SUMMARY:

• Labor force population in April 2002 increased by 4.3% to 35.1 million from 33.6 million reported in April last year. Labor force participation rate, likewise, increased to 69.9% from 69.0%.

• Employed persons in April 2002 was estimated at 30.2 million, up by 3.5% over the number in April 2001.

• Employment in agriculture slightly increased by 1.0% to 11.0 million persons from 10.9 million a year ago. However, its share to total employed decreased by 0.9 percentage point, from 37.4% to 36.5%. 

• In industry, employment increased by 34 thousand persons or by 0.7%. However, its share to total employed decreased by 0.4 percentage point.

• Employment in services increased by 883 thousand persons or by 6.6%. Its share to total employed increased to 47.5% from 46.2% last year.

• Unemployment rate increased to 13.9% from 13.3% in April last year.

• Underemployment rate went up by 2.1 percentage points, from 17.5% in April last year to 19.6% in April this year.

HIGHLIGHTS

Of the 50.2 million persons 15 years old and over, there were those who were in the labor force and those who were not... 

• The number of persons in the labor force in April this year increased to 35.1 million or by 4.3 percent, from 33.6 million in April last year. This could be partly attributed to the new graduates and students entering the labor force.

• The labor force participation rate, likewise, increased to 69.9 percent from 69.0 percent a year ago.

• Persons not in the labor force, like housewives, students, disabled and retired persons, decreased by approximately 5 thousand from 15.12 million in April 2001.

Of the 35.1 million persons in the labor force, there were those who were employed and those who were not... 

• The number of employed persons in April 2002 increased by 3.5 percent, to 30.2 million from 29.2 million in April last year. 

• However, the employment rate dropped slightly to 86.1 percent from 86.7 percent a year ago.

Of the 30.2 million persons employed, there were those either working in agriculture, industry or services...

• All sectors contributed to the increase in employment level with the services sector sharing the bulk. The number of employed in services sector increased by 883 thousand or by 6.6 percent, registering at 14.3 million compared to 13.5 million recorded in April last year. Its share to total employed likewise increased to 47.5 percent from 46.2 percent.

• Those employed in agriculture sector exhibited an increase of 110 thousand. However, its share to total employed persons decreased by 0.9 percentage point, from 37.4 percent last year to 36.5 percent this year.

• A minimal increase of 34 thousand (0.7%) in employment level was noted in the industry sector. Its share to total employed decreased by 0.4 percentage point from 16.4 percent in April 2001 to 16.0 percent this year.

The employed in services... 

• Wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles, motorcycles and personal and household sub-sector posted the biggest increase in employment with 523 thousand new workers. The increase was distributed among own-account workers (295), unpaid family workers (175 thousand) and wage and salary workers (52 thousand).

• Private households with employed persons had the second largest increase in employment with 194 thousand or 16.9 percent. Most of them were wage and salaried workers.

• Other community, social and personal services and transport, storage and communication posted a decline in employment levels by 4.8 percent and 0.2 percent, respectively.

The employed in agriculture...

• Workers in agriculture sector increased in number but decreased in proportion to total employed. Employment in this sector increased by 110 thousand (1.0%) but its share to total employed decreased by 0.9 percentage point. The unpaid family workers contributed to this decrease by 148 thousand (4.9%).

The employed in industry... 

• Employment in the industry sector increased to 4.82 million in April 2002 from 4.79 million last year. However, its share to total employed decreased by 0.4 percentage point. The combined losses of 18 thousand workers in electricity, gas and water sectors and manufacturing was offset by the increase posted in mining and quarrying (37 thousand) and construction (15 thousand).

The employed by occupation...

• Among the occupational groups, laborers and unskilled workers numbering 9.23 million in April this year posted the largest increase in number at 790 thousand. Its share to total employed increased by 1.7 percentage points, from 28.9 percent in April 2001 to 30.6 percent in April this year. Officials of government and special interest organizations, corporate executives, managers, managing proprietors and supervisors registered the next largest increase of 331 thousand (11.6%), from 2.8 million to 3.2 million.

• The other groups that posted increases were service workers and shop and market sales workers (97 thousand), technicians and associate professionals (90 thousand), professionals (78 thousand) and clerks (3 thousand).

• The number of farmers, forestry workers and fishermen declined from 6.4 million in April last year to 6.2 million in April this year. The number of plant and machine operators and assemblers also decreased by 5.6 percent, from 2.3 million to 2.1 million.

Of the 30.2 million employed, there were those who were paid wages and salaries, worked on their account, or worked for the family...

• The increase in the April 2002 employment was attributed largely to the increase in the number of own-account workers, most of them were in the services sector. The number of own-account workers increased to 11.4 million in April 2002 from 10.9 million a year earlier. Own account workers belonging to the services sector registered an increase of 8.6 percent, from 4.6 million to 4.9 million.

• Wage and salary workers contributed 466 thousand to the total increase in employed persons with the 312 thousand wage and salary workers in the services sector again comprising the bulk of this share.

• The number of unpaid family workers also increased by forty thousand, from 4.056 million to 4.096 million.

The employed by region...

• Thirteen regions exhibited increases in employment levels with Southern Tagalog posting the highest increment of 220 thousand. The National Capital Region and Western Visayas registered second and third with an increase of 178 thousand and 142 thousand, respectively. Ilocos Region registered the least increase in employment at 24 thousand.

• Seven regions showed increases in employment rate with Eastern Visayas leading the regions, posting the highest increase of 3.6 percentage points, from 86.2 percent to 89.8 percent. Western Visayas with an employment rate of 86.6 percent in April this year and Western Mindanao with 88.9 percent followed, posting increases of 2.1 and 1.0 percentage points, respectively.

• Among the regions registering a decline in employment rate, Central Luzon had the biggest decrease of 2.9 percentage points. The National Capital Region and Central Mindanao posted second and third with a decrease of 2.6 percentage points and 2.5 percentage points, respectively.

The employed by number of hours worked...

• Full-time workers or those who worked for 40 hours or more increased to 17.8 million in April 2002 from 16.4 million. Likewise, its share to total employment increased by 2.8 percentage points, from 56.1 percent to 58.9 percent.

• Those who worked for less than 40 hours decreased both in levels and proportion to total employment. Their number declined to 11.5 million in April 2002 from 12.0 million last year. Its share, likewise, decreased by 3.0 percentage points, from 41.0 percent to 38.0 percent.

Of the employed, there were those who desired more hours of work, the underemployed...

• The number of underemployed persons or those who desired additional hours of work increased by 830 thousand, from 5.092 million a year ago to 5.922 million in April 2002. The corresponding underemployment rate climbed to 19.6 percent in April this year from 17.5 percent in April last year. 

• A great majority (63.9 %) of the underemployed persons worked for less than 40 hours in April 2002. More underemployed persons are found in the rural areas (62 % of the total) than in the urban areas (38 %). 

• The services sector recorded the highest increase in the number of underemployed at 392 thousand (22.1%), while the underemployed in the industry sector increased by 180 thousand (21%). The underemployed in the agricultural sector also registered an increase of 257 thousand (10.4%).

And there were those who looked for work and did not find any, the unemployed...

• The unemployment rate in April 2002 was estimated at 13.9 percent. This was 0.6 percentage point higher than the estimate last year. 

• Unemployment levels, likewise, increased by 9.1 percent, from 4.461 million last year to 4.866 million in April this year. 

• All regions except ARMM posted a double-digit unemployment rate with Metro Manila posting the highest at 20.3 percent. This was followed by Central Visayas (15.4%), Ilocos (15.2%), Central Luzon (15.0%), Central Mindanao (13.5%), Western Visayas (13.4%), Southern Tagalog (13.0%), Southern Mindanao (12.7%), Bicol (12.4%), Caraga (11.6%), Western Mindanao (11.1%), Northern Mindanao (10.9%), Cagayan Valley (10.6%), CAR (10.4%) and Eastern Visayas (10.2%).

(Sgd.) CARMELITA N. ERICTA

        Administrator

Technical Notes  

• Starting with the April 2002 round of the Labor Force Survey, Executive Order No. 36, providing for the reorganization of the administrative regions in Mindanao was adopted for the generation of the labor force and employment statistics. 

• The province of South Cotabato including Sarangani, General Santos City and Koronadal City, which were formerly under Region XI, are now under Region XII. 

• The province of Lanao del Norte including Iligan City, which were formerly under Region XII, are now under Region X. 

• Marawi City is now under the administrative supervision of Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). 

• In the case of the province of Basilan, which is now under ARMM, EO 36 is not implemented since Isabela City is not a domain thus it will remain as part of Region IX. 

• Given the new set up, the composition of the following regions are as follows:

Source: National Statistics Office

               Manila, Philippines

Page last revised: June 17, 2002