MANILA – The Philippines posted an unemployment rate of 5.2 percent and an underemployment rate of 15.6 percent in January, government data released Thursday showed.
The unemployment rate in January 2019 was steady from 5.1 percent in October 2018 and 5.3 percent in January 2018, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.
There were 2.2 million unemployed persons in January 2019, from 2.3 million in January 2018, the PSA said.
The underemployment rate of 15.6 percent in January 2019 compares with 13.3 percent in October 2018 and 18 percent in January 2018, data showed.
There were 6.45 million underemployed persons in January 2019, from 7.5 million in January 2018, the PSA said.
The employment rate was at 94.8 percent in January 2019 from 94.9 in October 2018 and 94.7 percent in January 2018.
This means there were 41.4 million employed persons in January 2019 compared to 41.8 during the same period in 2018.
Employed persons include those who work full time, or at least 40 hours weekly or part time, working under 40 hours per week.
The underemployed are employed persons who want to work more hours in their present job or take on additional jobs. The underemployment rate is based on the total employed persons. (ABS-CBN News)
