National survey logs record-high unemployment in July

MANILA, Philippines — A national poll released Sunday found that joblessness in the adult labor force is now at a record-high 45.5%.

The survey, conducted by the Social Weather Stations from July 3 to July 6, saw the numbers of unemployed adults shoot up to 27.3 million in July from the 7.9 million recorded in December 2019.

The poll added that these joblessness figures marked "a 28-point increase from 17.5% in December 2019, and a new record-high since the 34.4% in March 2012."

SWS defines jobless adults as those who have left old jobs voluntarily, those seeking jobs for the first time, and those who have lost their jobs "due to economic circumstances beyond their control."

In addition to this, the survey found that 21% of adult Filipinos, "or half of the 42% with no job/livelihood at the time of the interview–lost their job/livelihood during the COVID-19 crisis."

The other 21% lost their jobs before the pandemic-induced crisis.

Meanwhile, 47% of adult Filipinos had a job at the time of the interview and the remaining 11% said they never had a job or livelihood before.

SWS also logged a slightly higher proportion of respondents who lost their jobs during the coronavirus crisis in urban areas at 23% as compared to the 18% in rural areas.

Geographically, Balance Luzon showed the highest numbers of COVID-induced unemployment at 23%, trailed by the Visayas and Mindanao at 19%, then Metro Manila at 18%.

The national poll found that 79% of Filipinos say their quality of life worsened in the last 12 months. An overwhelming majority of these respondents, at 84%, said they had no job or livelihood at the time of the interview.

According to SWS, the record-high surge in national joblessness is consistent across all geographical divisions, genders, and areas both rural and urban.

Unemployment also rose in all adult age groups, with 18-24-year-olds remaining the most jobless as compared to others.

The surveu was conducted among 1,555 adult Filipinos using mobile phone and computer-assisted telephone interviewing. Margin of error is at ±2% for national percentages, ±6% for Metro Manila, and ±5 for Balance Luzon, ±5% for the Visayas, and ±5% for Mindanao.

Latest data from the Department of Health places the national COVID-19 caseload at 161, 253 and fatalities at 2,665.

It has been 153 days since the Philippines was first put under community quarantine — the longest lockdown in the world. — Bella Perez-Rubio

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