Jobless rate up with growth?

There are more jobless Filipinos as of the last quarter of last year according to a survey done by the Social Weather Station.

Interestingly enough, although there are more who lost their jobs, more are optimistic that they can get better jobs this year.

Unemployment rose to 27.5 percent in the last quarter of 2013 based on a survey done from December 11 to 16.

The SWS said the six percentage point hike in unemployment is the highest since August 2012 when it reached 29.4 percent. It is still lower than the highest unemployment rate that was recorded in the last 20 years at 34.4 percent in February 2009.

The survey, which covered 1,550 respondents nationwide, showed that the number of Filipinos who were jobless rose to 27.5 percent in December from 21.7 percent in September.

Those without work as of December consist of those who resigned (13.5 percent), those whose contracts were not renewed (6.8 percent), first-time job-seekers or have never worked before (3.5 percent), those who were laid off (2 percent), and those whose employers closed shop (1.6 percent).

SWS defined jobless or unemployed as those who are 18 years and older who are not working at present but are looking for a job.

The SWS definition is different from that of the government which described the jobless as those who are aged 15 years and older who are not working, looking for work and available for work. Those available for work but not seeking it due to illness or are waiting for the results of a job interview are included in the government’s unemployed numbers.

The survey results showed that more women (35.9 percent) are still unemployed compared to men (21.2) but there was a higher number of men who found themselves without work in December compared to September -21.2 percent which is up by 7.8 points from 13.4 percent- compared to women which only rose by 3.5 points to 35.9 percent from 32.4 percent.

By age, joblessness was basically unchanged among those 18 to 24 years old, at 52.3 percent from 52.4 percent in September, though it rose to 25 percent from 16 percent among those aged 35 to 44 years old, and went up to 33.1 percent from 24.6 percent for the 25 to 34 age group. It also rose to 17.7 percent from 14.2 percent among those aged 45 and above.

Despite the increased unemployment figures, optimism that work would become available this year rose to “fair” or 40 percent in the fourth quarter from “mediocre” or 30 percent in the third quarter.

The SWS survey also showed that 31 percent of the respondents believe that the employment situation would remain the same while 21 percent expects the availability of jobs to go down.

This translated to a net optimism score of +19 (more jobs or 40 percent minus fewer jobs or 21), which is 15 points better than +4 in September (30 percent minus 26 percent).

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldos said one of the reasons for the high unemployment rate that resulted from the SWS survey was due to the different methodology used by the survey group compared to the methodology used by the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB).

“As far as the unemployment is concerned, nasa 7.2 percent tayo,” she said adding that it is unfair to compare the unemployment results of the SWS and NSCB.

Baldos added that the government is after more quality employment where there is security of tenure and the workers are received at least minimum wages and just benefits than quantity.

She also said that the unemployment rate was not triggered by the recent calamities adding that several employment opportunities had been provided with the increased construction and planting activities in the affected areas.

She said livelihood opportunities had also been provided in the affected areas.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda, however, blamed the rise in unemployment rate on the recent calamities that struck the country during the last quarter of 2013 adding that the result was not surprising.

Lacierda said apart from super typhoon Yolanda that affected several areas in the country in November, parts of Bohol and Cebu were also struck by a magnitude 7.2 earthquake in October while Zamboanga City was under a siege in September. –JOCELYN MONTEMAYOR, Malaya