About 27.3M Filipino Adults are Jobless According to SWS Survey

August 17, 2020683 views0

According to the Social Weather Stations (SWS) July 3-6, 2020 National Mobile Phone Survey, 45.5% of the Filipino adult labor force was jobless in July 2020, a new high-record since the 34.3% which was recorded in March 2012.

Source: Social Weather Stations (SWS) July 3-6, 2020 National Mobile Phone Survey

In the survey conducted by SWS, they have interviewed 1,555 adult Filipinos nationwide using a mobile phone and Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI).

The SWS defined the labor force as adults, 18 years old and above, presently with a job including those looking for a job.

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Estimated Number of Jobless Adults

The estimated number of jobless adults according to the survey for July 2020 is 27.3 Million. While 7.9 Million jobless adults were recorded in December 2019.

These jobless adults consists of those who:

Voluntarily left their old jobs.
Seeking jobs for the firs time.
Lost their jobs due to economic circumstances beyond their control.

Effect of COVID-19 Crisis

In the SWS survey, 21% adults or half of the 42% respondents lost their job or livelihood during the COVID-19 crisis. While the other half of the respondents already lost their job before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Joblessness Rate Per Area During COVID-19 Crisis

Furthermore, the rate of those who lost their job during the COVID-19 pandemic is higher in Urban Areas with 23% than in Rural Areas with 18%.

Source: Social Weather Stations (SWS) July 3-6, 2020 National Mobile Phone Survey

Furthermore, SWS found out that Balance Luzon has the highest rate of those Filipino adults who lost their jobs during the COVID-19 crisis with 23% followed by Visayas and Mindanao that are both 19 % and Metro Manila with 18 %.

Joblessness Rate Per Gender

From the survey, SWS have recorded that 55.8%, which is up by 25 points from the 30.8 % in December 2019, of women and 35.8% , up by 28 points from the 8.3 % in December 2019, men are jobless in July 2020.

Source: Social Weather Stations (SWS) July 3-6, 2020 National Mobile Phone Survey

Joblessness Rate Per Age Group

In the SWS survey, the age group that are most jobless are 18-24 years old with 63.4 %. Comes next are 25-34 years old with 48.8%, 35-44 years old with 41.9% and 45 years old and above with 39.7%.