SWS: Adult joblessness drops to 27.3% of labor force

The national Social Weather Survey (SWS) of November 21-25, 2020, found adult joblessness at 27.3% of the adult labor force.

This is down by 12 points from the 39.5% in September 2020.

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The estimated numbers of jobless adults are 12.7 million in November 2020 and 23.7 million in September 2020.

Joblessness was 17.5% in December 2019, the last measurement before the Covid-19 crisis began.

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.

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The November 2020 Survey found the adult Labor Force Participation Rate at 66.7%, or an estimated 46.3 million adults. It was 86.5%, or an estimated 60.1 million adults, in September 2020.

Adults who are jobless consists 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 record-high 45.5% in July 2020. It eased to 39.5% in September before easing to 27.3% in November.

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The resulting average joblessness rate for 2020 is a record-high 37.4%. The previous record was a 28.8% average in 2012. The average in 2019 was 19.8%.

SWS: Adult joblessness drops to 27.3% of labor force

Sharp falls in Joblessness in the Visayas and Mindanao

The 12-point decline in the national joblessness rate was due to decreases of 33 points in the Visayas, 23 points in Mindanao, 2 points in Metro Manila, and 1 point in Balance Luzon.

Adult joblessness fell sharply in the Visayas, from a record-high 52.0% in September 2020 to 19.1% in November 2020.

It fell sharply in Mindanao, from 40.0% in September 2020 to 17.0% in November 2020.

It fell slightly in Balance Luzon, from 33.5% in September 2020 to 32.7% in November 2020.

It also fell slightly in Metro Manila, from 39.9% in September 2020 to 37.8% in November 2020.

More hunger among the jobless

Throughout 2020, the hunger rate has been higher among the jobless than among those with a job/livelihood.

Compared to September 2020, families experiencing involuntary hunger – hunger due to lack of food to eat in the last three months – fell among both the jobless (by 21 points) and among those with a job/livelihood (by 7 points).

The percentage of adults in the labor force whose families experienced moderate hunger – involuntary hunger experienced “Only once” or “A few times” – fell significantly among the jobless (from 30.2% to 15.3%), while only slightly among those with a job/livelihood (from 16.3% to 13.3%).

Meanwhile, those whose families experienced severe hunger – hunger experienced “Often” or “Always”– eased among both the jobless (from 12.3% to 6.1%) and among those with a job/livelihood (from 6.9% to 2.8%).

The November 2020 survey found that 16.0% or an estimated 4.0 million families experienced involuntary hunger – hunger due to lack of food to eat – at least once in the past three months (“Fourth Quarter 2020 Social Weather Survey: Hunger eases to 16.0% of families in November,” 16 December 2020, www.sws.org.ph).