ILOILO City – More than 300,000 Western Visayans were unemployed, according to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), citing data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
Based on the PSA’s latest data, the unemployment rate of Western Visayas as of January 2021 was at 9.1 percent.
“Of the 3.4 million individuals in Western Visayas 15 years old and over nga ara sa workforce, 3.1 million are employed while 312,000 are unemployed,” said John Mandario, DOLE-6 information officer.
In January 2020, Western Visayas logged a 5.6 percent unemployment rate while 5.9 in October 2020.
“Nagtaas sia sang 3.5 percent (within the year),” Mandario told Panay News.
What could be the factors?
One major factor is the contraction in economic activity brought about by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, Mandario said.
“Madamo nadulaan sang obra (because of the) temporary or permanent closure sang ila gina-obrahan. Amo na ngaa naapektohan ang labor market,” he added.
The Labor department has opened an online Job and Business Fairs on May 1 with the theme “Mayo Uno sa Bagong Panahon: Manggagawa at Mamamayan Babangon, Susulong” to help Western Visayans find jobs amid the pandemic.
Macario said DOLE-6 is extending the online job fairs today, May 4, “para mas madamo pa gid nga mga applicants ang mahatagan sang tsansa nga makakita sang obra.”
Job vacancies can be accessed via this link: www.mynimo.com/dole6-jobs
Based on the record of DOLE-6, 6,097 job vacancies had been offered by 35 companies during the online job fair on May 1.
A total of 5,224 applicants have pre-registered and 2,343 applied.
Twenty-one applicants were hired “on the spot”, said Macario.
“Mostly sa ila encoders, profilers, enumerators and office workers,” he said.
Fifty-three were near-hired, mostly tellers, non-voice agents, customer service representatives, technical support representatives, and accounting assistants.
“Near hires” are applicants who may be considered as hired but needed to submit additional requirements or may need to attend further interviews or tests.
Meanwhile, 231 applicants are being evaluated.
Aside from the job fair on May 1, the DOLE also conducted a webinar on how to start a business in partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry./PN
