The national Social Weather Survey of December 12-16, 2021, the most recent quarterly national survey finalized by SWS, found adult joblessness at 24.7% of the adult labor force.
This is similar to the 24.8% in September 2021, and the lowest since the 17.5% in December 2019.
The resulting 25.7% average for 2021 is 11.7 points below the record-high 37.4% average for 2020 but still 5.9 points above the 19.8% average of 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic.
The estimated numbers of jobless are 11.0 million in December 2021 and 11.9 million in September 2021.
SWS defines the Labor Force as adults (18 years and above) presently with a job plus those looking for a job. The Labor Force Participation Rate is the proportion of adults in the labor force.
The December 2021 survey found the Labor Force Participation Rate at 62.8%, or an estimated 44.5 million. It was 68.0%, or an estimated 48.2 million, in September 2021.
The jobless consist of those who (a) voluntarily left their old jobs, (b) are seeking jobs for the first time, or (c) lost their jobs due to economic circumstances beyond their control.
Joblessness reached a catastrophic level of 45.5% in July 2020. It eased to 39.5% in September 2020, 27.3% in November 2020, and 25.8% in May 2021. It rose to 27.6% in June 2021 before easing to 24.8% in September 2021 and 24.7% in December 2021.
Joblessness rises in all areas except in the Visayas
Adult joblessness stayed highest in Metro Manila at 34%, followed by Balance Luzon at 29%, Mindanao at 18%, and the Visayas at 17%.
The slight decline in the national joblessness rate between September 2021 to December 2021 was due to a decrease of 5.9 points in the Visayas, combined with increases of 0.4 points in Metro Manila, 1.6 points in Balance Luzon, and 1.7 points in Mindanao.
Joblessness fell in the Visayas from 22.6% in September 2021 to 16.7% in December 2021.
SWS: Adult joblessness at 24.7%
However, it rose in Metro Manila from 33.6% in September 2021 to 34.1% in December 2021.
It rose in Balance Luzon from 27.5% in September 2021 to 29.1% in December 2021.
It also rose in Mindanao from 16.4% in September 2021 to 18.1% in December 2021.
Higher incidence of Hunger among families of jobless adults
The December 2021 survey found that 11.8% of Filipino families, or an estimated 3.0 million, experienced involuntary hunger – being hungry and not having anything to eat – at least once in the past three months.
Throughout 2021, the incidence of involuntary hunger has been higher among families of jobless adults than among families of those with a job/livelihood.
Compared to September 2021, involuntary hunger rose by 6.1 points among families of the jobless, up from 16.3% (consisting of 11.8% moderate hunger and 4.5% severe hunger) to 22.4% (consisting of 16.8% moderate hunger and 5.6% severe hunger).
On the other hand, it rose by 1.4 points among families of respondents with a job/livelihood, up from 8.1% (7.0% moderate hunger and 1.2% severe hunger) to 9.5% (7.3% moderate hunger and 2.2% severe hunger).
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