile, reported that the 92.2% employment rate last year translated into 43.9 out of 47.70 million Filipinos with jobs.

Surigao del Sur registered the highest employment rate at 97.7%.

“Comparing the distribution of the provincial employment rates in 2020 and 2021, more provinces (17 out of 117 provinces and HUCs) recorded employment rates greater than 96.0 percent in 2021 compared to 7.7 percent or 9 out 117 provinces and HUCs in 2020. It is worth mentioning that no province in 2021 obtained employment rates lower than 84.0 percent,” the PSA said.

Other regions that posted registered employment rates lower than the national estimate were Zamboanga Peninsula (96%); MIMAROPA (92.1%); Region I (91.8%); Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (90.8%), Region IV-A (89.4%); and NCR (89.4%).

Underemployed rate

Underemployed persons were estimated at 7 million or 15.9% of the total employed persons in 2021.

Seven regions had underemployment rates lower than the national estimate, which include Region IX (14.8%); Region VII (14.5%); Region X (14.3%); BARMM (12.0%); NCR (10.2%), Region XI (9.7%); and Region III (7.3%), according to the PSA

Agusan del Sur posted the highest underemployment rate at 51.6% in 2021 among the local government units, while Ilocos Norte recorded the lowest underemployment rate of 2.9%. — Mel Matthew Doctor/BM, GMA News